The DOI matches its Crossref record; 9 of the 9 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A meta-analysis of the past 25 years of weight loss research using diet, exercise or diet plus exercise intervention
Abstract
Objective The therapeutic effectiveness of diet, exercise, and diet plus exercise for weight loss in obesity was determined. Data sources All human research reported in English, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals within the past 25 y was reviewed. Study selection Acceptance criteria (n = 493 from > 700 studies) were that a therapeutic intervention of diet, exercise or diet plus exercise was employed, specifically for weight reduction in obese adult humans and that weight change was reported numerically. Only aerobic exercise studies were included, while drug, hormone and surgical treatments were excluded. Data extraction All data were extracted by the same investigator from the original research report. Except for gender and program type, all extracted data were numerical. Data synthesis ANOVA, with a Newman-Keuls post hoc test, was used to determine differences among programs (P < 0.05). One analysis was performed on the group mean data and one based on effect sizes. Analyses were repeated using initial body weight, initial percent body fat and program length, as covariates. Results Primarily, subjects aged 40 y have been studied (39.5 +/- 0.4 y, mean +/- s.e.m.) who are only moderately obese (92.7 +/- 0.9 kg, 33.2 +/- 0.5 body mass index (BMI), 33.4 +/- 0.7% body fat); for short durations (15.6 +/- 0.6 weeks). Exercise studies were of a shorter duration, used younger subjects who weighed less, had lower BMI and percentage body fat values, than diet or diet plus exercise studies. Despite these differences, weight lost through diet, exercise and diet plus exercise was 10.7 +/- 0.5, 2.9 +/- 0.4* and 11.0 +/- 0.6 kg, respectively. However, at one-year follow-up, diet plus exercise tended to be the superior program. Effect size and covariate analyses revealed similar program differences. Conclusion Weight loss research over the past 25 y has been very narrowly focused on a middle age population that is only moderately obese, while the interventions lasted for only short periods of time. The data shows, however, that a 15-week diet or diet plus exercise program, produces a weight loss of about 11 kg, with a 6.6 +/- 0.5 and 8.6 +/- 0.8 kg maintained loss after one year, respectively.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Exercise has been shown to help offset some of the changes in LBM experienced with weight loss [29,30].”
From Body Composition Changes in Weight Loss: Strategies and Supplementation for Maintaining Lean Body Mass, a Brief Review (2018) · cites this paper as [30]
Citations
Cites
Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance
Powers, S. K., & Howley, E. T. (1990) · Cited by 867
Bray, G. A. (1992) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/55.2.488s · Cited by 342
Ballor, D. L., & Keesey, R. E. (1991) · PubMed · Cited by 320
A meta-analytic evaluation of couples weight-loss programs.
Black, D. R., Gleser, L. J., & Kooyers, K. J. (1990) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037//0278-6133.9.3.330 · Cited by 210
(1994) · PubMed · Cited by 199
Epstein, L. H., & Wing, R. R. (1980) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/0306-4603(80)90011-8 · Cited by 192
Predicting max HR and the HR-&OV0312;2 relationship for exercise prescription in obesity
Miller, W. C., Wallace, J. P., & Eggert, K. E. (1993) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/00005768-199309000-00017 · Cited by 142
Self-citationRelationship between Percent Maximal O2Uptake and Percent Maximal Heart Rate in Women
Franklin, B. A., Hodgson, J. L., & BUSKIRK, E. R. (1980) · Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport · doi:10.1080/02701367.1980.10609322 · Cited by 41
Weight loss programs: Failing to meet ethical standards?
