Browse the evidence

Using technology-based self-monitoring tools alone (without phone intervention) does not significantly improve weight loss or adherence compared to traditional self-monitoring tools in the short term.

Using a fitness tracker and calorie app alone may not lead to significantly better weight loss than using paper logs and a basic pedometer. To get the most benefit, consider adding brief phone check-ins with a health coach to help you stay consistent.

Provider mindfulness increases patient-centered communication and patient satisfaction.

For patients, choosing a provider who values mindfulness may lead to better communication. For providers, practicing mindfulness (e.g., meditation) can improve empathy and patient satisfaction.

Barriers to implementing weight management services in community pharmacies include lack of pharmacist time, lack of private consultation areas, and difficulty in following up with patients.

To effectively provide weight management services, pharmacies need to address operational barriers such as lack of time and private consultation areas. This may involve scheduling dedicated time for counseling and designating private spaces for patient interactions.

GLP-1 receptor activation in the brain reduces the reward value of food, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for treating addiction to food and substances of abuse.

Research suggests that GLP-1 medications might help treat addiction by changing how your brain rewards food or substances. If you struggle with addictive behaviors, this emerging area of science offers hope for treatments that target the brain's reward system directly.

Slimming product advertisements in Switzerland make false promises of rapid weight loss (300g–1kg daily) without lifestyle changes, exploiting legislative voids to generate significant revenue.

Be skeptical of any slimming product advertising rapid weight loss (e.g., >1kg/week) without lifestyle changes. These claims are legally and scientifically unsupported in Switzerland and likely elsewhere. Focus on evidence-based strategies rather than supplements marketed with 'natural' or 'scientific' buzzwords.

Collegiate student-athletes have low knowledge of nutritional supplements and third-party-tested (TPT) logos, and this lack of recognition does not correlate with their actual use of TPT supplements.

If you are a collegiate athlete, do not assume that recognizing a third-party testing logo means you are using safe supplements. The study shows that knowing the logo does not predict whether you actually use TPT products. Your overall knowledge of supplements is likely lower than you think (median 33% correct). To mitigate doping risk, do not rely on logos alone. Verify every specific product batch on the testing organization's official website, regardless of whether you received nutritional counseling from your athletic department.

Access to obesity treatment in Canada is inequitable, with patients having high socioeconomic status being overrepresented in treatment programs compared to the general population of people with obesity, who are more likely to have lower socioeconomic status.

If you have a lower income, you may face barriers to accessing obesity treatment due to lack of insurance coverage. Advocate for yourself and your community for better access to affordable treatments. There are resources and programs that may help, and discussing financial concerns with your doctor is important.

Patients often learn about semaglutide and tirzepatide from social media and support groups rather than healthcare providers, who act as 'gatekeepers' rather than initial educators.

If you are interested in semaglutide or tirzepatide, do not assume your doctor will bring it up. You likely learned about it from social media or friends. Bring this information to your appointment, as providers may not be the initial source of this information but are necessary for safe access.

Tirzepatide use is strongly associated with a high frequency of dosing errors, particularly incorrect dose administration, which increases significantly over time and correlates with strong statistical safety signals.

If you are using tirzepatide, be aware that dosing errors are the most common side effect reported. The once-weekly schedule and mandatory dose increases can be confusing. Use a calendar or app to track your injections and strictly follow the titration steps to avoid mistakes.

Tirzepatide is associated with injection-site reactions, particularly pain, which are consistent with the class of GLP-1/GIP agonists and are typically mild and transient.

Injection site pain is a common side effect of tirzepatide. It is usually mild and goes away. Proper injection technique and counseling can help reduce this discomfort and help you stick with your treatment.

Primary care physicians' proactivity in prescribing pharmaceutical weight loss treatments is significantly correlated with their belief in the efficacy of those treatments and their specific knowledge of the agents, whereas lack of knowledge is the predominant barrier for less proactive physicians.

For primary care physicians, the key to expanding obesity treatment options is not just access to drugs, but targeted education and clear guidelines. Physicians who feel knowledgeable and confident are significantly more likely to prescribe effective pharmaceutical interventions like liraglutide. Updating guidelines and providing continuous education can directly increase proactive prescribing.

Cultural insularity, defined as the greater role of cultural identity in food choices, is positively associated with higher BMI in French populations.

If you live in a culture where food is central to identity, weight management may feel like a betrayal of your community. Recognize that 'cultural insularity'—letting cultural norms dictate food choices—is a real, measurable factor linked to higher BMI. To manage weight, focus on integrating health into your culture (e.g., modifying traditional dishes) rather than rejecting your heritage, as this reduces the psychological resistance to change.

