National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NIH Publication No. 04-3700

June 2004

Revised July 2006

Weight

WIN Weight-control Information Network

Loss

Life

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

for
	 here are many ways to lose weight,

	 but it is not always easy to keep the

	 weight off. The key to successful

weight loss is making changes in your eating

and physical activity habits that you can keep

up for the rest of your life. The information

presented here may help put you on the road

to healthy habits.

T

Weight Loss 

for Life

Weight Loss 

for Life


Can I benefit from 

weight loss?

Health experts agree that

you may gain health

benefits from even a small

weight loss if:

◆	 You are obese based on

your body mass index

(BMI) (see BMI chart on

page 3).

◆	 You are overweight

based on your BMI and

have weight-related

health problems or a

family history of such

problems.

◆	 You have a waist that

measures more than 40

inches if you are a man

or more than 35 inches if

you are a woman.

A weight loss of 5 to 15

percent of body weight may

improve your health and

quality of life, and prevent

these health problems. For

a person who weighs 200

pounds, that means losing

10 to 30 pounds.

Even if you do not need to

lose weight, you still should

follow healthy eating and

physical activity habits to

help prevent weight gain

and stay healthy as you

age.

Some 

Weight-related 

Health Problems

Some 

Weight-related 

Health Problems

✔ diabetes

✔ heart disease 

or stroke

✔ high blood 

pressure

✔ high cholesterol

✔ gallbladder disease

✔ some types 

of cancer

✔ osteoarthritis 

(wearing away 

of the joints)

✔ sleep apnea 

(interrupted 

breathing during 

sleep)


Body Mass Index

How can I 

lose weight?

Your body weight is controlled

by the number of calories

you eat and the number of

calories you use each day.

To lose weight you need to

take in fewer calories than

you use. You can do this

by creating and following a

plan for healthy eating and

a plan for regular physical

activity.

Sources

■ George Bray, M.D.,

 Pennington Biomedical

 Research Center. 

■ National Heart, Lung, 

 and Blood Institute’s 

Clinical Guidelines

on the Identification,

 Evaluation, and

 Treatment of

 Overweight and

 Obesity in Adults: 

 The Evidence Report.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Weight in Pounds **

Find your weight on the bottom of the graph. Go straight up from that

point until you come to the line that matches your height. Then look to

find your weight group.

* Without Shoes

**Without Clothes


The Nutrition Facts

label from the U.S. Food 

and Drug Administration 

(FDA) is found on most 

packaged foods. It tells 

you how many calories 

and how much fat, protein, carbohydrate, and 

other nutrients are in one 

serving of the food. For 

more information on the 

Nutrition Facts, see “Other 

Resources” at the end of 

this brochure.

You may also choose to

follow a formal weight-loss

program that can help you

make lifelong changes in

your eating and physical

activity habits. See page

6 for more information on

weight-loss programs.

Your Plan for 

Healthy Eating

A weight-loss “diet” that

limits your portions to a very

small size or that excludes

certain foods may be hard

to stick to. It may not work

over the long term. Instead,

a healthy eating plan takes

into account your likes and

dislikes, and includes a

variety of foods that give

you enough calories and 

nutrients for good health.

Make sure your healthy 

eating plan is one that:

◆	 Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains,

and fat-free or low-fat

milk and milk products.

◆	 Includes lean meats,

poultry, fish, bean, eggs,

and nuts.

◆	 Is low in saturated fats,

trans fats, cholesterol,

salt (sodium), and added sugars.


For more specific information about food groups

and nutrition values, visit 

www.healthierus.gov/ 

dietaryguidelines.

Your Plan for 

Regular Physical 

Activity

Regular physical activity

may help you lose weight

and keep it off. It may also

improve your energy level

and mood, and lower your

risk for developing diseases

like heart disease, diabetes,

and some cancers.

Any amount of physical

activity is better than none.

Experts recommend doing at least 30 minutes of 

moderate-intensity physical

activity on most or all days

of the week for good health.

To lose weight or maintain a

weight loss, you may need

to do more than 30 minutes

of physical activity a day, as

well as follow your healthy

eating plan.

You can get your daily 30

minutes or more all at once,

or break it up into shorter

sessions of 20, 15, or even

10 minutes. Try some of

these moderate-intensity

physical activities:

◆	 walking

(15 minutes

per mile or 4 miles 

per hour)

◆	 biking

◆	 tennis

◆	 aerobic exercise

classes (step aerobics,

kick boxing, dancing)

◆	 energetic house or yard

work (gardening, raking,

mopping, vacuuming)


What types of 

weight-loss 

programs are 

available?

There are two different types

of weight-loss programs–

clinical and nonclinical.

Knowing what a good

program will offer and what

to watch out for may help

you choose a weight-loss

program that will work for you.

Nonclinical Program

What it is: A nonclinical program may be commercially

operated, such as a privately

owned weightloss chain. You

can follow a nonclinical program

on your own by

using a counselor,

book, website,

or weight-loss

product. You can

also join others in

a support group,

worksite program,

or community-based program.

Nonclinical weight-loss

programs may require you

to use the program’s foods

or supplements.

What a safe and effective 

program will offer:

◆ Books, pamphlets, and

websites that are

written or reviewed

by a licensed health 

professional such as a

medical doctor (M.D.)

or registered dietitian

(R.D.).

◆ Balanced information

about following a healthy

eating plan and getting

regular physical activity.