Lustig, A. (1991) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(21)01366-3 · Cited by 21
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 601–685 of 685
Silva, D. A. S., & Nunes, H. E. G. (2015)
Editorial Update on Exercise and Weight Control
Doucet, É., King, N., Levine, J. A., & Ross, R. (2013)
Exercise and time of day: Influence on hunger and caloric intake among overweight/obese adults
Weber, M. C. (2014) · JMU Scholoraly Commons (James Madison University)
Reproductive function, breastfeeding and the menopause
Pollard, T. M. (2001) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511841118.007
Khaodhiar, L., McCowen, K. C., & Blackburn, G. L. (2006) · Fundamental and clinical cardiology · doi:10.3109/9781420018905.009
Follow-Up Strategies for the Treatment of Obesity in Primary Care Settings
Ryan, D. H., & Myers, V. H. (2006) · CRC series in modern nutrition science · doi:10.1201/9781420004649.ch9
Obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Pollard, T. M. (2001) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511841118.004
Castellani, W., Ianni, L., Ricca, V., & Mannucci, E. (2003)
Ece, İ., Yılmaz, H., Alptekin, H., Acar, F., Yormaz, S., Çolak, B., & ŞAHİN, M. (2016) · Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences · doi:10.5336/medsci.2015-48722
Loyd, C. (2014) · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network)
Dietary management of Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Moran, L. (2007) · Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide)
Neuropsychopharmacology of appetite in healthy volunteers
Thomas, J. M. (2015) · University of Birmingham Institutional Research Archive (University of Birmingham)
The effects of two modes of exercise on obesity
Campbell, L. (2007) · UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA)
Optimizing Heart Failure Outcomes Through Diet: A Review
Neasman, F. B. (2017) · Marshall Journal of Medicine · doi:10.18590/mjm.2017.vol3.iss3.8
Chronic Exercise Training and Circulating Irisin in Adults
Meta-Analysis, A. (2015)
Kumar, D., & Sakthignanavel, D. (2013) · International Journal of Physical Education Fitness and Sports · doi:10.26524/1322
Ioffe, O. Y., Кривопустов, М. С., Цюра, Ю. П., Stetsenko, O. P., Tarasiuk, T. V., Овдій, М. О., & Shvets, O. (2017) · Clinical endocrinology and endocrine surgery · doi:10.24026/1818-1384.3(59).2017.110901
Universal Physical Fitness Testing for United States Guardians Afloat
Press, M. J. (2016) · Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital Library (US Army Combined Arms Center)
Moreno, J. A. F. (2018) · Institutional Repository of the University of Granada (University of Granada) · doi:10.30827/digibug.49223
Mabele, G. K., Ekisawa, C. N., Delecluse, C., Bompeka, F. L., & Matuhoyila, A. N. (2018) · Science & Sports · doi:10.1016/j.scispo.2018.01.006 · Cited by 4
Is the Small Changes programme clinically effective for adults who are obese
Simper, T. N. (2014) · SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University)
Barriers to Weight Loss in a Stepped-Care Approach to Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment
Selensky, J. C. (2017) · The Scholarship East Carolina University's Institutional Repository (East Carolina University)
Μπούρδας, Δ. Η. (2021) · ΥΣΠΛΗΓΞ Επιστημονικό Περιοδικό Φυσικής Αγωγής · doi:10.12681/hsjpe.26619
Why even active people get fatter--the asymmetric effects of increasing and decreasing exercise
Williams, P. T. (2008) · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Do Brain Activity and Executive Function Predict Weight Loss in a 12-Month Intervention?
Cohen, J. (2018) · D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh)
Stroup, D. F., & Thacker, S. B. (2014) · Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online · doi:10.1002/9781118445112.stat05179
Wharton, S., Costanian, C., Gershon, T., & Christensen, R. A. G. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11815-0_39 · Cited by 1
Lindarto, D., & Sazli, B. I. (2019) · Journal of Endocrinology Tropical Medicine and Infectiouse Disease (JETROMI) · doi:10.32734/jetromi.v1i1.1110
Prnjak, K., & Jukić, I. (2019) · Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet · doi:10.1080/15398285.2019.1647072
Nasution, M. S., & Lindarto, D. (2019) · Journal of Endocrinology Tropical Medicine and Infectiouse Disease (JETROMI) · doi:10.32734/jetromi.v1i1.1266
de Morais, S. A. (2009) · Revista Brasileira de Fisiologia do Exercício · doi:10.33233/rbfe.v8i1.3513
Siebra, C., & Souto, E. C. (2020) · Technology and Disability · doi:10.3233/tad-190255
The role of physical activity in the obesity epidemic
Kiwanuka, E. (2020) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818839-2.00009-0
Estoque, H. V. (2020) · Journal Of Nursing Practice · doi:10.30994/jnp.v4i1.112
Impact of Weight Reduction Measures on Obesity Reduction - The Case of Canada
Malla, S., Akowuah, S., & Klein, K. K. (2021) · ATHENS JOURNAL OF HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES · doi:10.30958/ajhms.8-1-2
Ribeiro, F. (2009) · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · doi:10.34626/bae9-3z65
Perception of moderate‐intensity physical activity by onset of obesity: A randomized crossover trial
Rupp, K., Stewart, A. L., & Friel, C. P. (2021) · Clinical Obesity · doi:10.1111/cob.12492
(2009) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-211-69390-2_3
Knowles, J. B. (2004) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9780470987025.ch22
(2001) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511841118.011
White, A. A., & Parham, E. S. (2003) · Modern nutrition · doi:10.1201/9781439833377.ch18
Pollard, T. M. (2001) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511841118.002
Pollard, T. M. (2001) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511841118.001