In routine clinical practice, sporadic individual dietary consultations do not significantly improve adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients with type 2 diabetes.

If you have type 2 diabetes, simply attending a dietitian appointment once or twice a year is unlikely to change your diet significantly. To get results, you need intensive, ongoing support that provides concrete tools and food, not just sporadic advice. If you feel you already know how to eat well, focus on maintaining that consistency rather than seeking more general advice.

Obesity prevention requires modifying societal and environmental factors (food marketing, pricing, urban design) rather than relying solely on individual behavioral changes, because the current environment actively encourages overconsumption and sedentary behavior.

Stop relying solely on willpower to fight obesity. Recognize that your environment (advertising, food availability, pricing) is designed to make you overeat. Advocate for or support policy changes like sugar taxes, clear labeling, and restrictions on junk food marketing to children, as these systemic changes are more effective than individual diet advice alone.

The protective effect of psychological resilience on physical disability and grip strength is attenuated in individuals with frequent hospitalizations (2+ per year).

If you have been hospitalized frequently, psychological resilience might not be enough to maintain your physical strength on its own. This doesn't mean resilience is worthless, but it suggests that for those with high medical burden, resilience must be supported by robust medical care and physical therapy. Focus on preventing hospitalizations to allow resilience to do its protective work.

The bitter taste of polyphenol-rich oils (e.g., olive, flaxseed) significantly limits dietary acceptance and ingestion, thereby reducing the cardiovascular health benefits of these fatty acids.

If you dislike the bitter taste of healthy oils like olive or flaxseed, don't skip them. Use processing tricks like heating the oil (for cooking), storing it cold, or mixing it with flavored foods (like milled flax in muffins) to mask the bitterness. This makes it easier to actually eat them and get the heart benefits.

Orthopedic manual physical therapists demonstrate high confidence and knowledge regarding lifestyle screening but exhibit significantly lower actual practice frequency, with alcohol counseling being the most neglected lifestyle topic.

If you are a physical therapist, your confidence in discussing lifestyle factors does not guarantee you are discussing them. Specifically, check your own habits and comfort levels regarding alcohol and smoking, as these are the most likely topics to be skipped despite your knowledge. Prioritize brief, routine screening for these high-impact factors during every patient interaction, regardless of your specialty.

Maintaining weight loss after VLCD treatment is extremely difficult, with majority of patients regaining significant weight within 1-2 years, regardless of maintenance strategies.

Don't expect VLCD to be a permanent fix. Most people regain the weight within a year or two. To keep it off, you must use the refeeding period to learn behavioral strategies and nutrition education, as the diet itself does not teach long-term habits.

C12TPP reduces food intake in mice, contributing to approximately one-third of the total body weight loss observed during treatment.

C12TPP treatment was associated with a significant decrease in food consumption, accounting for about 30% of the weight loss. This suggests the compound may influence appetite regulation pathways in addition to increasing metabolism.

Use of regional anesthesia (local, spinal, or epidural) reduces adverse respiratory outcomes compared to general anesthesia in OSA patients undergoing peripheral surgery.

Ask your surgeon and anesthesiologist if regional anesthesia (numbing the specific area) is an option for your surgery. It is often safer for patients with sleep apnea because it avoids putting a tube in your windpipe and reduces breathing risks.

Avoiding the supine position and using regional analgesia reduces the risk of respiratory depression and airway obstruction in postoperative OSA patients.

After surgery, try to sleep on your side or with your head elevated. Avoid lying flat on your back. Also, ask for non-opioid pain relief (like NSAIDs or nerve blocks) if possible, as opioids can slow your breathing.

Exercise interventions do not significantly reduce body weight or BMI in breast cancer patients, though they may improve body composition (lean mass, bone density).

Do not expect exercise to significantly lower your body weight or BMI during breast cancer treatment. Instead, focus on the benefits of improved physical function, quality of life, and potential improvements in lean body mass and bone density, which are more meaningful health indicators.

Tobacco smoking significantly increases the prospective risk of developing depression in both adults and adolescents.

Smoking is a significant risk factor for developing depression in both adults and adolescents. Quitting smoking can help reduce this risk. While quitting may be challenging, the long-term mental health benefits are substantial.

Walkable urban form (density, connectivity) has weaker or non-significant associations with physical activity and BMI for disadvantaged groups compared to advantaged groups.

Urban planners should not assume walkability alone will solve obesity in low-income areas. Interventions must address additional barriers like car ownership, safety, and access to destinations.