nutrients-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Dietary and Exercise Interventions to Target Obesity and Chronic Diseases

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 December 2025 | Viewed by 3148

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, USA
Interests: obesity treatment; exercise physiology; energy balance; clinical trials; chronic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity, an ever-growing problem in nearly all developed countries, is a major risk factor for most chronic diseases. While newer anti-obesity medications hold promise for enhancing weight loss and improving certain chronic conditions over lifestyle approaches alone, these medications are not accessible for many individuals due to issues with access, cost, insurance coverage, side effects and patient preferences. Thus, there remains a critical need to develop more effective lifestyle-related obesity treatment strategies.

Current recommendations for patients with obesity or who are developing a chronic disease call for lifestyle weight loss approaches involving the prescription of a reduced energy diet along with advice to increase physical activity. However, adherence to energy-restricted diets declines markedly within 1-4 months. Increasing physical activity/adhering to an exercise program also has its challenges, whereas well-designed, long-term (≥6 month) studies have consistently shown that weight loss induced by exercise only accounts for 30-40% of the weight loss expected based on the measured energy expenditure of the exercise sessions. There are also many barriers to increasing engagement in exercise (e.g. access to exercise facilities, time constraints, motivation), which decrease exercise adherence.

Several approaches have previously been proposed to improve the effectiveness of nutrition and physical activity/exercise interventions for obesity and chronic disease treatment. Such approaches include focusing on a specific diet (e.g. ketogenic diet, the Mediterranean diet), time-restricted feeding/alternate-day fasting, combining nutritional interventions with exercise interventions, or developing novel ways to increase adherence to a particular dietary prescription. Exercise interventions such as high-intensity interval training and resistance training, which do not follow the common moderate-intensity aerobic exercise prescription, have also shown promise for obesity and chronic disease treatment.

Papers addressing these topics are requested for this Special Issue, especially those exploring the interaction between diet and exercise for obesity and chronic disease treatment/prevention.

Dr. Kyle D. Flack
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • obesity
  • chronic diseases
  • diabetes
  • cardiovascular disease
  • cancer
  • weight loss
  • exercise
  • intervention
  • dietary approaches
  • energy balance
  • adherence
  • effectiveness

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

12 pages, 1016 KiB  
Article
Goal Setting and Attainment in a Randomised Controlled Trial of Digital Health-Assisted Lifestyle Interventions in People with Kidney and Liver Disease
by Dev K. Jegatheesan, William F. Pinzon Perez, Riley C. C. Brown, Nicola W. Burton, Amandine Barnett, Lindsey Webb, Marguerite M. Conley, Hannah L. Mayr, Shelley E. Keating, Jaimon T. Kelly, Graeme A. Macdonald, Jeff S. Coombes, Ingrid J. Hickman and Nicole M. Isbel
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1183; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071183 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 421
Abstract
Introduction: Goal setting is an effective strategy in altering fitness and dietary behaviours. The goal attainment scale (GAS) is a patient-reported outcome measure that can be used to quantify goal achievement. The GAS has not been extensively assessed in lifestyle intervention trials. This [...] Read more.
Introduction: Goal setting is an effective strategy in altering fitness and dietary behaviours. The goal attainment scale (GAS) is a patient-reported outcome measure that can be used to quantify goal achievement. The GAS has not been extensively assessed in lifestyle intervention trials. This study aimed to describe the goal setting process and assess the impact of a digital exercise and diet service and self-efficacy on goal attainment in people with chronic disease and at increased cardiometabolic risk. Methods: This study presents a single-centre, 26-week, randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing standard care to digital health technologies (text messages, nutrition/exercise app, video consultations with dietitian and/or exercise physiologist). The comparator group was offered dietitian review (per standard care), and both groups received a wearable activity monitor. Individualised goal setting was facilitated prior to randomisation. Goal importance, performance measures, and self-efficacy were determined by participants. Goal outcome and ‘Change in GAS’ scores, reflecting the difference between baseline and follow-up performance, were calculated using validated formulae. Results: Goal setting was completed and reviewed by 66 participants, with a median age of 51 years and 56% being male. The most common goals related to weight loss (46%), fitness (29%), and diet (15%). Most participants (62%) reported improvements in their goals, with most improvements in dietary (71%), fitness (52%), and weight loss (39%) goals. There was no significant difference in goal outcomes between intervention and comparator groups (p = 0.99). There was, however, a significant correlation between nutrition self-efficacy and dietary goal achievement (p = 0.04). Conclusions: The novelty and feasibility of goal setting and attainment were demonstrated in this RCT of lifestyle interventions in people with chronic disease. Though the intervention did not significantly improve goal attainment, most participants reported improvements in their lifestyle goals. There were greater improvements in dietary goals than in fitness or weight loss goals. Participant-led goal setting with GAS and participant self-efficacy has potentially important applications in future lifestyle modification research and clinical implementation endeavours. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

14 pages, 561 KiB  
Review
Acute Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Postprandial Glycemia in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Scoping Review
by Hugo Alejandro Carrillo-Arango, David Alejandro Gonzalez, Leidy Tatiana Ordoñez-Mora, Miguel Alejandro Atencio-Osorio, Héctor Reynaldo Triana-Reina and Mikel Izquierdo
Nutrients 2025, 17(8), 1364; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17081364 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 377
Abstract
Background/Objectives: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as an effective strategy for mitigating postprandial glycemia in overweight or obese individuals. This scoping review aims to examine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted between 2008 and 2024 that evaluated the impact of HIIT on acute [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as an effective strategy for mitigating postprandial glycemia in overweight or obese individuals. This scoping review aims to examine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted between 2008 and 2024 that evaluated the impact of HIIT on acute postprandial glycemic response. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was employed using terms such as “high-intensity interval training (HIIT)” and “postprandial glycemia”, combined with Boolean operators, with no restrictions on study type. Electronic databases searched included PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science from their inception through 2024. Of the 67 studies that met the inclusion criteria, five RCTs were selected for final analysis. All selected studies involved individuals with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25. Results: Each of the five included RCTs featured at least one HIIT intervention group, with variations in frequency, duration, intensity, and testing protocols. Despite differences in glucose tolerance test timelines, the glucose-loading protocol (75 g) and exercise interventions demonstrated minimal heterogeneity across studies. The findings suggest that short-term HIIT interventions may positively influence acute postprandial glycemic responses in overweight and obese populations. Conclusions: Short-term HIIT appears to be a promising intervention for improving postprandial glycemic control in individuals with elevated BMI. Future research is warranted to further elucidate both the acute and long-term effects of HIIT, particularly the role of skeletal muscle in regulating systemic glucose levels in this population. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

19 pages, 1017 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Through Lifestyle Interventions in Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes—A Summary of Participant and Intervention Characteristics
by Gebresilasea Gendisha Ukke, Jacqueline A. Boyle, Ahmed Reja, Wai Kit Lee, Mingling Chen, Michelle Shi Min Ko, Chelsea Alycia, Jane Kwon and Siew Lim
Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4413; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244413 - 23 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1828
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to review the effect of lifestyle interventions in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on the participants and intervention characteristics. Methods: We systematically searched seven databases for RCTs of lifestyle interventions published up to [...] Read more.
Objectives: We aimed to review the effect of lifestyle interventions in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on the participants and intervention characteristics. Methods: We systematically searched seven databases for RCTs of lifestyle interventions published up to 24 July 2024. We included 30 studies that reported the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or body weight. A random effects model was used to calculate the relative risk and mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. Subgroup analyses were conducted for participants’ characteristics (age, body mass index (BMI)) and intervention characteristics according to the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). Results: A greater T2DM risk reduction was seen in trials that started within one year postpartum, in participants with a mean baseline BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, or based on behavioral change theory. For body weight reduction, studies on participants with a mean baseline BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more or ones that included electronic/mobile delivery (text message, web, phone call) were more effective. Conclusions: Diabetes prevention trials in women with a history of GDM are more effective when commencing within one year postpartum, underpinned by behavior change theory, and in participants with overweight or obesity. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop