Cited by 2,527Obesity, Physical Activity, DietNutritional Studies and DietNutrition, Health and Food Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 58 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 76 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men

Open access

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Specific dietary and other lifestyle behaviors may affect the success of the straightforward-sounding strategy "eat less and exercise more" for preventing long-term weight gain. METHODS: We performed prospective investigations involving three separate cohorts that included 120,877 U.S. women and men who were free of chronic diseases and not obese at baseline, with follow-up periods from 1986 to 2006, 1991 to 2003, and 1986 to 2006. The relationships between changes in lifestyle factors and weight change were evaluated at 4-year intervals, with multivariable adjustments made for age, baseline body-mass index for each period, and all lifestyle factors simultaneously. Cohort-specific and sex-specific results were similar and were pooled with the use of an inverse-variance-weighted meta-analysis. RESULTS: Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lb (5th to 95th percentile, -4.1 to 12.4). On the basis of increased daily servings of individual dietary components, 4-year weight change was most strongly associated with the intake of potato chips (1.69 lb), potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb) and was inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (-0.22 lb), whole grains (-0.37 lb), fruits (-0.49 lb), nuts (-0.57 lb), and yogurt (-0.82 lb) (P≤0.005 for each comparison). Aggregate dietary changes were associated with substantial differences in weight change (3.93 lb across quintiles of dietary change). Other lifestyle factors were also independently associated with weight change (P<0.001), including physical activity (-1.76 lb across quintiles); alcohol use (0.41 lb per drink per day), smoking (new quitters, 5.17 lb; former smokers, 0.14 lb), sleep (more weight gain with <6 or >8 hours of sleep), and television watching (0.31 lb per hour per day). CONCLUSIONS: Specific dietary and lifestyle factors are independently associated with long-term weight gain, with a substantial aggregate effect and implications for strategies to prevent obesity. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.).

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1056/nejmoa1014296

Cites

56 of 56 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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Verification

Claims the paper makes

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Show all 79 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 38
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 4
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 29
61 of 61
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Weight stability requires a balance between calories consumed and calories expended.

    “Since weight stability requires a balance between calories consumed and calories expended”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Weight gain often occurs gradually over decades, about 1 lb per year.

    “weight gain often occurs gradually over decades (about 1 lb per year)”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Different lifestyle behaviors have often been evaluated separately, limiting relative comparisons or quantification of combined effects.

    “Different lifestyle behaviors have often been evaluated separately, thus limiting relative comparisons or the quantification of combined effects.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Changes in behavior over time are more relevant than current behaviors for long-term weight gain and prevention.

    “most studies of long-term weight gain have evaluated current behaviors, but changes in behavior over time may be more relevant in terms of both their biologic effects on long-term weight gain and their translation into prevention strategies.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Age-related loss of lean muscle mass can confound associations of lifestyle with weight gain at older ages.

    “given possible confounding due to age-related loss of lean muscle mass”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Persons may achieve a new steady-state weight within months after a change in regular physical activity, diet, or other lifestyle habits.

    “Persons may achieve a new steady-state weight within months after a change in regular physical activity, diet, or other lifestyle habits”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many prior studies of television watching and obesity have been cross-sectional, limiting the ability to make inferences about which came first.

    “Many prior studies of television watching and obesity have been cross-sectional, limiting the ability to make inferences about which came first.”
7 of 7

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  1. Wolff E, 2008, Medscape J Med, 10, 189

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Metadata

Authors
Mozaffarian, D., Hao, T., Rimm, E. B., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
Venue
New England Journal of Medicine
Published
2011-06-23
Volume
364
Issue
25
Pages
2392-2404
ISSN
  • 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-4406
OpenAlex
W2160517070
Cited by
2,527
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 84 · 2025: 106 · 2024: 123 · 2023: 132 · 2022: 154 · 2021: 184 · 2020: 189 · 2019: 192 · 2018: 176 · 2017: 186 · 2016: 199 · 2015: 200 · 2014: 226 · 2013: 180 · 2012: 151
FWCI
28.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Searle Scholars Program
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL60712, R01HL060712, R01HL035464, HL35464, HL085710, R01HL085710)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA095589, CA95589, CA-87969, CA-55075, P01CA087969, CA50385, P01CA055075, R01CA050385)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK058845, P30DK046200, R01DK056690, DK58845, P30DK040561, DK46200.)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
Keywords
weight gain prevention, dietary change, lifestyle factors, potato chips, sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, vegetable consumption, whole grains, fruit and vegetable intake, nuts, yogurt, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, sleep duration, television viewing, obesity prevention, sex differences
MeSH terms
Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Diet, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Sleep, Smoking, Cohort Studies, Weight Gain, Health Behavior, Exercise, Multivariate Analysis

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