Berberine and Weight Loss: What You Need To Know

Findings of study demonstrating the effectiveness of combining bimagrumab – a drug designed to combat muscle loss – with a common GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA), semaglutide, were presented during a late-breaking symposium. Research indicates potential for new wave of breakthroughs in maintaining lean mass for patients taking GLP-1-based medications Dr. Louis Aronne is a paid consultant and advisory board member for Eli Lilly and Company, the study sponsor and the manufacturer of orforglipron. If no SD, standard error of mean (SEM), or 95% CI for the differences in body weight change between groups were reported, the 95% CI was imputed based on the mean difference calculated from the changes within each diet group and the average SEM from the other studies . The intervention and relative daily prescription of macronutrient distribution was calculated based on the quantity of protein per kg of mean baseline body weight if energy percentage (E%) was not reported. Effects of interventions on body weight changes (weight loss, weight loss maintenance or weight maintenance) were assessed. The duration of exercise ranged from 6048 to min per week, with most studies assessing programs based on 150 to 200 min per week of exercise. The final aim of this overview of reviews was to assess the evidence on whether exercising after weight loss may help prevent weight regain, which is so common in this setting. In contrast, when assessing various forms of exercise (aerobic, resistance or both), Cheng et al. reported a higher reduction in lean mass in the exercise group.18 These findings are in agreement with the extensive literature showing the superiority of resistance training over other exercise modalities to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and thus increase or maintain muscle mass.41 Weight and fat loss were reported in the highest number of studies, that is, 105 and 94 studies, respectively. Cheng et al. included aerobic or resistance training or a combination of both and reported a significant additional weight and fat loss.18 Sardeli et al. focused on resistance training and found no significant effect whatever outcome.7 Through our comprehensive tools, expert Coaches and community, members follow our proven, sustainable, science-based program focused on weight loss. For nearly six decades we have inspired millions of people to adopt healthy habits for real life. We are a human-centric technology company powered by the world's leading weight management program. Some plans call for eating normally on most days but having just one small meal a couple of days a week. In some versions, you just stop eating at night; in others, you eat only during a 6- or 8-hour period each day. That's when you choose times of day or days of the week to eat nothing or eat much less than usual. But many people these days are talking about something else -- intermittent fasting. Such prolonged fasts can be dangerous and do nothing to adjust regular eating habits. In another study, obese adults were assigned to Medifast's meal replacement (low fat, low GI, with a balanced ratio of CHO/Pro) (MD) or a self-selected, isocaloric, food-based meal plan for weight loss and weight maintenance. To identify studies regarding weight maintenance, with an emphasis on dietary interventions, a complete search of articles was carried out by using PubMed and SCOPUS. Therefore, we conducted a review of the available evidence to assess the effect of different diets on weight maintenance after weight loss. Low intake of takeaway and fast foods, reduction of food consumption, adherence to a low-fat diet, and lower sugar-sweetened beverage consumption are some of the behaviors of maintaining the weight loss. The optimal macronutrient ratio of a diet, or else the proportion of calories contributed by fat, carbohydrate, and protein, has received significant attention in the past decades for its potential relevance in weight loss , but remains still elusive. Setting realistic goals for weight loss and pursuing a balanced dietary plan tailored to individual needs, preferences, and medical conditions, are the key principles to facilitate weight loss in obese patients and most importantly reduce their overall cardiometabolic risk and other obesity-related comorbidities. As a general principle, the optimal diet to treat obesity should be safe, efficacious, healthy and nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable and economically affordable, and should ensure long-term compliance and maintenance of weight loss. Studies show that the skills learned and support offered by these programs can help most people make the necessary lifestyle changes for weight loss and reduce their risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. When given a high dose weekly, people without diabetes can lose about 15 percent of their body weight, on average, after nearly 16 months. It is balanced, meaning that it provides your body with all the nutrients and minerals it needs to function best. That suggests that losing weight is not easy — yet it is entirely possible when done right. According to the CDC, nearly three-fourths of us are overweight or obese. Like high blood pressure, which affects about half of U.S. adults and is managed with medication, obesity should be viewed as a chronic disease, not a character flaw, Aronne emphasized. Adopting a healthy diet may have cardiometabolic benefits regardless of weight loss Harvard T H. Chan School of Public Health Before you start a weight-loss program, talk with your healthcare professional. You've likely seen lots of advice about weight loss. Look at diets carefully to find one that's right for you. All the patients had obesity but not diabetes. The researchers analyzed changes in weight and health among 761 individuals with abdominal obesity in Israel who participated in three landmark workplace-based nutrition clinical trials (DIRECT, CENTRAL, and DIRECT-PLUS) with high adherence rates and comprehensive metabolic profiling. “We have been conditioned to equate weight loss with health, and weight loss-resistant individuals are often labeled as failures,” said lead author Anat Yaskolka Meir, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan School. The women assigned to follow the Atkins diet, which had the lowest carbohydrate intake, lost more weight and experienced more favorable metabolic effects after 1 year than the women assigned to the Zone, Ornish, or LEARN diets. Those taking the combination were significantly more likely to hit major weight-loss milestones, such as losing percent of their body weight. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. However, this effect is lessened if you are losing weight. This may temporarily raise your blood sugar or certain blood fats. The Mayo Clinic Diet is meant to be positive, practical, sustainable and enjoyable, so you can enjoy a happier, healthier life over the long term. I had had two pregnancies back-to-back, and had gained considerable weight, to the point where my own body mass index was over 30 (obesity range). Many people are working hard to find ways to decrease their caloric intake to lose weight — well, just by sleeping more, you may be able to reduce it substantially.” The subjects were only involved in the study for a total of four weeks, with two weeks for gathering baseline information about sleep and caloric intake, followed by two weeks to monitor the effects of the sleep intervention. Overall, individuals who increased their sleep duration were able to reduce their caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal per day – which would translate to roughly 12 kg, or 26 lbs., of weight loss over three years if the effects were maintained over a long term. Two studies included only women (28,35), and 3 studies included only men (29,30,32). The average age of study participants ranged from 40 to 52 years (24,25,27–31). Five of the 14 studies were conducted in the US (26,28,32,34,35), 5 in Australia (27,29–31,36), 2 in the United Kingdom (33,37), 1 in Canada (25), and 1 in Turkey (24) (Table 2). Among the 14 studies included, half had a wait-list comparison group (26–32), 5 had low-touch comparison groups (24,25,33–35), and 2 had usual-care comparison groups (36,37). Millions of people around the world benefit from weight loss drugs based on the incretin hormone GLP-1. The discovery was reported in the journal Nature and could lead to a new therapy for millions of people with both obesity and type 2 diabetes who do not respond well to current treatments. In China, the number of people with overweight and obesity has risen sharply over the past four decades, significantly increasing the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature death. BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have made big progress in obesity treatment drug research, with the home-grown Mazdutide showing impressive weight-loss effects as well as benefits for metabolic health. In 2017, results from studies such as the SMILES trial were among the first to demonstrate that dietary interventions could improve depression symptoms. Metabolic studies show that regular exercise causes our body to reduce energy spent on other physiological functions—such as inflammation—that are core mechanisms of disease when present in excess. Fast-forward to 2024, and researchers now realize that much—for many people, even most—of the weight loss benefit comes from medicine-induced changes in brain regions that regulate food reward and satiety2. The study review includes a summary of practical considerations for those who may want to try intermittent fasting. “A lot of people experience a boost of energy on fasting days. Even though you are not eating, it won’t affect your energy,” Varady said. “Fasting people are worried about feeling lethargic and not being able to concentrate. A drop in hormones levels, such as leptin and thyroid hormones, causes the risk of increased energy intake after weight loss. Experts believe that if a person sustains even 5-10% of his / her weight loss, it is considered a great achievement. Regaining nearly half of the lost weight after one year is usual and most of dieters acquire their first weight within three to five years. Different cures such as diet therapy, behavioral therapy, exercise or a mixture of them have been advised as solutions.

Religious and Moral Roots of Obesity Stigma

Meanwhile, nearly one in three Americans (29%) skipped eating for 24+ hours, with rates even higher among Gen Z. Despite the popularity of newer methods, traditional tools like calorie tracking (51%) and intermittent fasting (45%) remain core to many people's routines. From intermittent fasting to GLP-1s, Americans are rethinking how they lose weight—and what "healthy" really looks like With your support, the American Diabetes Association® can continue our lifesaving work to make breakthroughs in research and provide people with the resources they need to fight diabetes. “While patients are advised to consume more protein to preserve muscle, it’s often difficult to know if they’re getting enough. While phenylalanine levels for healthy adults are 100 µM/L or higher with high protein meals, the sensor was tested in a lab with phenylalanine concentrations up to 1500 µM/L. Researchers found lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise resulted in an average weight loss of 7.4% but that weight was generally regained within 4.1 years. Whether you’re interested in non-invasive treatments, surgical interventions, or innovative drug therapies, our weight loss search results page is your first step toward a healthier future. Studies show that treatments based on the GLP-1 hormone are less effective at lowering weight in people living with both obesity and type 2 diabetes – a group numbering more than 380 million people globally. “As we enter a new era of obesity treatments, it’s vital to focus not just on the amount of weight lost, but on  preserving muscle mass and gaining the health benefits that result from treating obesity,” said Samar Hafida, the new Vice President of Obesity Association a division of the American Diabetes Association. Prior findings from studies of The Biggest Loser contestants showed not only that metabolism slows drastically following significant weight loss, but also that regaining the lost weight does not restore metabolism back to its pre-weight loss levels. The final but possibly most important finding emerging from the weight loss and metabolic health field in 2024 is recognizing the interconnection between diseases we traditionally considered distinct. Based on this research, better sleep could be the single most effective change for many people to improve their health and quality of life.

