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Summary

If you are overweight or have obesity, losing weight can improve your health. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers. A healthy diet is an important part of a weight-loss program. It:

• May include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
• May include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts
• Goes easy on saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars

The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than you eat and drink. A diet can help you to do this through portion control. There are many different types of diets. Some, like the Mediterranean diet, describe a traditional way of eating from a specific region. Others, like the DASH eating plan or a diet to lower cholesterol, were designed for people who have certain health problems. But they may also help you to lose weight. There are also fad or crash diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food you are allowed to eat. They may sound promising, but they rarely lead to permanent weight loss. They also may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs.

In addition to a diet, adding exercise into your daily life can help you to lose weight.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Healthy Recipes (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Some Myths about Nutrition and Physical Activity (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Weight Loss: Choosing a Diet That's Right for You (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Healthy Recipes: Low-fat (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Dejunking Your Diet: The Drawbacks of Ultra-Processed Foods (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Dieting and Gallstones (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Food Portions: Choosing Just Enough for You (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• How to Handle Food Cravings (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Nutrition and Healthy Eating (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• The Truth Behind Weight Loss Ads (Federal Trade Commission)

Specifics

• Atkins Diet: What's Behind the Claims? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Avoid Dangerous HCG Diet Products (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
• DASH Diet: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Do Detox Diets and Cleanses Work? (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Healthy Recipes: Dairy Free (National Library of Medicine)
• Healthy Recipes: Low Sodium (National Library of Medicine)
• Healthy Recipes: Vegetarian (National Library of Medicine)
• Low-Carb Diet: Can It Help You Lose Weight? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• MyPlate Kitchen (Recipes) (Department of Agriculture)
• To Fast or Not to Fast: Does When You Eat Matter? (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Weight Management and Healthy Living Tips (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Diet, Reducing (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Weight Loss (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Impact of Hypocaloric Dietary Intervention on Phenotypic Presentations of Polycystic Ovary...
• Article: Impact of a 12-Week Hypocaloric Weight Loss Diet with Mixed Tree...
• Article: Intermittent fasting strategies and their effects on body weight and other...
• Diets -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Definitions of Health Terms: Nutrition (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Find a Nutrition Expert (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

• Keeping Portions Under Control (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• Carbohydrates (Boston Children's Hospital) Also in Spanish
• Fad Diets vs. Healthy Behaviors (Boston Children's Hospital)

Older Adults

• Healthy Lifestyles for Healthy Older Adults (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Patient Handouts

• 10 ways to cut 500 calories a day (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Calorie count - Alcoholic beverages (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Calorie count - fast food (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Calorie count - sodas and energy drinks (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Diet for rapid weight loss (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Diet myths and facts (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Diet-boosting foods (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Diet-busting foods (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Mediterranean diet (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish