Weight Loss and Long-Term Weight Trajectories After a Structured Nutritional and Behavioral Intervention: A Large Real-World Cohort Study

Background/Objectives: Achieving and maintaining intentional weight loss is a major challenge in routine clinical practice, and real-world evidence is limited. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated initial weight loss in 56,093 adults from a total of 126,659 who commenced the French RNPC program between 2013 and 2025, and subsequent weight trajectories in 2395 participants with 4-year follow-up data. The intervention combined an energy-restricted, protein-enriched, low-glycemic-load diet with individualized dietary and behavioral support, followed by progressive food reintroduction and optional long-term follow-up. Results: During the weight-loss phase (median, 4.6 months), median body weight decreased by 11.0 kg (12.7%) and waist circumference by 12.0 cm (11.8%), while lean mass percentage increased by 1.3 percentage points. At 4 years, among the 2395 participants with available follow-up data, median weight remained 7.8 kg (9.1%) and waist circumference 10.0 cm (9.8%) below baseline. Longitudinal mixed-effects models using all available repeated measurements showed similar patterns in weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, waist-to-height ratio, and relative fat mass at 4 years. Conclusions: These findings show substantial initial weight loss and long-term maintenance of clinically meaningful reductions in weight and waist circumference among participants with 4-year follow-up data after a structured nutritional and behavioral intervention in routine clinical practice.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Nutrients
Published
2026-10-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18203364
Primary Topic
Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Weight Loss and Long-Term Weight Trajectories After a Structured Nutritional and Behavioral Intervention: A Large Real-World Cohort Study

Sébastien Bailly, Michael E. J. Lean, Rémy Legrand, Odile Fabre et al.
Nutrients
Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
article

Weight Loss and Long-Term Weight Trajectories After a Structured Nutritional and Behavioral Intervention: A Large Real-World Cohort Study

Sébastien Bailly, Michael E. J. Lean, Rémy Legrand, Odile Fabre, Laurent Pantagis, Susan Ann Jebb, Arne Astrup, Luc F. Van Gaal
article en

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Achieving and maintaining intentional weight loss is a major challenge in routine clinical practice, and real-world evidence is limited. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated initial weight loss in 56,093 adults from a total of 126,659 who commenced the French RNPC program between 2013 and 2025, and subsequent weight trajectories in 2395 participants with 4-year follow-up data. The intervention combined an energy-restricted, protein-enriched, low-glycemic-load diet with individualized dietary and behavioral support, followed by progressive food reintroduction and optional long-term follow-up. Results: During the weight-loss phase (median, 4.6 months), median body weight decreased by 11.0 kg (12.7%) and waist circumference by 12.0 cm (11.8%), while lean mass percentage increased by 1.3 percentage points. At 4 years, among the 2395 participants with available follow-up data, median weight remained 7.8 kg (9.1%) and waist circumference 10.0 cm (9.8%) below baseline. Longitudinal mixed-effects models using all available repeated measurements showed similar patterns in weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, waist-to-height ratio, and relative fat mass at 4 years. Conclusions: These findings show substantial initial weight loss and long-term maintenance of clinically meaningful reductions in weight and waist circumference among participants with 4-year follow-up data after a structured nutritional and behavioral intervention in routine clinical practice.

NutrientsVol. 18(20)
Inserm (FR), Frederiksberg Hospital (DK), University of Oxford (GB), Antwerp University Hospital (BE), University of Glasgow (GB), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.