Stigmatisation Related to use of Effective Medication for Obesity

“Sustaining health behaviors, including weight loss, requires ongoing intervention and support. The authors found that study participants in the patient-delivered intervention group had superior weight loss maintenance compared to those in professional care. Phase two participants were randomly assigned to participate in one of two weight loss maintenance interventions – patient-delivered treatment or standard of care delivered by a professional. This evidence-based lifestyle change program provides education on eating healthy, physical activity and behavior change strategies to support weight loss.
  • “As someone who was eager to care for this patient population, I was just told to give more dietary strategies,” Stanford said of her training.
  • For example, the Mediterranean-style diet gets its name from the foods available to various cultures located around the Mediterranean Sea.
  • "These findings suggest there may be a way to optimize oral medications to affect these hunger and energy balance pathways to control body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. I think what we're seeing now is just the beginning of new types of weight loss drugs."
  • Paradoxically, obesity rates continue to rise despite a large proportion of the population dieting at any given time.
  • However, other studies have utilized different methods of assessment and thresholds for these dimensions.
  • "There's no one way to lose weight anymore," said Morley Baker, CEO at Shed.
  • The participants initially followed a low calorie diet over eight weeks, where they each lost approximately 13 kg, which brought significant improvements to their health with a drop in blood sugar level and blood pressure.
  • Papers were excluded if the study population consisted of athletes, underweight participants, or participants with anorectic diseases.
Studies showed alternate day fasting resulted in weight loss of 3%-8% of body weight over three to eight weeks, with results peaking at 12 weeks. "This is a complicated interaction of genetics and diet that can regulate the body weight of these animals," Long said. Previous research in Long's laboratory uncovered a relationship between an "anti-hunger" molecule called lac-phe produced after vigorous exercise and the diabetes drug metformin that can cause moderate weight loss. \"This is a complicated interaction of genetics and diet that can regulate the body weight of these animals,\" Long said. The difference in body weight was due entirely to a reduction of fat mass in the knockout animals, the researchers found. But the findings highlight that maintaining weight loss and staying in remission can be challenging. Results from a three-year extension of our landmark DIRECT study reveal that for some it’s possible to stay in remission of type 2 diabetes for at least five years. Study looks at impact of high-fat diet on immune activity, tumor growth If mean and 95% confidence interval (CI) difference in body weight change were not directly reported in the papers, the effect sizes were calculated based on reported changes within each group. Selective reporting (reporting bias) (reporting differences in body weight outcome between groups or not). Incomplete outcome (body weight) data (attrition bias) (including whether or not data from ITT analyses are available). High/rich protein diet was defined relative to the control diet in each study. Half of the Danish population are overweight, while 17 percent live with obesity. We don’t know why people stop taking these drugs, but we know for a fact that they do stop. So there might be a problem with getting people to stay on GLP-1 drugs? The craving for food for some people is taken away when they take GLP-1 drugs. If people are completely healthy, I’m not interested. However, the reach of technology has hitherto escaped this population who could benefit from an intervention to improve physical and mental health and ease the aging process in a vibrant social setting. With a rapidly aging and increasingly technologically savvy population, studies conducted have reported the elderly's enthusiasm to occupy their time with socializing and physical activity (79). Except for a few countries, there is currently a lack of acknowledgment of the role of mHealth in weight management guidelines and national policies with no established regulations on the use of mobile applications by clinicians (72). Weight loss drugs could save airlines money on fuel as Americans shed pounds A low-fat diet usually consists of a dietary composition of fat ranging from very low (≤10% of calories from fat) to more moderate (≤30% of calories from fat and 24 However, randomized trials have failed to demonstrate better weight-loss maintenance by reducing energy intake from fat than other dietary interventions.25 The results of a meta-analysis did not support use of low-fat diets over other dietary interventions for long-term weight loss.26 The 2018 the Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success (DIETFITS) study found no significant differences in weight loss between low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets.16 However, meal planning and preparation take effort, and weight-loss maintenance requires a sustained low-calorie diet. A low-calorie diet involves consumption of 1,000–1,500 calories per day; deficits of 500–750 calories per day have been used for weight loss and are recommended by many obesity societies and guidelines.12-15 Low-calorie diets typically restrict fats or carbohydrates, neither of which has been determined to be more important for weight loss if only a calorie deficit occurs. Numerous studies have reported that losing as little as 5% of one’s total body weight (TBW) can improve health, but no studies have used electronic health record (EHR) data to examine long-term changes in weight, particularly for adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m2). What the Scientists Who Pioneered Weight-Loss Drugs Want You to Know

2. Thematic Analysis

“More than two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese, and the trend is continuing to worsen,” said Patrice Harris, MD, Chief Health and Medical Editor, Everyday Health. Of all respondents, the biggest concern cited was gaining back the weight when stopping the drug (56%). Those who didn’t commit to one set of tactics also were more likely to eat when bored and anxious, report higher levels of stress and disgust with themselves after eating. Reviews in the field of intermittent dieting reveal the lack of high-quality evidence to support the superior or equal long-term safety and efficacy of intermittent diets compared to conventional diets with continuous energy restriction . Furthermore, there is still no definitive data as to whether a specific component of Mediterranean diet is mainly responsible for the beneficial effects, or it is rather the combination and interaction of single ingredients which makes Mediterranean diet a healthy diet. Predictors of successful weight loss at six months were an increased intake of vegetables and a reduced intake of sweets and cakes .
  • Makers of these drugs recommend having a conversation about the side effect profile and personalized risks with a healthcare professional before starting.
  • Given how much of chronic disease is driven by underlying insulin resistance and inflammation, it's plausible that fasting may help reduce diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity.
  • The single most important thing people can do to prevent the buildup of belly fat and get rid of existing belly fat is commit to physical activity, and better yet, a physical lifestyle.
  • The USPSTF-recommended obesity counseling interventions are high intensity and comprehensive – incorporating nutrition, physical activity, self-monitoring, goal setting, and group or individual sessions (11).
  • But — and this is a big but — if you are overcompensating for the time restriction by gorging yourself during your eating window, it will not work as a weight loss strategy.
  • The study didn't find any meaningful difference in cardiovascular and metabolic health between the two weight loss groups.​​ Research suggests that eating earlier in the day can be beneficial to metabolic health, but Varady says they chose noon to 8 p.m.
  • Several studies only compared effects of specific proteins (lupin, animal vs. vegetable protein and glycomacropeptide) and were included only in the secondary meta-analysis (three papers) 72,73,74.
  • It is expected that due to recent advancements in obesity medication drugs targeting GLP-1’s as well as dual and triple-agonists will remain the primary mechanism of action (MOA).
Is Cottage Cheese Good for Weight Loss? Evidence from Clinical Studies
People of normal weight may also be at risk of diabetes and similar diseases. A Stanford Medicine-led study finds a short-term, calorie-restrictive diet significantly improved symptoms. Pennington Biomedical researchers recently investigated the systems of the body that regulate weight, exploring whether our bodies defend an established weight target or if our bodies operate within a broader range of tolerance before biological mechanisms are activated. Bariatric surgery and GLP-1 treatments reshape body composition differently, emphasizing the importance of sex and treatment choice in muscle preservation. Children born to mothers who consume a high-fat, high-sugar diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding face a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease later in life. The finding that diet quality is essential for weight loss independent of energy intake is certainly stimulating, but several issues need to be considered. The critical question of whether diet quantity or rather quality plays the most crucial role for long-term weight loss and maintenance was recently addressed in a randomized clinical trial (DIETFITS trial) conducted in Stanford University . Furthermore, data regarding the impact of intermittent diets on ectopic fat stores, adipocyte size and adipose tissue function, fat-free mass, insulin resistance and metabolic flexibility in humans, are scarce and heterogeneous . It delays digestion and reduces appetite, making people feel full longer. That drug mimics a key gut hormone, known as GLP-1, that is activated after people eat, boosting the release of insulin and slowing release of sugar from the liver. Mounjaro was first approved to treat diabetes last year. Intermittent fasting for weight loss is as effective as counting calories : Shots Health News : NPR “We're in a race for efficacy with the injectables, but the oral agents are going to have very robust weight loss, so people have a choice. Le Roux believes that oral medications will change the landscape of obesity treatment by providing patients with alternative treatment options. “Companies used to first de-risk the treatment by using it for diabetes, and then expand into the disease of obesity,” says le Roux. “When the GLP-1s were first discovered I don’t think people would have predicted they could be manipulated to produce this type of weight loss,” says Aronne. Most of the current obesity treatments that target glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors (GLP-1’s) such as semaglutide, were originally used to treat type 2 diabetes. Perreault describes PATHWEIGH as a way to align patients and clinicians around a shared plan. "With PATHWEIGH, we showed that we absolutely eliminated population weight gain across all of our primary care, which has never been done previously," Perreault says. Participation increased the chances of receiving weight related care by 23%. The pilot included 274,182 patients, making it one of the largest randomized trials ever conducted in this area. The program introduces dedicated clinic visits where providers can concentrate specifically on weight related care instead of squeezing it into a standard appointment. "Now we know that it is acting through the same pathway as vigorous exercise to reduce hunger. Understanding how these pathways are controlled may lead to viable strategies to lower body mass and improve health in millions of people." \"The fact that metformin and sprint exercise affect your body weight through the same pathway is both weird and interesting,\" Long said. Finally, a statistical analysis of the people in the atherosclerosis study who lost weight during the several-year study and follow-up period found a meaningful association between metformin use, lac-phe production and weight loss. \"Now we know that it is acting through the same pathway as vigorous exercise to reduce hunger. Understanding how these pathways are controlled may lead to viable strategies to lower body mass and improve health in millions of people.