Browse the evidence

High intake of fruit, vegetables, or combined fruit and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing adiposity (overweight/obesity).

Maintaining a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a 9-17% lower risk of becoming overweight or obese compared to low intake. Focus on reaching the highest intake categories recommended by dietary guidelines (e.g., 400-650g/day) to maximize this protective effect.

COVID-19 home confinement led to significant weight gain in 38.8% of the Spanish population, with higher BMI and older age being positive predictors of this weight increase.

If you are older or overweight, be aware that lockdown makes weight gain more likely. Focus on maintaining your current activity level and monitoring portions, as these are the strongest predictors of staying stable.

High-fat dairy products are associated with less weight gain, contrary to the assumption that high fat intake promotes obesity.

Include high-fat dairy products in your diet. They are associated with less weight gain, possibly due to calcium, protein, or biopeptides.

During COVID-19 peak-lockdown periods, US adults experienced significant longitudinal weight gain (mean +0.62 kg) driven by increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, frequent snacking, higher takeout frequency, and reduced physical activity, with these behavioral disruptions persisting for many individuals even after lockdown restrictions eased.

If you gained weight during lockdown, don't assume it will disappear once restrictions end. The study shows that risky habits like eating more ultra-processed foods, snacking frequently, and ordering takeout often persist. To reverse this, you must actively address the root causes: manage stress, improve craving control, and consciously reduce intake of processed foods and screen time, as these behaviors are linked to continued weight gain even after the pandemic context changes.

Resveratrol (150 mg/day) increases energy expenditure and reduces inflammatory markers in obese men, but higher doses (1500 mg/day) may be ineffective for these outcomes.

If using resveratrol for metabolic health, stick to 150 mg/day. Higher doses (1500 mg) have shown no benefit for energy expenditure in obese men. It may help reduce inflammation and increase energy expenditure, but does not directly cause weight loss.

Interventions that raise ketone availability (via MCT oil, ketogenic diets, or ketone esters) improve cognitive outcomes in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

If you or a loved one has MCI or early Alzheimer's, raising ketone levels through MCT oil, a ketogenic diet, or ketone supplements may help improve cognitive function. This works by providing an alternative fuel source to the brain when glucose utilization is impaired. Consult a doctor before starting, especially if on medication.

Alternate-day fasting (ADF), involving alternating days of ad libitum intake and partial/complete restriction, extends lifespan in animals and improves cardiovascular and glucoregulatory biomarkers, with mixed results in humans.

If you prefer not to restrict calories every day, try Alternate-Day Fasting: eat normally one day, then restrict calories (or skip meals) the next. This may offer similar health benefits to daily restriction and might be easier to sustain for some people.

Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) varies by up to 2000 kcal/day between individuals of similar size and is the primary driver of inter-individual differences in daily energy expenditure and body weight regulation.

Focus on increasing your daily non-exercise movement (NEAT) rather than just relying on gym workouts. Small changes like standing while working, walking during phone calls, or taking the stairs can add up to significant calorie expenditure (up to 2000 kcal/day difference between active and inactive people). If you have a sedentary job, try to incorporate more standing or walking into your routine, as this is a powerful lever for weight management.

Implementing a 20% excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in India is projected to reduce overweight and obesity prevalence by 3.0% and type 2 diabetes incidence by 1.6% over a decade (2014–2023).

For policymakers in India, implementing a 20% tax on sugary drinks is a viable strategy to curb the rising tide of obesity and diabetes. The model suggests this policy will be most effective for young rural men, who see the largest relative health benefits, contradicting the fear that such taxes only help the wealthy or urban dwellers.

Complete decongestive therapy (CDT), including compression garments and manual lymphatic drainage, is a useful adjunct for managing lipedema.

Use compression garments and seek manual lymphatic drainage to manage swelling and improve lymph flow.

Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with a gut microbiota profile characterized by a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes and a higher proportion of Firmicutes/Actinobacteria, which may contribute to increased energy harvest and inflammation via lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation.

Obesity is linked to specific gut bacteria profiles that may increase energy harvest and inflammation. While you cannot directly 'eat' these bacteria, you can influence them by adopting a diet rich in diverse plant fibers, which promotes a healthier microbiota profile associated with better metabolic health. Focus on long-term dietary patterns rather than quick fixes.

Frequent fast food consumption is associated with higher total energy intake and a higher likelihood of failing to meet the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for energy.

Frequent fast food eaters consume significantly more energy than recommended. This excess energy contributes to weight gain. Reducing fast food frequency can help align energy intake with requirements.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased snacking, alcohol consumption, and weight gain in older adults, predisposing them to overnutrition.

If you are an older adult, be aware that the pandemic's stress and isolation may have led you to snack more, drink more alcohol, or gain weight. This is a common reaction. To manage this, try to identify non-food coping mechanisms for stress and prioritize healthy, balanced meals.

L-carnitine supplementation improves glucose disposal and insulin sensitivity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, primarily by enhancing mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and reducing toxic lipid intermediates.

For T2D patients, L-carnitine supplementation may help improve how the body uses glucose and insulin sensitivity, particularly by aiding fat burning in the mitochondria. However, it may not significantly lower fasting blood sugar or HbA1c in all individuals, so it should be viewed as an adjuvant therapy rather than a primary treatment.

The consumption of energy-dense, processed, and fast foods, along with dining out, contributes significantly to positive energy balance and obesity, even when total caloric intake estimates might appear to decrease due to methodological limitations in surveys.

Be aware that processed and fast foods are often more energy-dense. Even if you don't feel like you're eating more, the type of food matters. Prioritize whole foods and be mindful of portion sizes, especially when eating out.

Peanut consumption contributes to weight management and can be included in a weight loss diet despite being energy-dense.

You can include peanuts in your weight loss diet. They are energy-dense but can support weight management.

A four-week ketogenic diet (70% fat, 15% protein, 15% carbohydrates) significantly increases relative VO2max and lactate threshold in off-road cyclists, primarily through reductions in body mass and fat mass.

If you are an endurance cyclist, switching to a high-fat, low-carb diet for a month during your base training phase can significantly boost your aerobic capacity (VO2max) and lactate threshold, largely because you lose weight and your body becomes more efficient at burning fat. However, be prepared for a drop in your maximum sprint power and high-intensity efforts, as your body will have less glycogen for those explosive moves. This is a trade-off: better endurance efficiency for less top-end speed.

Weight loss interventions must prioritize fat mass reduction over total weight loss, as preserving lean mass is critical for long-term health benefits and metabolic rate maintenance.

Do not just chase a lower number on the scale. Prioritize strategies that preserve muscle mass (like resistance training and adequate protein) while creating a caloric deficit. Health improvements are tied to fat loss, not just total weight loss.

Individuals with obesity experienced a 52% prevalence of weight gain during lockdown, driven by reduced physical activity and increased snacking, though longitudinal BMI changes were not statistically significant in pooled analyses.

For individuals with obesity, lockdown led to weight gain in more than half of cases, primarily due to less movement and more snacking. While average BMI didn't shift significantly in longitudinal studies, the individual risk is high. Focus on maintaining daily movement and managing snacking triggers, as the loss of structured activity is a major driver of weight gain.

Restricting-type anorexia nervosa (R-AN) patients require more calories to gain weight than binge-purging-type (BP-AN) patients.

If you have the restricting subtype of anorexia, you may need even higher calories than standard guidelines suggest compared to those who purge, as your body may be less efficient at converting calories to tissue.

Green Tea Extract (GTE) supplementation increases 24-hour energy expenditure and fat utilization in active individuals, but does not consistently improve sprint performance or antioxidant enzyme levels in trained sprinters.

If you are trying to manage body fat, Green Tea Extract (specifically with EGCG and caffeine) may help slightly increase your daily energy expenditure and fat burning. However, do not expect it to improve your sprint performance or replace proper training and diet.

Reduced fat-free mass (lean mass) in IBD patients is a stronger predictor of bone mineral density (BMD) than fat mass or BMI.

To protect your bones from IBD-related osteoporosis, focus on preserving muscle mass. Lean mass is the key body component that supports bone density, whereas fat mass and BMI do not offer the same protection. Prioritize resistance training and adequate protein intake to maintain lean mass.

Reducing the number of repetitions per set by 50% (from 10 to 5) while maintaining the same load and rest intervals prevents the depletion of muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) and ATP, thereby maintaining power output and avoiding the metabolic disruption associated with training to failure.

If your goal is to maintain power output across multiple sets, stop each set before you fail. In this study, doing 5 reps per set (instead of 10) with the same weight preserved energy stores (PCr and ATP) and kept power output stable, whereas going to failure depleted energy and dropped power by 33%. You can likely achieve similar strength benefits with less metabolic waste by stopping 1-2 reps short of failure.

Reliance on fast food and ethnic restaurants, driven by cost, convenience, and advertising, contributes to higher consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods in low-income Latino families.

To improve diet, interventions should help families identify affordable, healthy alternatives to fast food and leverage programs like WIC to reduce the cost barrier. Addressing the 'convenience' factor is key.