Among adults with obesity, those who burn more calories at rest before losing weight tend to regain more weight over the following year, with each additional 100 calories burned per day linked to...

We analyzed the available evidence and found that among adults with obesity, those who burn more calories at rest before losing weight tend to regain more weight afterward. Specifically, each extra 100 calories burned per day at rest was linked to about 0.3 kilograms of weight regain per month over the following year [1]. This pattern was observed across all studies we reviewed, with no studies showing the opposite trend. Resting energy expenditure refers to the number of calories your body uses while at rest — for breathing, circulation, and basic cell functions. Higher resting energy expenditure means your body naturally burns more calories even when you’re not moving. What we’ve found so far suggests that people with higher resting energy expenditure before weight loss may be more likely to regain weight, possibly because their bodies are wired to conserve energy more strongly after losing weight, or because they naturally eat more to match their higher calorie burn. The evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward this connection, but we don’t yet know why it happens. It could be related to changes in hormones, metabolism, or behavior after weight loss — but none of those details were included in the data we analyzed. We also don’t know if this pattern holds beyond one year, or if it applies to people who lose weight through different methods. For now, this suggests that if you’ve had obesity and are working to keep weight off, a higher resting calorie burn before losing weight might be one factor to watch — not because it’s a guarantee of regain, but because it’s a signal your body may be working harder to return to its previous state. Monitoring calorie intake closely after weight loss, even if you feel you’re eating the same as before, could help.