One year after losing weight, most people have regained a significant part of the lost weight. As such, weight regain after weight loss has a negative impact on human health. The risk for weight regain is determined by psychosocial and behavioral factors as well as by various physiological and molecular parameters. Here, the latter intrinsic factors are reviewed and assembled into four function...

The hyperphagia, low sympathetic nervous system tone, and decreased circulating concentrations of bioactive thyroid hormones that are common to states of congenital leptin deficiency and hypoleptinemia following and during weight loss suggest that the major physiological function of leptin is to signal states of negative energy balance and decreased energy stores. In weight-reduced humans, thes...

The type 2 diabetes epidemic closely parallels the obesity epidemic. Although weight loss is frequently initiated successfully, most patients regain substantial amounts of weight within the first year after completing a weight loss programme. Several studies have shown success over time with weight loss and type 2 diabetes prevention and/or remission. These include the Diabetes Prevention Progr...