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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A 24-month trial found that a Mediterranean-style weight-loss program produced similar weight loss (~3.5%) as a commercial calorie-restriction program, but participants eating Mediterranean-style showed significantly greater improvements in overall diet quality. For those avoiding weight-loss drugs or surgery, a diet-quality-focused behavioral program may be a strong alternative.
A new randomized trial published in JAMA Network Open compared a Mediterranean-style behavioral weight-loss program against a commercial calorie-restriction program over 24 months in 360 adults with obesity. Both groups lost roughly the same amount of weight — about 3.5% of body weight — but the Mediterranean-style group came out ahead in a meaningful way: significantly better diet quality, sustained throughout the entire study period.
The Mediterranean-style program, led by registered dietitians, rolled out in three phases — first building diet quality, then targeting weight loss, then maintaining it. The control group got access to a commercial weight-loss program's workshops and digital tools. Both groups were encouraged to stay physically active.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: For patients who can't access or afford weight-loss medications or surgery, an intensive behavioral program emphasizing diet quality — not just calorie cutting — is a clinically reasonable and potentially healthier long-term option.
