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Summary
Keeping a healthy weight is crucial. If you are underweight or overweight, or have obesity, you may have a higher risk of certain health problems.
About two thirds of adults in the U.S. are overweight or have obesity. Achieving a healthy weight can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers.
Eating too much or not being physically active enough will make you overweight. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. A weight-control strategy might include:
- Choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods
- Eating smaller portions
- Drinking water instead of sugary drinks
- Being physically active
Eating extra calories within a well-balanced diet can help to add weight.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
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Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Obesity Screening
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
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7 Tips: Know the Facts about Supplements Marketed for Weight Loss
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
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Bitter Orange
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
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Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss
(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) - PDF
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Ephedra
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
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Hoodia
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
- Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Living With
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Daily Food and Activity Diary
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Eat More, Weigh Less? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Just Enough for You: About Food Portions
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Some Myths about Nutrition and Physical Activity
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
- Weight-Loss Readiness (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Weight-Loss: Gain Control of Emotional Eating (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Related Issues
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Sample Menus to Eat Right and Lose Weight
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Specifics
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Changing Your Habits: Steps to Better Health
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Diets: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Guide to Behavior Change
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Guide to Physical Activity
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- How to Handle Food Cravings (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
- Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Prescription Weight-Loss Drugs: Can They Help You? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Selecting a Weight-Loss Program
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Weight Management and Healthy Living Tips
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Health Check Tools
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Calculate Your Body Mass Index
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish
- Calorie Counter (American Cancer Society)
Games
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Portion Distortion! Do You Know How Food Portions Have Changed in 20 Years?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Statistics and Research
- Cancer and Obesity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Body Mass Index
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Weight Loss
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Weight Reduction Programs
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effects of a Web-Based Weight Loss Program on the Healthy Eating...
- Article: Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Worksite-Weight-Loss Program for Cancer Prevention among...
- Article: Respiratory Muscle Interval Training Improves Exercise Capacity in Obese Adolescents during...
- Weight Control -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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Definitions of Health Terms: Nutrition
(National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- Find a Nutrition Expert (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Children
- Keeping Portions Under Control (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- 5 Ways to Reach (and Maintain!) a Healthy Weight (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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Take Charge of Your Health: A Guide for Teenagers
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Women
- Menopause Weight Gain: Stop the Middle Age Spread (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- 14 ways to burn more calories every day (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Body mass index (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Can you boost your metabolism? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diet for rapid weight loss (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Losing weight after pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Managing your weight with healthy eating (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Portion size (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Snacks for adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Weight loss and alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Weight-loss medications (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.