Why do you feel hungrier when you lose weight?
Metabolic adaptation is associated with a greater increase in appetite following weight loss: a longitudinal study.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When you lose weight, your body slows down your metabolism and makes you hungrier to try to get back to your old weight.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 546 / 72
Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When you lose weight, your body slows down your metabolism and makes you hungrier to try to get back to your old weight.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 546 / 72
Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Publication
Authors
Martins C, Roekenes JA, Rehfeld JF, Hunter GR, Gower BA
Related Content
Claims (6)
When a person loses weight, their body burns fewer calories and they feel hungrier for a period of time; these changes return to normal after the lost weight is regained.
When obese individuals lose weight, their bodies burn fewer calories at rest than expected, and this reduction is linked to higher hunger levels, even after accounting for how much weight they lost. This metabolic change returns to normal once weight loss stops and weight stabilizes.
When obese adults lose weight, their bodies burn more fat for energy, which lowers the respiratory quotient. Once weight loss stops and weight stabilizes, the respiratory quotient returns to its original level, indicating a return to pre-diet metabolic patterns.
When obese individuals lose weight, their hunger increases both when they haven't eaten and after eating. Once weight loss stops and maintenance begins, hunger only increases after meals, suggesting that how the body regulates hunger changes over time.
When obese individuals follow a low-calorie diet and then eat more again, their bodies burn fewer calories at rest than expected, and this is linked to stronger feelings of hunger and desire to eat, even after accounting for how much weight they lost.