Study: Routine Diets Linked to Greater Weight Loss

A new study suggests that sticking to the same meals and maintaining steady calorie intake may lead to greater weight loss than varying one's diet, challenging common advice to incorporate diverse foods for better results.

Researchers analyzed food logs from 112 adults with overweight or obesity enrolled in a structured behavioral weight loss program. Published on March 26, 2026, in the journal Health Psychology by the American Psychological Association, the study focused on the first 12 weeks of the program, when participants were most diligent in tracking their intake via a mobile app and daily weigh-ins on wireless scales. Lead author Charlotte Hagerman, a researcher at the Oregon Research Institute, and colleagues from Drexel University measured dietary routines in two ways: caloric stability, or fluctuations in daily calories between days and across weekdays versus weekends, and dietary repetition, or how often participants logged the same meals and snacks.

Those with lower dietary variety lost an average of 5.9 percent of their body weight over the period, compared to 4.3 percent among those with more varied eating patterns. Greater calorie consistency also correlated with...