Browse the evidence

Work-equivalent High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) produce comparable reductions in abdominal visceral fat area (AVFA) and total fat mass in obese young women over 12 weeks.

If you are obese and want to lose visceral fat, you can choose either High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT). The key is to match the total work done (energy expended). If you choose HIIT, you will finish your workout faster, but you will lose the same amount of belly fat as if you exercised for a longer duration at a moderate pace. Ensure you maintain your diet and do not increase your overall daily activity outside of these workouts.

Long-term lifestyle interventions combining diet, exercise, and behavior therapy significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adults with impaired glucose tolerance or obesity compared to control groups.

To prevent type 2 diabetes, rely on a combination of dietary changes, regular physical activity, and behavioral strategies rather than just one. Studies show this multi-component approach significantly lowers diabetes risk compared to no intervention or diet alone.

Bariatric surgery is more effective than conservative treatment for reducing body fat, improving obesity-related diseases, and lowering mortality in extremely obese patients (BMI ≥40 or ≥35 with comorbidities).

If you have a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 or higher with serious health issues like diabetes, and lifestyle changes haven't worked, bariatric surgery is the most effective option for significant weight loss (20-40 kg) and improving your long-term health and survival chances.

A structured, interdisciplinary 52-week non-surgical obesity program utilizing a 12-week low-calorie diet (800 kcal/day) followed by maintenance phases significantly reduces body weight, waist circumference, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and hypertension in adults with obesity grades I-III.

For individuals with obesity (BMI ≥30), a medically supervised program combining a 12-week very low-calorie diet (800 kcal/day) with structured behavioral counseling and exercise can lead to significant, sustained weight loss (approx. 14-19 kg) and improvement in metabolic health markers like blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Success requires commitment to a structured, multi-phase program lasting one year, not just short-term dieting.

Consuming two 16-ounce sugar-sweetened beverages daily for six months induces features of metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including increased liver fat and visceral fat.

Drinking two large sugary sodas a day for six months can cause fatty liver and metabolic syndrome. To avoid this, limit sugary drinks to zero or replace them with water.

Long-term weight loss maintenance is primarily driven by behavioral adherence and diet quality rather than specific macronutrient ratios, as physiological adaptations (increased hunger, decreased energy expenditure) create a strong biological resistance to weight loss that is best overcome by sustainable, high-quality dietary patterns.

Stop obsessing over whether your diet is low-carb or low-fat. Focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains) and maintaining a caloric deficit. Expect your body to fight back with increased hunger; this is normal. Manage it by prioritizing food quality and behavioral consistency over strict macronutrient counting.

Diet quality (minimally processed, whole foods) is a primary driver of weight loss independent of caloric restriction or macronutrient composition, as demonstrated by the DIETFITS trial.

Focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains) and minimizing added sugars and processed items. You do not need to strictly count calories if you prioritize diet quality, as this approach can lead to significant weight loss.

Intensive medical management combining a 12-week low-calorie liquid diet, behavioral counseling, and pharmacotherapy enables primary care patients with extreme obesity (BMI 40-60) to achieve clinically significant weight loss (mean 8.3% at 2 years) superior to usual care.

For patients with extreme obesity (BMI 40-60), primary care-based intensive medical management involving a short-term liquid diet, behavioral counseling, and medication can lead to significant weight loss (average 8.3% over 2 years). While about half of patients may drop out, those who remain in the program achieve clinically meaningful benefits, challenging the view that only surgery is effective for this population.

Combining a modestly hypocaloric diet (500 kcal/day deficit) with moderate-intensity aerobic or resistance exercise (30-60 min, 3-5 days/week) is the most effective lifestyle intervention for reducing hepatic steatosis and improving NAFLD markers.

To improve your liver health, aim to lose 5-10% of your body weight. Do this by eating 500 calories less per day than your body needs, combined with 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) on 3 to 5 days a week. This combination is proven to be more effective than diet or exercise alone for reducing liver fat.

Adherence to a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and visceral fat while improving insulin sensitivity in overweight adults, mediated by specific shifts in gut microbiota composition.

To lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity, switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet that excludes all animal products and added oils, keeping daily fat intake between 20-30 grams. Ensure you take 500 mcg of Vitamin B12 daily. This approach was shown to reduce body weight by nearly 6 kg and visceral fat significantly over 16 weeks in overweight adults.

A low-fat vegan diet increases the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and preserves Bacteroides fragilis levels compared to a control diet, and these microbial shifts correlate with greater weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity.

Eating a low-fat vegan diet changes your gut bacteria in ways that support weight loss. Specifically, it increases Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and helps maintain Bacteroides fragilis, both of which are linked to better insulin sensitivity and fat loss.

Combined diet and exercise interventions produce greater reductions in liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than either diet or exercise alone in patients with NAFLD.

For NAFLD, doing just one thing (diet OR exercise) is less effective than doing both together. Aim for a caloric deficit (750-1000 kcal/day reduction) combined with at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week. This combination is superior for lowering liver enzymes and improving insulin resistance compared to either intervention alone.

Intragastric balloons (IGB) combined with behavioral modification produce significantly greater weight loss and metabolic syndrome remission compared to behavioral modification alone in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome.

If you have obesity and metabolic syndrome, adding an intragastric balloon to a structured diet and exercise program can help you lose significantly more weight than diet and exercise alone. The balloon is inserted for 6 months and removed. While you may experience nausea and vomiting in the first two weeks, these symptoms usually subside. The weight loss benefits persist for at least 6 months after the balloon is removed.

