International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: diets for body weight reduction
Study Details
This 2026 ISSN position stand reviewed major dietary approaches for reducing body weight and fat mass in healthy, active and athletic adults 🔍
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
🔥 A sustained energy deficit is the primary requirement for weight loss, with the size of the deficit matched to goals, body composition and lean-mass preservation
⚠️ Very-low-energy (<800 kcal/day) and low-energy diets (800–1200 kcal/day) produce faster short-term loss, but offer no clear long-term advantage and increase the risk of lean-mass and nutrient loss
⏱️ Intermittent fasting is not inherently superior to continuous calorie restriction when energy intake is comparable
🍽️ Meal frequency has little independent effect on fat loss, although ≥3 protein-rich meals/day may help preserve lean mass in active people
🏋️ Resistance training + sufficient protein are central to protecting lean mass during a calorie deficit
🥩 Protein targets are ~1.2–1.6 g/kg/day for the general population, 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day with resistance training, and potentially 1.9–3.2 g/kg/day in lean, resistance-trained people dieting
🥑 The carb-to-fat ratio can largely be individualized: low-fat, low-carb and ketogenic diets can all reduce weight when calories and protein are controlled
🥓 Ketogenic diets may reduce weight and fat effectively, but can also produce greater fat-free-mass losses, particularly in shorter studies
📉 Weight loss can reduce energy expenditure and increase hunger, but adaptive thermogenesis is usually modest and may diminish once weight stabilizes
📊 Plateaus are normal and may reflect a new energy equilibrium, reduced adherence, short-term fluctuations or body recomposition
Conclusion
For athletes and active people, effective fat loss is less about finding a “best diet” and more about creating a sustainable deficit while preserving training quality, protein intake, lean mass and long-term adherence ✅
Reference
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2026.2740266
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