Browse the evidence

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery achieves the largest and most durable reductions in OSA severity, with efficacy comparable to CPAP.

If you have severe sleep apnea and cannot use CPAP, ask about Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA) surgery. It is a major surgery but can provide a permanent, CPAP-level reduction in apnea events for the right candidate.

Intensive lifestyle interventions (diet and exercise) alone are insufficient to prevent significant weight regain after discontinuation of incretin-based therapy, although they may modestly attenuate the rebound.

Even if you commit to intense diet and exercise after stopping your weight loss medication, you will likely regain a significant amount of weight. Lifestyle changes are important for your health, but they are not a substitute for the medication's hormonal effects in preventing regain.

Twice-per-week intermittent fasting (5:2 diet) is not superior to continuous energy restriction for weight loss or insulin resistance in night shift workers, though it may offer specific lipid benefits.

For night shift workers, a 5:2 intermittent fasting plan (eating ~500 kcal on 2 non-consecutive days) is just as effective for weight loss as eating slightly less every day. It does not offer superior metabolic benefits like insulin sensitivity, but it may help lower LDL cholesterol. Choose the method that fits your schedule best, as adherence is key.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) does not significantly improve BMI, fat mass, blood lipids, glucose, or blood pressure in overweight and obese women compared to control groups.

Do not expect TRE to automatically fix your BMI or cholesterol levels if you do not also manage your total calorie intake. While it helps with weight and insulin, it does not significantly alter fat mass or blood pressure on its own in this population.

Combining Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) with Energy Restriction (ER) provides no additional benefit for weight loss or fat mass reduction compared to TRE alone.

If you are already practicing Time-Restricted Eating, you do not need to add explicit calorie counting or energy restriction to achieve weight loss. TRE alone is sufficient for significant fat and weight reduction. Adding calorie restriction does not provide extra benefits for weight loss in this context.

Reducing global obesity prevalence to 2019 levels could save an estimated US$2.2 trillion annually by 2060 through healthcare and productivity-related cost savings.

Addressing obesity at a population level saves massive amounts of money globally. Public health policies that reduce obesity prevalence have a high economic return on investment.

Bariatric surgery in older adults (≥65 years) is associated with significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality and complications compared to younger adults, and should be reserved for refractory cases.

Surgery is the most effective weight loss method but carries higher risks for those over 65. It should only be considered if you have severe obesity and have failed all other treatments, after a thorough risk-benefit discussion with specialists.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) performed for 7 weeks leads to significant long-term reductions in body mass, fat mass, and visceral fat area in women with overweight/obesity, even two years after the intervention ends, whereas Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) alone does not significantly reduce these metrics compared to baseline in the long term.

For women with overweight or obesity, incorporating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) into your routine, even just 3 times a week, can lead to significant, lasting reductions in body fat and visceral fat, even two years after you stop supervised training. While Time-Restricted Eating helps with habit formation, it may not be enough on its own for significant fat loss; combining it with HIIT or focusing on HIIT yields better long-term body composition results.

Measuring Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and adjusting caloric goals based on weight loss-induced metabolic adaptations prevents weight loss plateaus and optimizes energy balance.

If you are not losing weight despite following a standard diet, your metabolism may have adapted. Get your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested using a portable device or metabolic cart. Use this number to calculate a personalized calorie goal that creates a deficit relative to YOUR specific energy needs, not a generic number. Re-test as you lose weight to adjust your plan.

Weight loss of 10-15% in patients with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes has disease-modifying effects, including improved glycaemic control, reduced need for medication, and potential disease remission.

For patients with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, aim for a weight loss of 10-15% of body weight. This level of loss is not just for appearance but can modify the disease course, potentially leading to remission and reduced medication needs. This is particularly important for those with higher BMI.

A 3-month low energy diet (800-900 kcal/d) combined with professional dietitian support and subsequent exercise intervention produces significant, sustained weight loss and improves cardiometabolic markers in adults with obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages G1-G3b.

If you have obesity and early-stage kidney disease, a structured low-calorie diet (800-900 calories) using meal replacements, supported by a dietitian and exercise professional, is a safe and effective way to lose significant weight (approx. 9kg over 6 months) and improve blood pressure and waist size. It requires professional oversight to manage blood sugar and kidney markers, but it does not inherently harm kidney function or muscle strength when monitored.

Weight loss is significantly associated with greater HbA1c reduction in patients following a carbohydrate-reduced diet.

Losing weight will significantly improve your blood sugar levels. For every kilogram you lose, your HbA1c is expected to drop by approximately 0.56 mmol/mol. Focus on sustainable weight loss through the carbohydrate-reduced diet and health coaching.

HIIT is more time-efficient than MICT for achieving similar fat loss outcomes, primarily due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and appetite regulation.

If you are short on time, HIIT can provide similar fat loss benefits to longer cardio sessions in less time, thanks to increased calorie burn after exercise.

A structured 12-week calorie-restricted dietary intervention starting with a 6-week Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD) phase (800-1200 kcal/day) followed by a 6-week maintenance phase significantly reduces body weight and improves postprandial glycemic response in Korean adults with early type 2 diabetes and obesity.