\" Some magazines, books and websites promise that you can lose all the weight you want for good. Further validation or screening of new cell libraries will expand the list of potential drug candidates, setting the stage for the new-and-improved obesity and metabolic disorder therapeutics of the future. They also hope their success inspires others to use CRISPR screenings to continue bringing microproteins out from the dark -- like Adipocyte-smORF-1183, which until now, was considered an unimportant bit of "junk" DNA. This could indicate a healthier weight loss than for people, who had only lost fat mass without increasing the fitness rating. After one year, the group with exercise alone and the group with obesity medication alone maintained the weight loss of 13 kg and health improvements. All participants in the study were weighed monthly and received nutritional and diet counseling with the focus on healthy weight loss according to the guidelines from the Danish health and food administrations. Until now, no well-documented study on which treatment method is best for maintaining a healthy weight loss has been available. If you can lose 15 percent body weight, then a lot of people can get rid of their diabetes, apparently. Losing weight is only the beginning of the battle. Instead, making lifestyle changes — sometimes even small ones — are what make the difference. We've combed through everything, and then boiled down our findings to bring you the best-supported recommendations for a healthier lifestyle. There's a lot of advice out there, telling you to eat less (and what not to eat), and to exercise more (but don't overdo it). She helps guide storytelling on digital, editorial and multimedia platforms and covers artificial intelligence, genetics and biomedical data science. I think you’re going to see drugs designed for obesity being used for people with diabetes and you’re going see drugs designed for diabetes that will be used for people with obesity. Combining the perspective of researchers, clinicians, policymakers and patients, TOS promotes innovative research, education and evidence-based clinical care to improve the health and well-being of all people with obesity. For the study, researchers completed a comprehensive review of 315 existing clinical trials of weight loss supplements and therapies, and most of the studies showed the supplements did not produce weight loss among users. Most importantly, the best diet is a diet that people can comply with for a long period of time without significant weight regain, so whatever facilitates this effort is greatly appreciable. Physical activity and energy expenditure play also an important role in weight loss since sedentary individuals need to reduce their energy intake even when consuming a healthy diet to achieve and maintain weight loss. “We saw that after just a single sleep counseling session, participants could change their bedtime habits enough to lead to an increase in sleep duration,” said Tasali. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the study was the intervention’s simplicity. “In our study, we only manipulated sleep, and had the participants eat whatever they wanted, with no food logging or anything else to track their nutrition by themselves.” “Most other studies on this topic in labs are short-lived, for a couple of days, and food intake is measured by how much participants consume from an offered diet,” said Tasali. Subgroup analyses were performed based on intervention length (24) or printed information related to healthy habit formation (25). Were other interventions avoided or similar in the groups (eg, similar background treatments)? Was there high adherence to the intervention protocols for each treatment group? Was the overall dropout rate from the study at endpoint 20% or lower of the number allocated to treatment? Does Cinnamon Help with Weight Loss? BMI, body mass index; TC, total cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; BP, blood pressure; GI, glycemic index; GL, glycemic load; ER, energy restriction; DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Summary of the results reported by a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in adults according to dietary interventions. However, more evidence is required to confirm its effectiveness and safety.37,41,42 Similar to VLCKDs, ketogenic diet is contraindicated in pregnant women; those with T1DM, kidney failure, or cardiac arrhythmia; and in older patients with frailty. Lifting weights builds lean muscle mass, which raises your metabolism and helps your body burn more fat, even when you’re at rest. In the 16 methodologically distinct studies, weight loss ranged widely from 0.3 to 4.93 kilograms (0.7 to 10.9 pounds). The research team conducted a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss in participants aged 18 and older. Although Americans spend billions on them, published research shows a lack of strong evidence that dietary supplements and alternative therapies help adults lose weight, according to a new study published in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society (TOS).
AMOUNT OF FOOD INTAKE
  • Furthermore, dietary patterns high in protein may vary in saturated fat and nutritional composition, and concerns have been raised regarding the effects of high-protein diets on serum lipids and subsequent cardiovascular disease risk .
  • Researchers also were not able to determine the intentionality of weight loss among study participants prior to their enrollment and could not rule out the additional variable of any preexisting health conditions.
  • The goal is to make simple, pleasurable changes that will result in a healthy weight that you can maintain for the rest of your life.
  • “Even today, healthcare costs are displacing the true determinants of health, which are education, a safe environment, physical infrastructure to work, play, walk, bike, all of that.
  • Certain peptides have been identified as effective in reducing appetite and potentially beneficial for body weight management and are increasingly being used as pharmaceuticals for obesity treatment 22,23,24,25,26.
  • To date, no studies suggest that intermittent diets can prevent weight gain in normal-weight individuals.
  • The parent study, EMPOWER, was a 12-month prospective observational study that included a behavioral weight loss intervention to provide the context for observing the triggers of lapses/relapses following intentional weight loss.27 The study was approved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board, and all participants provided written informed consent prior to participation.
Weights greater than 1 standard deviation (SD) from the mean weight when the SD was greater than 20% of the mean; 4. Only 19.7% and 0.8% of patients had follow-up of 7 and 8 years, respectively. The maximum follow-up time of our cohort was 8 years, with a median of 5.3 years. We used a 5-year criterion to maximize both follow-up time and sample size. Bariatric surgery patients were excluding using our institutional bariatric surgery registry.
  • Thus, diets rich in protein would seem to have a moderate beneficial effect on body weight management.
