Overstated metabolic adaptation after “the biggest loser” intervention
Open accessAbstract
The recent Obesity publication by Fothergill et al. (1) on the "The Biggest Loser" contestants (BLC) asserts that intensive exercise-centric intervention, despite fat-free mass (FFM) retention, leads to persistent metabolic adaptation (MA), thwarting long-term weight loss success.Their case rests upon predicting resting metabolic rate (RMR) using a newly developed, unvalidated, regression-derived equation [different from their previous equation in the same population (2)], with potentially error-prone weighted variables.The authors used baseline BLC data to predict RMR at subsequent time points in the same subjects.This is concerning, given the small sample (n 5 16, which makes identifying four robust predictors statistically suspect), lack of validation in an independent sample, and the fact that the 1,000 kcal/day y-intercept is high compared with other established, validated equations.When we apply their data to these other equations, the predicted RMR is much lower and the apparent MA is less prominent.
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Martins, C., Gower, B. A., & Hunter, G. R. (2025) · Obesity Science & Practice · doi:10.1002/osp4.70054
- Authors
- Kuchnia, A., Huizenga, R., Frankenfield, D., Matthie, J. R., & Earthman, C. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (US)
- Matthie and Company La Jolla California USA
- Corresponding author
- Earthman, Carrie P.
- Venue
- Obesity
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-09
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 2025-2025
- ISSN
- 1930-7381 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-739X
- OpenAlex
- W2512776629
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Obesity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
- Keywords
- metabolic adaptation, The Biggest Loser, resting metabolic rate, fat-free mass, weight loss, exercise intervention, equation validation
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Obesity, Weight Loss
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