For Korean adults with early type 2 diabetes and obesity, a structured 12-week program starting with a 6-week very low-calorie diet (800-1200 kcal/day, with meals provided) followed by a 6-week self-managed maintenance phase can lead to significant weight loss (approx. 7-8%) and improved blood sugar control. The key is the structured, phased approach and meal provision to ensure adherence.

Nutritional guidance that dynamically adjusts energy intake based on regular measurements of Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and physical activity effectively reduces body weight in patients with obesity without triggering metabolic adaptation (REE reduction) or increasing hunger.

To lose weight without triggering your body's survival mechanisms (slowed metabolism and intense hunger), you must tailor your calorie intake to your specific energy burn. This involves measuring your Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and tracking physical activity, then adjusting your daily calorie target regularly (e.g., weekly) as your body changes. Use technology like meal-tracking apps to ensure you are hitting these dynamic targets. This personalized approach allows for significant weight loss (approx. 5% in 24 weeks) while keeping your metabolism and hunger levels stable.

Both 5:2 and 16:8 intermittent fasting protocols produce statistically significant weight loss in overweight and obese individuals over a 6-week period, with no statistically significant difference in efficacy between the two methods.

If you are overweight or obese, you can choose either the 5:2 method (eating very little on 2 days a week) or the 16:8 method (eating within an 8-hour window daily) to lose weight. Both work significantly over 6 weeks, and neither is proven to be better than the other. Pick the one you can stick with consistently.

Structured calorie-restricted diets (800-1,800 kcal) can induce diabetes remission in obese Korean adults with early-onset Type 2 Diabetes, with remission rates up to 75%.

If you have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and are obese, a structured diet starting at 800 calories and moving to 1,200-1,800 calories can potentially put your diabetes into remission, especially if you stop other medications under doctor supervision.

Both volumetric dieting (energy density ≤ 1.5 kcal/g) and time-restricted eating (8-hour window) produce equivalent reductions in body weight and fat mass while preserving lean body mass in middle-aged, physically active adults over 12 weeks.

If you want to lose fat and keep muscle without changing your exercise routine, you can choose either to eat lower-energy-density foods (more volume, fewer calories per gram) or to eat all your calories within an 8-hour window. Both methods worked equally well in this study. Choose the one you can stick to consistently, as adherence was higher for the time-restricted eating group.

Intensive Weight Management Programmes (IWMPs) utilizing Total Diet Replacement (TDR) achieve substantial, sustained weight loss (5-15%) and metabolic improvements in populations with obesity and type 2 diabetes, though specific evidence for women with PCOS is currently insufficient.

For women with PCOS, standard diet and exercise advice often fails to produce lasting metabolic benefits. Intensive programs using meal replacements (TDR) for a few months, followed by a structured return to food, can produce significant weight loss (5-15%) and improve metabolic health. However, because specific studies on PCOS are lacking, this approach should be considered promising but unproven for this specific group, requiring careful monitoring.

SANA (a nitroalkene derivative of salicylate) promotes weight loss and improves glucose management in humans through creatine-dependent thermogenesis, independent of UCP1 and AMPK.

SANA is an experimental drug that appears to trigger weight loss by increasing energy expenditure through creatine-dependent thermogenesis, rather than by suppressing appetite or increasing physical activity. In early human trials, doses of 200-400mg daily led to weight loss and improved glucose control within two weeks with a good safety profile. It works independently of the traditional UCP1 pathway, offering a potential alternative for those who do not respond to other mechanisms. Consult a physician for clinical trials or future availability.

Caloric restriction (CR) and fasting improve cardiac health and mitigate heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) by inducing autophagy, mitophagy, and reducing systemic inflammation.

For HFpEF patients, caloric restriction and fasting regimens (like intermittent fasting) can improve heart function and reduce inflammation. However, these diets are hard to stick to long-term and may cause side effects like muscle loss in some older adults. Because of these challenges, doctors are exploring medications that mimic these benefits without requiring strict dieting.

Caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs) such as SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, and specific compounds like spermidine and rapamycin can replicate the beneficial effects of caloric restriction on HFpEF without requiring dietary restriction.

If you have HFpEF and struggle with strict dieting, ask your doctor about medications that mimic the effects of fasting. Drugs like SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists, as well as emerging compounds, may help improve heart function and reduce inflammation without requiring you to eat significantly less.

Low energy availability (energy deficit) following ACL injury can impair skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery, as the body may not have sufficient energy to support both healing and muscle growth.

After ACL surgery, avoid cutting calories to 'stay lean.' Your body needs sufficient energy to heal and rebuild muscle. Focus on eating enough to support your activity level and recovery, rather than restricting food intake.

GLP-1 receptor agonists and GIP analogs show potential for achieving Type 2 diabetes remission through significant weight loss, but current trial data is limited.

For those with overweight or obesity, GLP-1 and GIP-based medications can facilitate significant weight loss, which is a key driver for Type 2 diabetes remission. While trials are still mapping their long-term efficacy for remission, they represent a promising tool for achieving weight loss goals necessary for reversing the disease.