(2011) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/b10790-15
Obesity and weight gain causes and treatment: A Review
Zabbon, A. A. (2022) · GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences · doi:10.30574/gscbps.2022.18.2.0057 · Cited by 3
Holistic Reasoning on Quality of Life Dimensions Based on Mobile apps with Ontology
Cavaco, I., & Siebra, C. (2020) · doi:10.5753/sbcas.2020.11537
Knoxville Moves: Log-in and Get Mobile
Monroe, C. M. (2014)
Paharia, M. I., & Kase, L. (2007) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118269657.ch4
(2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-7295-3804-6.50044-1
Psychosocial interventions for the maintenance of weight loss in obese adults
Milner, P., Hams, S. P., Markandya, A., Shaw, S., & Blackmore, S. (2008) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd007153
RetractedThe use of very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) and meal replacers for weight control
Anderson, J., & Konz, E. C. (2010) · Woodhead Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1533/9781845690840.3.379
Carbohydrate or fat-restricted diets for obesity
Saraswat, A., Jayasinghe, R., & Sweeny, A. L. (2015) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd010025.pub2
Rojo‐Tirado, M. Á. (2015) · UPM Digital Archive (Technical University of Madrid) · doi:10.20868/upm.thesis.35286
Optimizing Nutrition for Exercise and Sports
Gonzalez, D. E., Latt, S. L., Blalock, T., Leutholtz, B., & Kreider, R. B. (2023) · Nutrition and health · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-24663-0_29
Padwal, R. S., & Sharma, A. M. (2009) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781444309768.ch18
“Let’s Take a Walk”: Relationship Maintenance and Health Communication in Romantic Relationships
Burke, T. J. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108304344.004
ศรีเจริญธรรม, ส., ศุภพงษ์, ส., รัตนานุพงศ์, ธ., & เอกพลากร, ว. (2017) · Chula Digiverse · doi:10.58837/chula.the.2017.760
Filho, A. J. B., Beltrão, C. J., Minniti, E. G. O., Gonçalves, L. M. E. S., da Cruz, M. R. R., Bérgamo, M. S., & Bellizze, V. (2024) · Revista Foco · doi:10.54751/revistafoco.v17n3-092
Dent, R., & van Walraven, C. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-68454-z
Measures Adopted for Weight Reduction Among Obese and Overweight Individuals
George, N. S., Rajasekar, S., Ravi, K., Radhakrishnan, M., & Sherwin, J. L. A. (2023) · Medical Journal of Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth · doi:10.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_470_21
Motivators and Barriers to Joining a Lifestyle Change Program for Disease Prevention
Pershing, M. L., Zhong, L., Ariotti, A., Dwenger, K., McCarty, M., Freer, P. E., & Ozanne, E. M. (2024) · Women s Health Reports · doi:10.1089/whr.2024.0093
Kim, C., Hong, J. H., & Lee, J. W. (2024) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare12242553
Bariatric Surgery Prehabilitation
Watson, A., & Halbert, C. A. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72862-4_7
Emser, T., Brabänder, K. C., Girgensohn, R., Jäger, J., Dederichs-Masius, U., Diederichs, N., & Hoffmann, M. A. (2025) · Zentralblatt für Arbeitsmedizin Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie · doi:10.1007/s40664-024-00568-7
Exercise for obesity – how much is enough?
Haboubi, N. Y., & Axe, K. (2008) · The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh · doi:10.1177/1478271520083801012
Routine Change in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Bassin, S. R., Vaca, R., & Srinath, R. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-82888-1_29
BMI - Ett psykosocialt problem hos en medelåldersbefolkning?
Jatko, E. (2013) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Sloan, C. A. (2014) · Human Biology
Gorny, A. W., Low, M. C., Sayampanathan, A. A., Shiraz, F., & Müller‐Riemenschneider, F. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.14053368
Gorny, A. W., Low, M. C., Sayampanathan, A. A., Shiraz, F., & Müller‐Riemenschneider, F. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.14053365
Gorny, A. W., Low, M. C., Sayampanathan, A. A., Shiraz, F., & Müller‐Riemenschneider, F. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.14053359
Gorny, A. W., Low, M. C., Sayampanathan, A. A., Shiraz, F., & Müller‐Riemenschneider, F. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.14053362
Abdi, A. D. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/3aa29f25za3d3z4850zb0a0z56967344e58f
Corrado, R., Raffa, S. D., Bauer, E. M., Eisenberg, D., Weare-Regales, N., Antonovich, N., Loblack, A., Berdiel, E., Kelber, M. S., Klimovich, J., et al. (2026) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/annals-26-00676
Fisher, K. L. (2014) · University Library - University of Saskatchewan (University of Saskatchewan)
Metadata
- Authors
- Miller, W., Koceja, D., & Hamilton, E.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Bloomington (US)
- Venue
- International Journal of Obesity
- Published
- 1997-10
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 941-947
- ISSN
- 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-5497
- OpenAlex
- W2140653847
- Semantic Scholar
- 8d5ccf66cb397dd184b954e7877e2a3f95fdd57e
- Cited by
- 686
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 2.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- obesity, weight loss, dietary intervention, aerobic exercise, weight loss maintenance, long-term weight loss, body mass index, body fat percentage, intervention duration, effect size
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Composition, Combined Modality Therapy, Diet, Reducing, Humans, Obesity, Weight Loss, Exercise
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review