Weight Control: MedlinePlus

Weight Control: MedlinePlus

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• 14 ways to burn more calories every day
• Body mass index
• Can you boost your metabolism?
• Diet for rapid weight loss
• Healthy habits for weight loss
• Losing weight after pregnancy
• Managing your weight with healthy eating
• Portion size
• Snacks for adults
• Weight gain after quitting smoking: What to do

Related Health Topics

• Body Weight
• Diets
• Eating Disorders
• Exercise and Physical Fitness
• Nutrition
• Obesity
• Weight Loss Surgery

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Weight Control is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Weight Control

Disclaimers

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Summary

Keeping a healthy weight is crucial. If you are underweight or overweight, or have obesity, you may have a higher risk of certain health problems.

About two thirds of adults in the U.S. are overweight or have obesity. Achieving a healthy weight can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers.

Eating too much or not being physically active enough will make you overweight. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. A weight-control strategy might include

• Choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods
• Eating smaller portions
• Drinking water instead of sugary drinks
• Being physically active

Eating extra calories within a well-balanced diet can help to add weight.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Basics of Weight Control (Department of Veterans Affairs) - PDF
• Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-Loss Program  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Health Tips for Adults   (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• Healthy Weight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Weight Management  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Treatments and Therapies

• Bitter Orange  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss  (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) - PDF
• Ephedra  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Hoodia  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Time to Talk: 7 Things to Know about Complementary Health Practices for Weight Loss  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Weight Loss and Complementary Health Practices: What the Science Says  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)

Living With

• Daily Food and Activity Diary  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Eat More, Weigh Less? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
• Enjoy Your Food, but Eat Less: 10 Tips to Enjoying Your Meal (Department of Agriculture) - PDFAlso in Spanish
• Just Enough for You: About Food Portions   (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Snacks: How They Fit into Your Weight-Loss Plan (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Therapy and Weight Management (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Weight Loss: Ready to Change Your Habits? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• Weight-Loss: Gain Control of Emotional Eating (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Related Issues

• Sample Menus to Eat Right and Lose Weight  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Specifics

• Beware of Products Promising Miracle Weight Loss (Food and Drug Administration)Also in Spanish
• Changing Your Habits: Steps to Better Health  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - PDF
• Diets that Support Weight Loss and Management (Hormone Health Network)
• Diets: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Getting Past a Weight-Loss Plateau (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Guide to Behavior Change  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Guide to Physical Activity  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Minding Your Metabolism: Can You Avoid Middle-Age Spread?  (National Institutes of Health)Also in Spanish
• Prescription Weight-Loss Drugs: Can They Help You? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Selecting a Weight-Loss Program  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Stop the Cravings! (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Top Ten Excuses Used to Overindulge -- and How to Take a Bite Out of Them (American Heart Association)
• Underweight? Add Pounds Healthfully (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish

Health Check Tools

• Calculate Your Body Mass Index  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)Also in Spanish
• Calorie Counter (American Cancer Society)
• Portion Distortion! Do You Know How Food Portions Have Changed in 20 Years?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Statistics and Research

• Cancer and Obesity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
• Highly Processed Foods Linked to Weight Gain  (National Institutes of Health)Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Body Mass Index  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Body Weight Maintenance  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Weight Loss  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Weight Reduction Programs  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: When should unexpected weight loss warrant further investigation to exclude cancer? 
• Article: Excess weight loss is a vital strategy for controlling hypertension among... 
• Article: What are the implications of withholding total joint arthroplasty in the... 
• Weight Control -- see more articles 

Reference Desk

• Definitions of Health Terms: Nutrition  (National Library of Medicine)
• Glossary of Terms Related to Healthy Eating, Obesity, Physical Activity, and Weight Control  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Find an Expert

• Find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 
• Weight-Control Information Network  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Children

• Keeping Portions Under Control (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• 5 Ways to Reach (and Maintain!) a Healthy Weight (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Emotional Eating (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• How Can I Lose Weight Safely? (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Should I Gain Weight? (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Take Charge of Your Health: A Guide for Teenagers   (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish

Men

• Keeping Active and Healthy Eating for Men   (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Women

• Menopause Weight Gain: Stop the Middle Age Spread (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Stay Fit as You Mature   (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Patient Handouts

• 14 ways to burn more calories every day (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Body mass index (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Can you boost your metabolism? (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Diet for rapid weight loss (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Losing weight after pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Managing your weight with healthy eating (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Portion size (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Snacks for adults (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Weight loss and alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Weight-loss medications (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish