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Nutrients
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The Role of Nutritional Interventions and Exercise for Weight Loss
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The Role of Nutritional Interventions and Exercise for Weight Loss

A Special Issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643) belonging to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 August 2026) | Viewed by 6003

Editors

Prof. Dr. Andrew P. Hills

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences, UTAS Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Interests: physical activity; obesity; weight management; body composition assessment; community child health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Nuala M. Byrne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences, College of Health & Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Interests: nutrition and dietetics; exercise physiology; food nutritional balance; sports science and exercise; biomedical and clinical sciences; public health; health promotion allied health and rehabilitation science (not elsewhere classified)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutritional interventions and exercise play a crucial role in weight loss by addressing both energy intake and expenditure. Dietary modifications are fundamental as they influence metabolism, satiety, and overall health and well-being. Reducing energy intake while maintaining nutrient density—including adequate protein, fibre and healthy fats—helps reduce fat mass while preserving lean mass and increasing satiety. However, compliance to a habitual healthy diet that supports sustained weight management remains elusive for a large proportion of the population.

Regular lifestyle physical activity and structured exercise enhances weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and metabolic rate. Aerobic activities, including walking, cycling, and swimming, are important for energy expenditure, while resistance training preserves lean muscle mass and functional strength, critical for weight maintenance. Physical activity also helps promote hormonal balance, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce stress-related accumulation of excess body weight.

A combination of nutrition and exercise leads to more effective and sustainable weight management compared to either approach alone. Long-term adherence to healthy eating and activity behaviours is key. Stress management and sleep quality also impact weight regulation and body composition. A personalised approach to weight management that integrates dietary adjustments, physical activity engagement, exercise routines, and behavioural strategies may enable best outcomes for weight loss and overall health and well-being.

Given the continued global prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases, this Special Issue seeks novel investigations into the impact of nutritional and physical activity/exercise interventions—whether implemented independently or in combination—to improve body composition and overall health.

Prof. Dr. Andrew P. Hills
Prof. Dr. Nuala M. Byrne
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • aerobic
  • body composition
  • diet
  • energy expenditure
  • exercise
  • nutrition
  • physical activity
  • resistance training
  • weight loss
  • weight maintenance
  • weight management

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 433 KB  
Article
Adipo-Myokine Modulation in Obesity: Integrative Effects of Spinach Thylakoids and Functional Training in Men with Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
by Omid Razi, Asrin Shafei, Mehri Abdi, Behnam Saeidi, Parvin Farzanegi, Nastaran Zamani, Maryam N. ALNasser, Keyvan Hejazi, Abdullah Almaqhawi, Ayoub Saeidi, Rashmi Supriya and Hassane Zouhal
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030509 - 2 Feb 2026
Viewed by 2135
Abstract
Objective: This study evaluated the effects of a 12-week High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) program combined with thylakoid supplementation on plasma adipo-myokine levels (Decorin, Myostatin, Follistatin, Activin A, and TGF-β1) in men with obesity. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric indices, lipid profiles, and insulin [...] Read more.
Objective: This study evaluated the effects of a 12-week High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) program combined with thylakoid supplementation on plasma adipo-myokine levels (Decorin, Myostatin, Follistatin, Activin A, and TGF-β1) in men with obesity. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric indices, lipid profiles, and insulin resistance markers. Methods: Sixty men with obesity (age: 27.6 ± 8.4 years; BMI: 32.6 ± 2.6 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15 per group): Placebo (PG), Supplement (SG), HIFT + placebo (TPG), and HIFT + supplement (TSG). To ensure robustness against the 27% attrition rate, statistical analyses included both per-protocol and intention-to-treat (ITT) models. HIFT was performed for 3 sessions/week (Borg scale: 15–17). Results: Following Bonferroni correction for multiple endpoints, repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant Time × Group interactions for most adipo-myokines and metabolic markers. Both training groups (TPG and TSG) demonstrated improvements in body composition and insulin sensitivity compared to PG (p < 0.05). While no significant differences were observed between TPG and TSG for systemic metabolic markers, preliminary data suggested that thylakoid supplementation might provide modest complementary modulations in specific myokines (e.g., decorin and follistatin). However, these observed trends did not reach clinical superiority over exercise alone in the broader metabolic profile. Conclusions: Twelve weeks of HIFT is an effective primary driver for modulating the adipo-myokine network in obese men. Although thylakoid supplementation showed potential for selective complementary effects on certain myokines, these findings are exploratory given the small sample size. The clinical significance and long-term complementary value of thylakoid-exercise interactions require further validation in larger, more diverse cohorts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions and Exercise for Weight Loss)
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15 pages, 1142 KB  
Article
Effectiveness of FitterLife: A Community-Based Virtual Weight Management Programme for Overweight Adults
by Lixia Ge, Fong Seng Lim, Shawn Lin, Joseph Antonio De Castro Molina, Michelle Jessica Pereira, A. Manohari, Donna Tan and Elaine Tan
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010017 - 19 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1493
Abstract
Background: The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Singapore necessitates scalable primary prevention strategies. This study evaluated the short-term effectiveness of FitterLife, a 12-week, digitally delivered, group-based behavioural weight management programme targeting at-risk adults without diabetes or hypertension in the community. [...] Read more.
Background: The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Singapore necessitates scalable primary prevention strategies. This study evaluated the short-term effectiveness of FitterLife, a 12-week, digitally delivered, group-based behavioural weight management programme targeting at-risk adults without diabetes or hypertension in the community. Methods: In a retrospective matched cohort study, we compared 306 FitterLife participants (enrolled from October 2021 to January 2025) with 5087 controls identified from a population health data mart, matched on age, sex, ethnicity, and baseline body mass index (BMI). The primary outcome was achieving ≥5% weight loss or a ≥1 kg/m2 BMI reduction at 12 weeks. Programme effectiveness was analysed using propensity score matching (1:1) and inverse probability weighted regression. Mixed-effects models assessed weight/BMI trajectories and modified Poisson regression identified behavioural factors associated with success. Results: After matching, FitterLife participants were more likely to achieve the weight loss target than controls (45.7% vs. 13.7%, coefficient = 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26–0.38) and were over three times as likely to succeed (Adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 3.37, 95% CI: 2.87–3.93). The programme group showed significant reductions in weight (−2.23 kg, 95% CI: −2.57 to −1.90) and BMI (−0.86 kg/m2, 95% CI: −0.95 to −0.73) at the end of programme. Higher session attendance and improved behavioural factors were associated with success. Conclusions: FitterLife was effective in achieving clinically significant short-term weight loss in a real-world setting. The findings demonstrate the potential of a scalable, behavioural theory-informed, virtual group model as a viable primary prevention strategy within national chronic disease management efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions and Exercise for Weight Loss)
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Other

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26 pages, 3278 KB  
Systematic Review
GLP-1RA- and Incretin-Based Therapies Within Lifestyle Interventions for Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Alejandro Bruna-Mejias, Juan José Valenzuela-Fuenzalida, Gustavo Oyanedel, Julio Figueroa-Puig, Juan José Cabezas-Salgado, Mathias Orellana-Donoso, Gloria Cifuentes-Suazo and Juan Francisco Loro-Ferrer
Nutrients 2026, 18(11), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111781 - 31 May 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1476
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA)- and incretin-based therapies are now central to obesity management. Their clinical value, however, should be interpreted beyond total weight loss, because changes in fat mass, lean mass, physical function, and cardiometabolic risk may depend on the accompanying [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA)- and incretin-based therapies are now central to obesity management. Their clinical value, however, should be interpreted beyond total weight loss, because changes in fat mass, lean mass, physical function, and cardiometabolic risk may depend on the accompanying dietary, behavioral, and exercise co-interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated GLP-1RA- and incretin-based therapies delivered within lifestyle interventions in adults with overweight or obesity. Methods: The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261360837). PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to the final search dates. Records were deduplicated in Zotero. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analyses were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood with Hartung–Knapp adjustment when pooling was appropriate. Results: Across all database sources, 1651 records were identified. After removing 113 duplicate records and 212 records with an ineligible publication type before screening, 1326 records were screened. Seventy-seven reports were sought for retrieval, five were not retrieved, 72 were assessed at full text, and 48 reports corresponding to 35 independent parent trials or trial clusters were retained for qualitative synthesis. The primary kilogram-scale meta-analysis included eight independent comparisons and showed greater body-weight reduction with GLP-1RA/incretin-based therapy delivered within a lifestyle background than with placebo/control (mean difference [MD] −10.08 kg, 95% confidence interval [CI] −12.76 to −7.39; 95% prediction interval [PI] −17.86 to −2.29; I2 = 95.6%). Percentage body-weight change was analyzed separately across 11 independent comparisons and also favored GLP-1RA/incretin-based therapy (MD −9.53 percentage points, 95% CI −11.92 to −7.14; 95% PI −17.58 to −1.48; I2 = 95.4%). Conclusions: GLP-1RA- and incretin-based therapies delivered within lifestyle interventions are associated with clinically meaningful reductions in body weight in adults with overweight or obesity. Absolute and relative body-weight change metrics should remain analytically separate. The magnitude of benefit varies across trial contexts, and certainty remains limited by risk-of-bias concerns and considerable heterogeneity. Future trials should standardize the reporting of lifestyle co-interventions, body composition, adherence, physical-function outcomes, and safety monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions and Exercise for Weight Loss)
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