Browse the evidence

A ketogenic diet leads to greater weight loss compared to low-fat diets in patients with overweight or obesity, regardless of diabetes status.

If you are overweight or obese, a ketogenic diet is likely to help you lose more weight than a standard low-fat diet, whether or not you have diabetes. This benefit is consistent across diabetic and non-diabetic groups.

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) produces weight loss and cardiometabolic improvements comparable to continuous energy restriction (CER) over short-term trials (8-24 weeks).

If you are struggling with daily calorie counting, intermittent fasting (like the 5:2 diet) is a valid alternative that yields similar weight loss results. It does not offer a 'magic' advantage in fat loss over standard daily restriction, so choose the pattern that you can stick to consistently.

Greater weight loss in the first year (≥5%) is a consistent independent predictor of long-term weight loss maintenance across all intervention groups (metformin, ILS, and placebo).

Focus on getting that first 5% weight loss. It is the single best predictor of whether you will keep it off for years, regardless of whether you use medication, diet, or exercise. Don't get discouraged if you don't lose a huge amount immediately; consistency in that first year matters most.

Adopting a plant-based vegan diet for 16 weeks significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in overweight individuals compared to maintaining a standard omnivorous diet.

Switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet (vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits) with minimal added oils for 16 weeks. You do not need to count calories strictly, but focus on replacing animal proteins with plant sources. This approach has been shown to significantly reduce body weight and improve insulin resistance in overweight adults.

Continued structured support for weight loss maintenance in type 2 diabetes remission significantly reduces the incidence of moderate/major adverse cardiovascular events (MMACE) compared to standard care, with the benefit persisting over 5 years.

If you have achieved type 2 diabetes remission through weight loss, do not stop your efforts. The study shows that continuing structured support and maintaining your weight loss significantly lowers your risk of heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. Treat remission as a long-term commitment, not a one-time fix.

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.

A ketogenic diet (defined as <50g carbohydrates/day) significantly improves body weight, waist circumference, HbA1c, triglycerides, and HDL levels in overweight patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus compared to other dietary interventions.

For overweight individuals with Type 2 Diabetes, adopting a ketogenic diet (under 50g carbs daily) is a highly effective strategy for losing weight and improving blood sugar control. This approach also tends to improve heart health markers like HDL and triglycerides, addressing common concerns about high-fat diets. Consult a doctor to manage medications, as blood sugar levels may drop significantly.

Alternate day fasting (ADF) and modified ADF (MADF) are the most effective intermittent fasting regimens for weight loss, ranking higher than caloric energy restriction (CER) and time-restricted eating (TRE).

If your goal is maximum weight loss using intermittent fasting, Alternate Day Fasting (either zero-calorie or modified) appears to be the most effective strategy compared to Time-Restricted Eating or the 5:2 diet. However, adherence drops in longer studies, so consistency is key.

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.

Liraglutide 3 mg daily induces significant weight loss in adults with obesity by slowing gastric emptying of solids and increasing satiation, with greater gastric emptying delay correlating with greater weight loss.

Take liraglutide 3 mg daily as prescribed, starting with a lower dose to minimize side effects. Expect some nausea initially, as this often signals the drug is working and may lead to greater weight loss. Combine with dietary counseling for best results. The medication works by slowing digestion and making you feel full sooner, helping you eat less.

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.

Exercise interventions significantly improve cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in NAFLD patients, even if weight loss is not statistically significant compared to control.

Even if you don't lose much weight, regular exercise (150+ mins/week) will improve your heart health, fitness, and quality of life. These benefits are distinct from weight loss and are valuable for NAFLD management.

Intermittent energy restriction (alternating 2-week energy restriction blocks with 2-week energy balance blocks) yields significantly greater weight and fat loss than continuous energy restriction in obese men, primarily by attenuating adaptive thermogenesis.

If you are struggling with weight loss plateaus or metabolic slowdown on a standard diet, try cycling your calories. Eat at a 33% deficit for two weeks, then eat at your maintenance level for the next two weeks. Repeat this cycle. This approach may help you lose more fat and preserve your metabolism better than staying in a deficit continuously, provided you strictly control calories during the maintenance phases.

In obese individuals undergoing medical weight loss, greater relative reductions in waist circumference are associated with significantly greater improvements in metabolic syndrome components (blood pressure, lipids, glycemia) compared to smaller reductions, independent of sex.

If you are undergoing a weight loss program, track your waist circumference, not just your weight. Larger reductions in waist size are linked to better improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, regardless of your sex. This suggests that targeting visceral fat through your diet and exercise regimen is crucial for metabolic health.

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.

The magnitude of weight loss and HbA1c reduction is greater when vegan diets are compared to habitual (passive) control diets rather than other active dietary interventions.

If you are comparing your vegan diet to your previous eating habits, you will likely see significant weight loss. If you are comparing it to another structured diet (like Mediterranean or ADA), the weight loss may be less pronounced, suggesting the vegan diet itself isn't inherently superior to all other diets, but rather superior to unstructured habitual eating.

Adhering to a low-fat, plant-based, high-carbohydrate diet for 16 weeks significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in overweight individuals compared to maintaining a habitual diet.

To lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity, try a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks. Focus on vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits. Keep fat intake low (20-30g per day) by avoiding added oils and animal products. You do not need to count calories or restrict carbohydrates; in fact, higher carbohydrate intake in this context is linked to greater weight loss. Attend weekly cooking classes if available to learn how to prepare these meals.

Increased intake of total and insoluble fiber, as part of a plant-based diet, is negatively correlated with reductions in BMI, fat mass, and visceral fat volume.

Increase your intake of total and insoluble fiber by eating more whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. This is associated with greater reductions in body fat and visceral fat. Ensure you drink enough water to help your digestive system adjust to the higher fiber intake.

Short-term very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (<800 kcal/day) significantly reduce body mass index, android and gynoid fat mass, and insulin resistance without impairing nutritional state or causing negative changes in bone mineral content, hepatic, renal, or lipid profiles.

For obese individuals, a 3-week very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (under 800 kcal/day) is an effective and safe method for rapid fat loss and improving insulin sensitivity, provided it is done under medical supervision. It does not appear to harm bone, liver, or kidney health in the short term, contrary to common fears about high-protein/ketogenic diets.

Integrating population health management (nonclinical staff outreach and monitoring) with an online weight management program produces significantly greater weight loss at 12 months compared to the online program alone or usual care in primary care patients with obesity and comorbidities.

If you have obesity and a condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, using a digital weight loss program is better than doing nothing, but adding human support (like regular check-ins from a health coach) makes it even more effective. You don't need to be a tech expert; the program provides guidance and staff will reach out if you stop using it. Expect modest weight loss (around 3-7 lbs) over a year, which is a small but meaningful health improvement.

Alternate-day fasting (ADF) produces statistically significant reductions in body weight, BMI, total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, fat mass, lean mass, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total calorie intake compared to control groups in adults.

Alternate-day fasting involves eating very little (about 25% of your normal calories) on one day, then eating normally on the next. This meta-analysis shows it effectively lowers weight, BMI, and bad cholesterol compared to doing nothing. It works by creating an overall calorie deficit without requiring you to restrict calories every single day, which might help some people stick with it longer than daily dieting.