Eating the same meals and keeping calorie intake steady each day may help people lose more weight, according to research published by the American Psychological Association on Mar. 26.
The study suggests that a routine approach to eating could benefit those trying to lose weight. The findings come from an analysis of adults participating in a structured behavioral weight loss program who logged their food intake and daily weights over a 12-week period.
Researchers examined the dietary habits of 112 overweight or obese adults using detailed food logs collected through a mobile app. They measured how much participants repeated their meals and how stable their daily calorie counts were throughout the program. Those who consistently ate similar foods lost an average of 5.9% of their body weight, compared with 4.3% among those whose diets were more varied. Greater consistency in daily calories was also linked to better results; for every additional fluctuation of 100 calories per day, participants lost about 0.6% less body weight during the study period.
The authors note that while previous studies have connected dietary variety within healthy food groups to better health outcomes, these benefits may not extend as clearly in environments where unhealthy choices are common. "If we lived in a healthier food environment, we might encourage people to have as much variety in their diet as possible," Hagerman said. "However, our modern food environment is too problematic. Instead, people may do best with a more repetitive diet that helps them consistently make healthier choices, even if they might sacrifice some nutritional variety."
An unexpected result showed that participants who reported higher calorie totals on weekends than weekdays also lost more weight—a finding researchers believe is likely due to better tracking habits rather than increased consumption.
Hagerman said the main message from this research is clear: "when it comes to weight loss, consistency may matter more than variety."
