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Nutrients
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The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management
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The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2025 | Viewed by 2827

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sarah Shultz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Arts and Sciences, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO 81301, USA
Interests: child obesity; physical activity; orthopedics; biomechanics; gait

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Nutrients focuses on the critical roles of physical activity and diet on weight management. As the global rates of obesity and related chronic diseases continue to rise, the importance of effective, sustainable strategies for managing body weight has never been more pressing. This Special Issue explores the diverse and substantial impact of lifestyle behaviors on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

We warmly accept novel short communications, original research articles, and review articles that focus on the biopsychosocial benefits of physical activity and/or diet on weight management across a person’s lifespan and/or within specific populations.

By integrating insights from both physical activity and dietary research, this Special Issue aims to provide a further understanding of how lifestyle behaviors continue to significantly influence weight management programming.

Dr. Sarah Shultz
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
  • weight loss
  • diet
  • eating behavior
  • physical activity
  • exercise
  • lifestyle behaviors

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3980 KiB  
Article
Variation in Body Composition Components Across Different Age Groups and Proposal of Age-Specific Normative Tables: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Kleber E. G. Barbão, Audrei Pavanello, Fabiano M. Oliveira, Natalia Q. Santos, Pablo Valdés-Badilla, Luciana L. M. Marchiori, Emerson Franchini and Braulio H. M. Branco
Nutrients 2025, 17(9), 1435; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091435 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 117
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Utilizing a significative sample, this study aimed to analyze body composition components in different age groups and to develop age-specific normative tables for individuals in southern Brazil. Methods: This observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study evaluated 8556 individuals of both sexes (54% females) [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Utilizing a significative sample, this study aimed to analyze body composition components in different age groups and to develop age-specific normative tables for individuals in southern Brazil. Methods: This observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study evaluated 8556 individuals of both sexes (54% females) aged 18–49. The hypotheses of the present study are related to declining fat-free mass (FFM), lean mass (LM), and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and increasing fat mass (FM) and body fat percentage (BFP) during the aging process. Data were collected through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and stratified by age (18–29, 30–39, and 40–49 years), sex, and body mass index (BMI) classifications (normal weight, overweight, grade I, and grade II obesity). Following the comparison, body composition components were presented in the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th percentiles. Results: This study’s main findings indicated that FM and BFP increased with age in both sexes. Among overweight and obese individuals, elevated BFP was particularly high in obese females aged 40–49 years and in normal and overweight males. FFM, LM, and SMM were generally lower in the 40–49-year-old group, although obese females over 40 presented higher FFM and LM values. In contrast, males presented lower FFM and LM values but higher values among individuals with higher BMI. SMM was lower in overweight individuals over 40, likely reflecting muscle mass loss associated with aging. Conclusions: Based on these results, lifestyle interventions that combine nutrition and physical exercise may be recommended to mitigate these effects of aging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management)
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12 pages, 215 KiB  
Article
Factors Associated with Weight Change in Adults with Severe Mental Illness: Results from a Large Cross-Sectional Survey
by Gemma D. Traviss-Turner, Ellen Lee, Peter Pratt, Andrew J. Hill and Emily Peckham
Nutrients 2025, 17(9), 1423; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091423 - 23 Apr 2025
Viewed by 185
Abstract
Background/objectives: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have a reduced life expectancy of 15–25 years. This is due to a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Levels of overweight and obesity in this group are 1.8 times higher than in the [...] Read more.
Background/objectives: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have a reduced life expectancy of 15–25 years. This is due to a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Levels of overweight and obesity in this group are 1.8 times higher than in the general population and diet quality is poor. Excess weight is linked to a range of serious long-term physical and mental health conditions. This paper presents the findings of a large cross-sectional survey of adults living with SMI. The survey aimed to understand the current weight, weight gain and diet quality of this group and secondly, to explore the association between weight change, diet quality, antipsychotic medication and weight management. Methods: Five hundred and twenty-nine participants (58% male, mean age 49.3) living with SMI completed the survey. Results: Results showed 42% of the sample were living with obesity and almost half reported having gained 6 kg or more at least once in their adult life. Overall, 6% of the sample reported eating no fruit or vegetables and the same proportion had the highest consumption of carbonated drinks. There was no difference by weight category. Those taking antipsychotic medication and currently managing their weight were more likely to experience weight gain or fluctuation. Conclusions: These results suggest that excess weight and poor diet quality are a major problem in adults with SMI and that current weight management provision is ineffective in addressing the specific needs of people living with SMI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management)
15 pages, 937 KiB  
Article
Tailored Exercise Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome: Cardiometabolic Improvements Beyond Weight Loss and Diet—A Prospective Observational Study
by Michele Braggio, Gianluigi Dorelli, Nicola Olivato, Vito Lamberti, Maria Teresa Valenti, Luca Dalle Carbonare and Mattia Cominacini
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050872 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 908
Abstract
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors that increase the likelihood of both acute events and chronic conditions. While exercise has been shown to improve individual risk factors associated with MS; research on its effects on [...] Read more.
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors that increase the likelihood of both acute events and chronic conditions. While exercise has been shown to improve individual risk factors associated with MS; research on its effects on MS as an integrated condition remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-month Adapted Personalized Motor Activity (AMPA) program for improving the health outcomes of individuals with MS. Methods: Seventy-one sedentary participants with MS (mean age: 63 ± 9.4 years, 46.5% female) completed a 6-month intervention, incorporating moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance training. Each participant received a personalized exercise plan prescribed by a sports medicine physician. The training was monitored via telemetry to ensure safety. No dietary recommendations were provided during the intervention. Baseline and post-intervention assessments included Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET), anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, heart rate, lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides), fasting glucose, and HbA1c. Results: Significant improvements were observed in fasting glucose (−10.6%, p < 0.001), HbA1c (−3.88%, p < 0.001), HDL cholesterol (+20.8%, p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (−25.1%, p < 0.001), and VO2max (+8.6%, p < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure also decreased significantly, with reductions of −12% (p < 0.001) and −5.9% (p < 0.001), respectively. Reductions in weight and waist circumference were statistically significant but modest and clinically irrelevant, showing no correlation with improvements in cardio-metabolic parameters. Logistic regression and correlation matrix analyses were performed to identify key predictors of changes in individual risk factors. Conclusions: While personalized exercise alone may not fully control individual risk factors of metabolic syndrome, its overall effect is comparable to low-intensity pharmacological polytherapy with minimal adverse effects. These benefits appear to be independent of dietary habits, gender, and both baseline and post-intervention physical performance and anthropometric measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management)
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13 pages, 1410 KiB  
Article
Guidance on Energy Intake Based on Resting Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity: Effective for Reducing Body Weight in Patients with Obesity
by Tomoko Handa, Takeshi Onoue, Ryutaro Maeda, Keigo Mizutani, Koji Suzuki, Tomoko Kobayashi, Takashi Miyata, Mariko Sugiyama, Daisuke Hagiwara, Shintaro Iwama, Hidetaka Suga, Ryoichi Banno and Hiroshi Arima
Nutrients 2025, 17(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020202 - 7 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1676
Abstract
Objective: In treating obesity, energy intake control is essential to avoid exceeding energy expenditure. However, excessive restriction of energy intake often leads to resting energy expenditure (REE) reduction, increasing hunger and making weight loss difficult. This study aimed to investigate whether providing nutritional [...] Read more.
Objective: In treating obesity, energy intake control is essential to avoid exceeding energy expenditure. However, excessive restriction of energy intake often leads to resting energy expenditure (REE) reduction, increasing hunger and making weight loss difficult. This study aimed to investigate whether providing nutritional guidance that considers energy expenditure based on the regular evaluation of REE and physical activity could effectively reduce body weight (BW) in patients with obesity. Methods: A single-arm, prospective interventional study was conducted on 20 patients with obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) at the Nagoya University Hospital for 24 weeks. REE and physical activity were regularly assessed, and the recommended energy intake was adjusted based on the values. The primary outcome was the change in BW, and the secondary outcomes included changes in REE and hunger ratings, which were assessed using a visual analog scale. Results: Eighteen participants completed the study, demonstrating a significant reduction in BW after 24 weeks (−5.34 ± 6.76%, p < 0.0001). No significant changes were observed in REE or hunger ratings. No adverse events were reported throughout the study period. Conclusions: Guidance on energy intake based on REE and physical activity was effective for reducing BW in patients with obesity without decreasing REE or increasing hunger. This approach may reduce the burden on patients with obesity while losing BW. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Diet on Weight Management)
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