Research paper
Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Medical Clinics of North America. 2018;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012
Why we cite it
Clinician-oriented review by a leading metabolic researcher (Hall) and obesity medicine specialist (Kahan) that quantifies why weight maintenance fails and what to do about it. Uniquely provides mathematical modeling data showing that appetite increase after weight loss (~100 kcal/day per kg) is 2-3x greater than metabolic adaptation (~20-30 kcal/day per kg) — appetite, not metabolism, is the primary driver of plateaus and regain. Reframes weight regain as biological rather than willpower-based, while providing specific clinical recommendations including cognitive flexibility, intrinsic motivation, relapse prevention, and realistic expectation management.
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012 · PubMed 29156185 · Publisher