Long-term weight loss after diet and exercise: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Obesity Research
• Nutritional Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Overweight and obesity are significant public health concerns, necessitating effective long-term weight management strategies.
• Dietary interventions and exercise are common approaches, but their combined efficacy for sustained weight loss requires thorough evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of combined dietary interventions and exercise versus diet alone for long-term weight loss.
• To assess the sustained impact of these interventions on body weight in overweight and obese adults.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
• Inclusion criteria: overweight/obese adults (BMI > 25), interventions comparing diet plus exercise vs. diet alone, and a minimum 1-year follow-up.
• Data sources included Medline, Cochrane Library, and Lilacs databases up to March 2003.

Main Results:

• Six trials met the inclusion criteria, involving diet, exercise, or combined interventions.
• Diet plus exercise yielded a 20% greater initial weight loss (13 kg vs. 9.9 kg) compared to diet alone.
• A similar 20% greater sustained weight loss was observed after 1 year (6.7 kg vs. 4.5 kg), though nearly half of the initial loss was regained in both groups.

Conclusions:

• Combining dietary changes with exercise interventions leads to significant and clinically meaningful initial weight loss.
• The weight loss achieved through combined interventions is partially sustained at the 1-year follow-up.
• Further research may explore strategies to mitigate weight regain after initial weight loss.