  • Obesity researchers and practitioners can use the study results to enhance their capacity of the area and can catalyze the further development of their knowledge.
  • \"Despite this genetic association, no one really knew what the PTER did or why it was linked to body mass index in humans,\" Long said.
  • This proposal suggests including ‘body size’ as an explicitly protected characteristic, on par with ‘disability,’ in Sect.
  • Weight loss drugs for Americans have skyrocketed to success.
  • The sleep intervention was intended to extend time in bed duration to 8.5 hours — and the increased sleep duration compared to controls also reduced participants’ overall caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal (calories) per day.
  • Winfrey also relates the long road she traveled since she began her TV career in Nashville, facing sexism, racism, and comments about her weight.
Positive psychological well-being, a novel approach to improving adherence by increasing positive associations with health behaviors, including physical activity after bariatric surgery, or other similar behavioral interventions, such as reward-based eating or self-compassion, could help patients maintain lifestyle changes 60,61 In contrast, a scoping review of studies concerned with weight loss or weight-loss maintenance supported by eHealth tools, such as activity trackers, digital scales, monitoring, goal setting, and planning through digital technology, supported the behavioral change needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle and weight loss. Physical activity was widely proven to be effective in weight loss and weight management, while health promotion is of the utmost importance in encouraging physical activity. The choice to focus on motivation research in obesity and weight loss was motivated by the belief that motivation is a crucial factor in weight loss for a myriad of stakeholders, such as health professionals, social workers, and obese citizens. Awareness of weight bias in healthcare is growing, Gudzune says—and she hopes that makes seeking treatment more approachable. But Gudzune also acknowledges that some people on social media have also normalized treating obesity. The treatment for obesity has changed radically in a short period of time, Gudzune says. It suggests that the body has many mechanisms to maintain a weight set early in life, and that most people have several different set points over the course of their lives.
  • Association of continuously-measured individual sleep health dimensions with percent weight change prior to and following adjustment for OSA severity.
  • Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Irvine; and the Arc Institute of Palo Alto contributed to the study.
  • The paper argues that by educating the public about the evolutionary and biological factors contributing to obesity, the narrative may shift from individual blame to recognising obesity as a complex medical condition, potentially fostering more supportive and less stigmatising environments in healthcare, workplaces, and social settings (Table 1).
  • Mentioned in 30 news outlets and over 1,110 times on Twitter!
  • The intervention group also spent more time with their bodyweight lower than baseline, off blood sugar lowering medications and with blood sugar levels in the non-diabetes range than the control group.
  • We searched PubMed via Medline, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library for peer-reviewed studies on lifestyle change interventions of 6 months or less that were published from January 2012 through January 2023.
  • In 2021, four years after approving it for diabetes, the FDA approved semaglutide for weight loss for adults with obesity.
But, like PPAR gamma, GLP-1 drugs have their own shortcomings, such as muscle loss and nausea. GLP-1 is a peptide small enough to be considered a microprotein, and it serves as a blood sugar and appetite regulator. When PPAR gamma drugs fell short, GLP-1 drugs entered the scene. An ideal PPAR gamma-based obesity therapeutic has yet to hit the market. The results from the SURMOUNT-4 study, which appeared Dec. 11 in JAMA and was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, demonstrated that the drug can substantially help people struggling with health issues related to their weight, but it is not a quick-fix to weight loss. At the same time, the study shows that remaining on the drug not only promotes additional weight loss but preserves improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular health. Eating breakfast and avoiding late-night eating should be considered important dietary strategies not only for weight loss, but also for metabolic health and are based on the physiologic clock. However, as in the Mediterranean diet, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables and intake of healthy fats (including monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats) can be a healthy strategy for weight loss and maintenance. Recently, much interest has focused on “when to eat.” Meal timing and the circadian rhythm have raised a novel issue in weight management.90 Alterations in circadian rhythms produce biochemical, physiological, and behavioral circadian rhythm disruptions, which can be caused by the lack of change between day/night synchronization (such as being exposed to artificial light at night), eating at night, or a shift in time due to jet lag or shift work.90 Eating late can cause circadian disruption, resulting in production of free cortisol, changes in daily rhythms of body temperature, decreased resting energy expenditure, and decreased glucose tolerance.91,92 Thus, timing of meals could have serious implications not only for weight management, but also for development of cardiovascular disease. For most of the studies 95% CI was therefore imputed based on the mean difference calculated from the changes within each diet group and the average SEM from the other studies. Most of the studies reported results from complete case analyses, introducing a risk of bias if the discontinued participants were the ones experiencing no benefit from the interventions. Additionally, most studies failed to report whether data firstly were assessed blinded by a person not directly involved in the study.