Combining caloric restriction with aerobic exercise yields superior cardiometabolic improvements (insulin sensitivity, LDL cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure) compared to caloric restriction alone, even when both interventions produce identical reductions in body fat and visceral adiposity.

If you are trying to lose weight to improve your metabolic health, do not rely on diet alone. You must add regular aerobic exercise (like brisk walking, running, or cycling) to your routine. Even if you lose the same amount of fat as someone who only diets, adding exercise will significantly improve your insulin sensitivity, lower your bad cholesterol (LDL), and reduce your diastolic blood pressure. Aim for about 45-50 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity, 5 days a week.

Adhering to a vegan diet for at least 12 weeks significantly reduces body weight, BMI, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and LDL-C in individuals with overweight or type 2 diabetes compared to control diets.

If you have overweight or type 2 diabetes, switching to a vegan diet for at least 12 weeks can lead to meaningful weight loss and improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Most studies used low-fat vegan diets and provided B12 supplements. You do not necessarily need to count calories, as some studies were ad libitum, but energy intake was often lower. Ensure you get B12 supplementation.

A 12-month workplace-based lifestyle intervention combining diet, physical exercise, and cognitive behavioral training produces significant, sustained weight loss (approx. 6 kg) and reduced body fat in overweight female healthcare workers.

For overweight female healthcare workers, a structured 12-month program combining a moderate caloric deficit (1,000-1,200 kcal/day), weekly supervised exercise (strength and aerobic), and cognitive behavioral training conducted during work hours leads to significant, sustained weight loss (approx. 6 kg). The key is integrating the program into the workday to ensure compliance and leveraging social support within work teams.

A 10-week intervention combining a hypocaloric high-protein diet (40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat) with progressive increases in daily physical activity (adding 4500 steps/day) significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and reverses insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in overweight premenopausal women.

To improve metabolic health and lose weight, focus on a sustainable caloric deficit with a higher protein intake (around 30% of calories) and gradually increase your daily step count by 1500 steps every two weeks until you are 4500 steps above your baseline. Do not rely on carnitine supplements, as they did not provide additional benefits in this study.

Short-term multicomponent lifestyle interventions (6 months or less) combining nutrition and physical activity achieve statistically significant weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity compared to control groups.

If you have overweight or obesity, a structured program combining diet and exercise lasting 6 months or less can help you lose weight. You don't necessarily need a year-long commitment to see results. Look for programs that offer education, tracking tools, and support, as these multicomponent approaches are effective.

Commercially available very low-calorie diets (VLCDs) with intensive behavioral support produce significantly greater weight loss and cardiovascular risk improvement than low-carbohydrate/high-protein (LCHP) diets in obese patients who fail to respond to standard low-fat diets.

If you have a BMI over 35 and standard dieting hasn't worked, a medically supervised very low-calorie diet (VLCD) combined with weekly group support is significantly more effective for weight loss than a low-carb diet. The key to success is not just the low calories, but the structured support and counseling provided by the program. Expect to lose significant weight (over 15kg on average in this study) if you stick with the program for 9 months.

Supplementation with the herbal blend LI85008F (900 mg/day) significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and visceral adiposity in healthy overweight adults compared to placebo when combined with modest caloric restriction and exercise.

Take 900mg of LI85008F daily (split into two 450mg doses) alongside a modest calorie-restricted diet (around 1800 kcal) and regular walking. This combination has been shown in a 16-week clinical trial to significantly reduce body weight and BMI in overweight adults compared to placebo.

An energy-reduced anti-inflammatory diet significantly improves hepatic status indices (NAFLD-FLS, FLI, FIB-4) and reduces inflammatory biomarkers in younger adults with obesity compared to a standard isocaloric diet.

To improve liver health and reduce inflammation, focus on an energy-reduced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and olive oil. This approach was shown to significantly improve liver fat scores and reduce inflammatory markers in adults with obesity over 6 months, outperforming a standard weight loss diet in some inflammatory markers.

Whey protein supplementation combined with resistance training significantly improves lean mass, fat mass, and muscular strength in healthy individuals, but fails to produce these benefits in individuals with pathological conditions.

If you are healthy and under 40, adding whey protein to your resistance training routine will likely help you gain lean mass and lose fat. However, if you are older or have a chronic health condition, whey protein alone during training may not provide these specific benefits, and you might need to look into multi-nutrient supplementation strategies instead.

Combining a reduced-calorie diet (1,500 ± 200 kcal) with moderate aerobic exercise produces significantly greater reductions in BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage compared to diet alone in overweight/obese women.

To lose fat and improve body composition, do not rely on diet alone. Combine a moderate caloric deficit (around 1,500 kcal) with regular moderate exercise (like brisk walking or cycling for 30+ minutes, 3-5 times a week). This combination is significantly more effective for reducing body fat and waist size than dieting by itself.

A eucaloric ketogenic diet (KD) induces significant weight loss primarily through visceral fat reduction while preserving muscle and bone mass, without adverse metabolic changes, over a period of up to three months.

If you are overweight or even normal weight, a ketogenic diet can help you lose fat without losing muscle, provided you eat enough to maintain your weight (eucaloric) and monitor your ketone levels to ensure you are in ketosis. This approach also appears to improve quality of life and reduce fatigue, particularly in those with overweight. You should aim for very low carbohydrate intake (around 33-35g/day) and monitor blood ketones to confirm adherence.