A comprehensive review by the Indian Council of Medical Research‑National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR‑NIN) found that combining healthy eating with regular exercise is the most effective non‑drug approach for long‑term weight loss and improved metabolic health in adults who are overweight or obese.
The umbrella review examined 112 systematic reviews and meta‑analyses, covering 2,332 randomized controlled trials and more than 507,000 participant observations from over 50 countries. It compared dietary interventions, physical activity, lifestyle changes and combined strategies on weight and cardiometabolic outcomes.
All non‑pharmacological approaches produced modest but statistically significant weight reductions. The diet‑plus‑exercise group lost an average of 3.68 kg beyond 12 months, the greatest sustained loss. Low‑calorie diets yielded the largest short‑term drop (2.64 kg in the first three months). Physical activity alone led to smaller weight loss, but its benefits grew with longer follow‑up.
Beyond weight, the combined approach lowered fasting glucose and insulin resistance, while exercise alone reduced systolic blood pressure by about 6.1 mm Hg between six and 12 months. ICMR‑NIN director Bharati Kulkarni emphasized that an integrated strategy—diet, exercise and behavioural support—is essential for India’s growing obesity burden, noting that most studies come from high‑income countries and that more research is needed in lower‑middle‑income settings.