◆	 Leaders or counselors

who show you their training credentials. (Program

leaders or counselors

may not be licensed

health professionals.)

Program cautions:

◆	 If a program requires

you to buy prepackaged

meals, find out how

◆	 Avoid programs that do

not include a physical

activity plan.

◆ Talk to your health care 

provider before using 

any weight-loss product, 

such as a supplement, 

herb, or over-the-counter 

medication.

Clinical Program

What it is: A clinical program

provides services in a

health care setting, such

as a hospital. One or more

licensed health professionals, such as medical

doctors, nurses, registered

much the meals will

cost—they may be

expensive. Also, eating prepackaged meals

does not let you learn

the food selection and

cooking skills you will

need to maintain weight

loss over the long term.

◆	 Avoid any diet that 

suggests you eat a

certain formula, food,

or combination of foods

for easy weight loss.

Some of these diets may

work in the short term

because they are low in

calories. But they may

not give you all the nutrients your body needs

and they do not teach

healthy eating habits.


dietitians, and psychologists, provide care. A

clinical program may or may

not be commercially owned.

Clinical programs may offer

services such as nutrition

education, physical activity, and behavior change

therapy. Some programs

offer prescription weight-loss

drugs or gastrointestinal

surgery.

Prescription Weight-loss 

Drugs

If your BMI is 30 or more, 

or your BMI is 27 or more 

and you have weight-related 

health problems, you may 

consider using prescription 

weight-loss drugs. Drugs

should be used as part of

an overall program that

includes long-term changes

in eating and physical activity habits. Only a licensed

health care provider can

prescribe these drugs. See

“Additional Reading” for

more information about 

prescription medications for

the treatment of obesity.

Gastrointestinal Surgery

If your BMI is 40 or more, 

or your BMI is 35 or more 

and you have weight-related 

health problems such as 

diabetes or heart disease, 

you may consider gastrointestinal surgery (also 

called bariatric surgery).

Most patients lose weight

quickly, and many keep off

most of their weight with

a healthy eating plan and

regular physical activity.

Still, surgery can lead to

problems that require more

operations. Surgery may

also reduce the amount of


vitamins and minerals in your

body and cause gallstones.

See “Additional Reading”

for more information about

gastrointestinal surgery.

What a safe and effective 

program will offer:

◆	 A team of licensed

health professionals.

◆	 A plan to help you keep

weight off after you have

lost it.

Program cautions:

◆	 There may be side

effects or health risks

involved in the program

that can be serious.

Discuss these with your

health care provider.

For more detailed information about choosing a safe

and successful weight-loss

program, see “Additional

Reading” at the end of this

brochure.

Additional 

Reading

Fact sheets offering related

information from the Weightcontrol Information Network

(WIN) are listed below.

Active at Any Size 

describes the benefits of

being physically active no

matter what a person’s size,

and presents a variety of

activities that large people

can enjoy safely.

It is not always easy to change your eating 

and physical activity habits.

You may have setbacks along the way.

But keep trying–you can do it!
10

Choosing a Safe and 

Successful Weight-loss 

Program provides a list

of things to look for when

choosing a safe and effective weight-loss program, as

well as a list of questions to

ask program providers.

Gastrointestinal Surgery 

for Severe Obesity

describes the different types

of surgery available to treat

severe obesity. It explains

how gastrointestinal surgery

promotes weight loss and

the benefits and risks of

each procedure.

Just Enough for You

describes the difference

between a portion—the

amount of food a person

chooses to eat—and a

measured serving. It offers

tips for judging portion sizes

and for controlling portions

at home and when eating

out.

Prescription 

Medications for the 

Treatment of Obesity 

presents information on

medications that suppress

appetite or reduce the

body’s ability to absorb

dietary fat. The types of

medications and the risks

and benefits of each are

described.

Walking...A Step in the 

Right Direction offers tips

for getting started on a

walking program and illustrates warm-up stretching

exercises. It also includes a

sample walking program.

Weight and Waist 

Measurement explains two

simple measures—BMI and

waist circumference—to

help people determine if

their weight and/or body fat

distribution are putting their

health at risk.

Other Resources

U.S. Department of

Agriculture April 2005.

My Pyramid Plan, 

www.mypyramid.gov

FDA Center for Food Safety

and Applied Nutrition.
11

Guidance on How to 

Understand and Use the

Nutrition Facts Label. June

2000. www.cfsan.fda.gov/

~dms/foodlab.html.

Blair SN, Dunn AL, Marcus BH,

Carpenter RA, Jaret P. Active 

Living Every Day: 20 Weeks 

to Lifelong Vitality. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics;

2001. Available from www.

humankinetics.com, or your

local or online bookstore.

Weight-control Information Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892-3665

Phone: (202) 828-1025

Toll-free number: 1-877-946-4627

Fax: (202) 828-1028

Email: win@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a national information

service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney

Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health, which is the

Federal Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research

on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103-43),

WIN provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and

Congress with up-to-date, science-based health information on weight

control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.
12

Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists

and outside experts. This publication was also reviewed by F. Xavier

Pi-Sunyer, M.D., M.P.H., Director, New York Obesity Research Center,

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, and English H. Gonzalez, M.D.,

M.P.H., Community Medicine and Curriculum Development Coordinator,

Medical Center East Family Practice Residency Program.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this brochure to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 04-3700

June 2004

Revised July 2006