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Popular diets and taking medications are not conducive to weight loss
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Contrary to popular belief, most obese people are able to lose weight and do so successfully, say scientists from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (USA). At the same time, the most effective ways to get rid of excess weight are old, proven methods - reducing fat consumption and physical exercise. According to the authors of the work, this is very encouraging news, since even a 5 percent reduction in weight can have a beneficial effect on health.
For reference, more than a third of Americans today are obese, and 50-70% of them are trying to lose weight.
The researchers analyzed data on more than 4,000 obese U.S. citizens collected in 2001–2006 during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. All respondents were over 20 years old, and each had a body mass index of 30 or more in the 12 months before the first survey. Of those, 2,523 reported trying to lose weight. Of those, 40% said they had already lost 5% or more, and another 20% had lost 10% or more.
Those who spent more time exercising and did not eat fatty foods were the most successful in losing weight. In addition, a correlation was found between the subjects' participation in weight-loss programs and the greater number of kilograms lost, which may indicate the importance of the structure of the weight-loss regime. And although those who took prescription drugs for weight loss also successfully lost their excess kilograms, the proportion of respondents who chose this method of returning to slimness was very small.
The researchers also noted that popular diets, liquid nutrition, over-the-counter weight loss drugs, and diet food consumption did not contribute to weight loss.
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