Repetitive Diet May Support Weight Loss, finds study
A study published in Health Psychology suggests that eating the same meals daily may help with weight loss, as consistent food choices, tracked in real time, can promote better dietary control and adherence. The study was conducted by Hagerman C. and colleagues.
The sample consisted of 112 individuals participating in a behavioral weight loss program, with the research using detailed food diaries that recorded information about participants’ eating behaviors over the first 12 weeks of the program. There were two main parameters used to measure eating behaviors, caloric variability and food repetition.
Caloric variability was calculated on the basis of day-to-day variability in caloric consumption and variations in calories consumed by individuals on weekdays compared to the weekends. The parameter of food repetition was defined in terms of the proportion of novel foods that each participant included in his/her diet and the proportion of foods eaten by a participant at least 10 times throughout the duration of the study.
Key findings:
- The findings of the study presented strong support for the advantages of dietary consistency.
- A direct relationship between weight loss and higher levels of diet consistency was observed with respect to the two indicators measured.
- For instance, individuals who had eaten the same types of food repeatedly, meaning those that had been eaten ten times or more, showed better outcomes compared to those whose diet was highly varied.
- Additionally, subjects who maintained high calorie consistency, which implies that they had consistent intake of calories on a daily basis, lost more weight.
- Individuals who had higher deviations on the weekends were the ones that lost more weight.
Based on the findings, a routine in one’s eating habits is likely to help succeed in achieving the desired goal by making good habits easier to maintain. With a focus on caloric consistency and successful meal repetition, it will be easier to reach one’s objectives. This gives a simple approach to take for doctors to offer their patients when advising them on what to do.
Reference:
Hagerman, C. J., Hong, A. E., Crane, N. T., Butryn, M. L., & Forman, E. M. (2026). Do routinized eating behaviors support weight loss? An examination of food logs from behavioral weight loss participants. Health Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001591
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