The Study
Reduced adipose tissue with limited loss of lean mass after weight loss: results from the Prostate Active Lifestyle Study.
This study is like a fair test where one group tried eating better and moving more, and another group didn’t. After a year, the group that changed their habits lost more fat and kept their muscle better. But we can’t say this will work the same for everyone — just for men like those in the study.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Older men with prostate cancer who are overweight can lose fat without losing muscle by eating less and moving more.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 577 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This is good news — losing fat without losing muscle helps reduce cancer risks and keeps older men stronger and healthier.
- 2Men lost 6.2% of their body weight: 82% was fat, only 17% was muscle.
- 3Visceral fat dropped by 613 grams.
- 4Muscle stayed the same.
- 5The muscle-to-fat ratio improved by 0.40.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Year
2025
Authors
J. Schenk, Roman Gulati, Sarah J. Beatty, Stephen R. Plymate, Daniel W. Lin, Atreya Dash, Michael P. Porter, Matthew VanDoren, Jonathan L Wright, Marian L. Neuhouser
Related Content
Claims (6)
In overweight or obese men aged 67 with early-stage prostate cancer on active surveillance, a weight loss program combining reduced calorie intake and physical activity causes 82% of the lost weight to come from fat and 17% from muscle.
In overweight or obese men aged 67 with early-stage prostate cancer on active surveillance, a weight loss program that reduces calorie intake and includes physical activity decreases visceral fat by 613 grams without changing muscle mass.
In overweight or obese men aged 67 with early-stage prostate cancer under active surveillance, a 6-month weight loss program combining reduced calorie intake and more physical activity, followed by 6 months of maintenance, lowers total body fat by 3.4% and visceral fat by 613 grams, maintains muscle mass, and increases the ratio of lean mass to fat mass by 0.40.
In overweight or obese men aged 67 with early-stage prostate cancer on active surveillance, a weight loss program that reduces calories and includes physical activity increases the ratio of lean mass to fat mass by 0.40.
The total number of calories consumed versus expended determines whether a person gains or loses weight, and the proportions of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in the diet determine how body fat and muscle mass change.
In overweight or obese men aged 67 with early-stage prostate cancer on active surveillance, weight loss from reduced calorie intake leads to fat loss and preservation of lean mass regardless of changes in physical activity.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.