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The full roster of these drugs, what they do and where they stand in the approval process makes for a dizzying array of information. Tirzepatide, which mimics GLP-1 plus the gut hormone GIP, was approved to treat type 2 diabetes (under the name Mounjaro) in May 2022. Some of these drugs mimic multiple gut hormones rather than just one. Powell-Wiley notes, though, that no single drug — even a powerful one — can fix the many factors that lead to the development of obesity. The find “really opens up the number of patients that we can treat with semaglutide,” she says. In this case, the SR‐MA with the highest number of original studies included, typically the most recent SR‐MA, was selected. The overlap was defined a priori as significant when more than 15% of original studies reporting the same outcome were included in two or more SR‐MAs. We had a specific interest in effects on visceral adipose tissue as an outcome of exercise training and in the effects of different training modalities including HIIT. "Both injectable and oral semaglutide achieve over 16% weight loss," said Garvey. "It's good to have more options for patients with obesity," said Melanie Jay, MD, a professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The company has licensed intellectual property related to ODN derivatives for the treatment of obesity and cardio-metabolic disease from Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on translating candidates into the clinic. Mean weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass changes from 0–6 months were −9.3±6.1%, −16.9±13.5%, and −3.4±3.4%, respectively, and 0.4±4.8%, −0.3±10.3%, and 0.7±4.1% from 6–12 months. The move may open the door for Medicare to consider funding treatments for obesity, Mann noted. “My mother has been on diets and says what we are saying is obvious,” she said. Mann and Tomiyama recommend that more research be conducted on the health effects of losing and gaining weight, noting that scientists do not fully understand how such weight cycling leads to adverse health effects. No differences in mean percentage weight loss was found between the three groups; however, across the groups, increased adherence correlated to greater weight-loss. A third study of 210 overweight/obese adults assessed the difference between a personal digital assistant (PDA) in self-monitoring, either with or without daily tailored feedback, compared to a conventional paper diary over 24 months (40). For example, some RCTs compared mHealth applications against standard care weight-loss programs, while others compared the intervention against no application, or a modified version of the application. Pop culture has long glorified dramatic weight loss, rarely showing what comes after. Research shows that 80 to 95 percent of people who lose weight regain it within three to five years, according to data from the National Institutes of Health and the Obesity Society. If you're considering oral versus injectable semaglutide for weight loss, talk to your doctor about what's best for you. Research shows that when people stop using the medication, they can regain up to two-thirds of lost weight within a year. Participants also reported fewer food items as the study progressed which may be related to either fatigue with the intervention demands, or success with weight loss from eating fewer foods and thus having fewer items to record. This overview of reviews summarized the evidence published since 2010 on the effects of exercise on weight loss, changes in body composition and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity based on 12 SR‐MAs including a total of 149 unique individual studies. Therefore, in the context of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) Physical Activity Working Group (see summary paper for details), the aim of the present study was to conduct an overview of reviews examining the impact of exercise training programs on weight loss, changes in body composition and weight maintenance in individuals with overweight or obesity.
  • If an mHealth intervention could essentially have the same components as a face to face intervention, the benefit it offers is reduced contact time, which is potentially more cost-effective.
  • We made the distinction between groups because a comparison group that included some engagement with participants could limit the ability to detect true intervention effects on weight loss compared with comparison groups that were considered usual care or were delayed in receiving the intervention.
  • Because gastric band surgery is less effective than other types of weight-loss surgery, it is not often performed.
  • In addition, among adults who have ever taken GLP-1 drugs, cost is one of the most commonly cited reasons for stopping.
  • Overall, it appears that the landscape for trials in the obesity market is moving rapidly with a number of drugs which appear to be effective nearing the final stages of development.
  • On the other hand, when the GABRA5 neurons in the hypothalamus were activated, the mice were able to achieve a successful weight reduction.
  • If your leisure time involves sitting around on the sofa or in a chair, you might actually be offsetting the positive health effects of exercising even if you're working out regularly.
Our search strategy (Table 1) used a combination of key terms including 1) a health condition or lifestyle and behavior term (eg, physical activity, overweight), 2) a program or intervention term (eg, lifestyle change, intervention), and 3) an outcome term (eg, weight loss). We sought to understand the extent to which multicomponent interventions of 6 months or less were effective at achieving weight loss among adults with overweight or obesity. Although 1 prior meta-analysis examined weight change in an intervention that lasted 6 months or less compared with 12 months or more, the study’s population was specific to adults with overweight or obesity who were also diagnosed with a mental illness (15). Previous systematic reviews examined interventions of various lengths for weight change (11–14) but did not look at whether the intervention length itself substantially affected body weight. In addition, evidence indicates that most people achieve their greatest weight loss in the first 3 to 6 months of a lifestyle change intervention (10). Published in the prestigious journal Nature, the discovery could pave the way for more effective therapies for individuals who don’t respond well to current treatments. Indiefield specialises in high-quality market research fieldwork, offering focus groups, interviews, usability tests, and large-scale studies like in-home use tests, online surveys, and face-to-face interviews. For example, there's an archive of winning case studies from over a decade of MRS Awards. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s or GLP-1RAs) are a class of medicines that work by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating. In 2008, China designated Aug. 8 as its National Fitness Day, and the growing public awareness of health has resulted in a boom in both the fitness and light food industries.
  • Substance use disorders are another group of diseases with significant stigma and negative societal values around personal responsibility, self-control, and health morality, regardless of the availability of treatment.
  • Except for one SR‐MA that assessed weight maintenance up to two years after initial weight loss,17 all SR‐MA focused on post‐intervention effect, that is, effect measured immediately after the intervention period.
  • Thus, reducing total fat intake may theoretically lead to a considerable effect on total amount of calories consumed.
  • Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss.
  • High engagement levels of the application correlate to higher levels of adherence as well as resultant weight loss from the intervention.
  • Dr. Holly Lofton, NYU Langone Medical's weight management program director, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
  • Beyond semiglutide and traditional surgeries, the field of obesity treatment is exploring several other innovative approaches.
Eli Lilly, for example, has a ‘bridging programme’ for Mounjaro—tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes—under which the medication can cost as little as $25 for the first three months. “People talk about some of these drugs as being game-changers,” says Patty Nece, chair of the board of directors of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), an advocacy group based in Tampa, Florida. And although these drugs are entering the market, not everyone who needs them will have access. Eli Lilly is conducting early-stage clinical trials with drugs that target GIP alone, which Holst says will resolve the ongoing debate. We were very interested in appetite regulation and treatment of obesity. Actually, when we found GLP-1 inhibited food intake and demonstrated this in 1998, we tried to make a patent with Novo Nordisk on the treatment of obesity. Some projections put the future value of obesity drugs at $100 billion annually. The analyses in this review are limited to the effects of higher dietary protein on body weight changes because studies investigating potential effects on changes in body composition are scarce. Dietary protein seems to have a more beneficial effect on body weight management in individuals with overweight or obesity than carbohydrate. Stocks et al. also found that the participants consuming the high protein diet regained 1.8 (0.0; 3.7) kg more body weight per obesity risk allele (G allele) compared to participants consuming the standard protein diet . Characteristics and outcomes of randomized clinical trials examining the usefulness of mobile apps in weight management. Unpacking these RCTs and meta-analyses allows us to identify the areas where mHealth applications have attempted to replace or augment conventional means of weight management, and whether they were effective in doing so. As summarized in Table 1, few RCTs have examined the effectiveness of weight management applications, which makes the current status and trajectory of the field unclear for important stakeholders. When the applications were independently used along with personal support, the “supportive” application had lower attrition rates, but no difference in weight loss between the groups. This diet also helps reduce LDL-C,86 but its effects on weight loss were small (–0.8 kg to –1.2 kg).87 The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was originally developed to lower blood pressure without medication, but it is now considered one of the healthiest eating patterns.80 The DASH plan includes many vegetables, fruits, and grains with an emphasis on whole grains. A review regarding the Paleo diet and its impact on cardiovascular risk factors suggested that it has favorable effects on lipid profile, blood pressure, and circulating C-reactive protein concentrations, but the evidence is not yet conclusive.66 The Paleo diet emphasizes vegetables and unprocessed foods, but it is also high in saturated fats, which might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Estimates are that our ancestors took in 35% of their calories from fat, 35% as carbohydrates (mostly fruits and vegetables), and 30% from protein.65 This diet advises consuming lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts while avoiding grains, dairy products, processed foods, and added sugar and salt. Under the “calories-in, calories-out” model, dietary management has focused on the concept of “eat less, move more,” and patients have been advised to consider and calculate their calorie balance whenever they eat.
Living at high altitude may help ward off obesity
Therefore, there is a necessity to develop further research to find strategies in obesity management, focusing on the successful maintenance of weight loss. Although the DASH diet has numerous health results, its effect on weight loss and maintaining it is still under dispute. Low carbohydrate diets have been used a lot for weight loss, but their effects in long-term weight control are controversial. Therefore, education on healthy eating behavior, in addition to a diet such as DASH, may help obese individuals to keep up their weight. Following this diet helps patients to achieve35,36 and maintain weight loss and this effect has been related to dairy products rather than fiber. She talks with Jane Pauley about "Enough," a new book co-written with Dr. Ania Jastreboff, about her weight-loss success. For years, she seemed powerless against a fluctuating weight problem, until new medications, and a new attitude, gave Oprah Winfrey a breakthrough. Authors' contributions are indicated in the body of the article. Many of the studies neglected the anthropometric measurements, which prevented the use of numerical data from most of the selected studies to perform a meta‐analysis. We also educate thousands of public health leaders a year through our degree programs, postdoctoral training, fellowships, and continuing education courses. The researchers noted that future similar studies should focus on women. The study had some limitations, namely that the majority of participants were men. Whenever possible, we assessed individual sleep health dimensions using objective measures and based our thresholds for ‘good’ sleep upon empirically relevant thresholds. In addition, our analyses accounted for OSA and assessed sleep at multiple time points, which addresses key limitations of prior research. The use of a count-based measure of sleep health facilitates interpretability and replication. ScienceDaily features breaking news about the latest discoveries in science, health, the environment, technology, and more -- from leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations. “I’m sure there are lots of people out there who don’t fancy going to weekly groups to get weighed. That’s amazing, what’s more amazing is that I feel much healthier, I can’t recommend this programme enough.