Table 1.

Descriptive and technical components of the included studies.

Study (reference number)	Participants*	Baseline age (years) (mean ± SD or range)	Country and SES/race (if reported)	Degree of overweight for inclusion and comorbidities	Intervention length and setting	Intervention components	Body composition measure
[27]	19 women	43.2 ± 9.1	US: white, Hispanic, black	≥15 kg above ideal MetLife table weight, no comorbidities	16 week intervention, 1 year follow-up, university clinical research center	1200 cal/day, structured aerobic PA: 3x 45 min step aerobics classes/week	DEXA
[28]	111 women	35 ± 11.2 (19–50)	Cyprus	BMI >25, no comorbidities	18-week intervention plus 18-week follow-up, university clinical research center	1,500 ± 200 cal/day (50% carb, 30% fat, 20% protein) mod intensity PA 30–60 min/day; behavioral modification consult 1x/week	BIA
[29]	32 men and women	37.6 ± 4.4 (30–45)	Australia	BMI 27–32, no comorbidities	32 weeks, university clinical research center	Diet and PA general advice, cal counting resources, heart rate monitor, personalized goals	DEXA
[30]	44 women	54.7 ± 7.9 (postmenopausal)	US	BMI >30, postmenopausal, no comorbidities	24 weeks, university clinical research center	LEARN program: lifestyle nutrition, PA skills, weekly coaching, self-control training	BIA
[31] (aerobic treatment arm)	46 women	35.2 ± 7	US: white and black	BMI 27–30, no comorbidities	Hospital inpatient and outpatient; intervention until BMI <25: ~5.5 mo.	800 cal/day (meals provided), 40 min aerobic PA 3x/week	DEXA
[32]	105 men and women	44.9 ± 10.2 (18–65)	US: white and black	BMI 30–40, no comorbidities	2 years, multisite: university clinical research center/academic medical centers	1200–1500 cal/day (women), 1500–1800 cal/day (men), 20–50 min PA/walking 4x/week, behavioral counseling 1x/week	DEXA
[33] (aerobic treatment arm)	20 men and women	36 ± 7 (19–48)	US	Body weight >20% above “desired amount,” no comorbidities	8 weeks, university hospital GCRC	Liquid-formula diet: 1286 ± 281 cal/day, 30 min cycling (arms and legs) 3x/week, weekly nutrition counseling	Underwater weighing, BIA, and bi-/triceps skinfold
[34]	43 men and women	43 ± 12	Switzerland	BMI >30, no comorbidities	6 weeks, hospital inpatient	1000 cal/day low carb (15%) or moderate carb (45%), 1 h aerobic PA and 1 h underwater PA/day, nutrition education, “standard behavioral techniques”	BIA and triceps skinfold thickness
[35]	6 women	33 ± 8	US	>30% body fat, no comorbidities	16 weeks, university clinical research center	800 cal/day (low-fat diet), about 3 miles brisk walking/jogging 5 d/week, weekly diet education classes	Underwater weighing and triceps skinfold thickness
[36]	12 men and women	36 ± 6 (28–45)	US: mostly white	BMI 25–30, no comorbidities	24 weeks, university clinical research center	12.5% cal restriction (all food provided), 12.5% increase in energy expenditure structured PA (45–50 min cardio 5x/wk), weekly CBT group	DEXA
[37]	5 women	35 ± 4	US	37–50% body fat, no comorbidities	6 weeks, university hospital inpatient	800 cal/day (all food provided), about 4 miles daily walking	Underwater weighing
[38]	18 women	35 ± 7	US	130–160% “ideal body weight,” no comorbidities	12 weeks, university clinical research center	1200 cal/day constant or rotating 600–1800 cal/day, 5 d/week walking, behavior modification program	Underwater weighing
[39]	81 women	28 ± 1 (19–45)	Canada: multiracial (white, Indian, Asian primarily)	BMI 27–40, no comorbidities	16 weeks, university clinical research center	Individual weight maintenance cal level −500 cal/day (varying dairy levels), 5 d/week supervised aerobic PA (to burn 250 cal), 2 d/week strength training	DEXA
[40]	10 women	39.3 ± 5.4 (25–50)	The Netherlands	BMI >30, no comorbidities	8 weeks, no location noted	Diet: 3.5 mJ/day plus 1.4 mJ/day formula, 90 min each aerobics, fitness/strength 2 d/week	Underwater weighing
[41]	126 women	38.5 ± 8.5	US	BMI ≥30, no comorbidities	14 weeks, university clinical research center	1200 cal/day f/both: very low carb, high protein (63 : 7 : 30%), low carb, moderate protein (50 : 20 : 30%), high carb, low protein (55 : 15 : 30%), curves fitness program: 30 min circuit (strength and aero.) 3 d/week	DEXA
[42]	118 women	38.7 ± 7.5	US	BMI ≥30, no comorbidities	14 weeks, university clinical research center	1200 cal/day (phase 1) then 1600 cal (phase 2) diets varying macronutrients (carb/protein), curves fitness program: 30 min circuit (strength and aero.) 3 d/week	DEXA
[43]	34 men and women	18+	Ireland	BMI ≥28, any comorbidities except eye diseases and pregnancy	12 months, no location noted	1500 cal/day (women), 1800 cal/day (men) low-fat, 1 h/day PA classes, 1x/month motivational seminars	DEXA
[44] (diet + aerobic ex.)	9 women	Premenopausal (exact ages unknown)	US	>120% above MetLife table ideal weight or BMI ≥27, no comorbidities	12 weeks, university clinical research center	Matola food products provided, 30–50 min aerobic PA 3x/wk at 70–80% max HR, 1 h/wk group education	Underwater weighing
[44] (diet + aerobic + strength)	8 women	Same as above	Same as above	Same as above	Same as above	Diet and aerobic PA as above, plus 3x/week strength circuit	Same as above
[45]	90 women	18–55	US	BMI 27–40, no comorbidities	10 weeks, university clinical research center	Week 1: 1200 cal/day, weeks 2–10: 1600 cal/day, curves supervised PA program: 30 min circuit 3 days/week, met w/RD every 2 weeks	BIA
[46]	24 women	47.2 ± 1.3 (40–56)	US	BMI ≥26, no comorbidities	16 weeks, no location noted	Low (15%) or high (30%), pro: carb ratio, both: 1700 cal/day, ≥5 d/week walking, 2 d/week strength training, weekly nutritionist counsel.	DEXA
[47]	40 men and women	41 ± 7.7	US	Body fat ≥25% (men), 30% (wom), no comorbidities	12 weeks, university clinical research center	OPTIFAST: 420 cal/day, walking (60% HR) 3x/week to reduce 300 cal	BIA
[48]	22 men and women	43.0 ± 5.3 (29–50)	US	BMI 27–35, no comorbidities	24 weeks, independent outpatient clinical research center	500 cal deficit diet (meal replacements of 25–40% cals, plus supplemental foods), plus walking ≥5 d/week moderate intensity (300–500 cal), RD, PA couns. 1x/week	Air displacement plethysmography
[49]	100 women	20–65	Australia	BMI 27–40, no comorbidities	12 weeks, hospital outpatient GCRC	Food provided: 5600 kJ/day high protein (34%) or high carb (64%), ≥3x 30 min PA/week, nutritionist 1x/mo.	DEXA
[50]	10 women	38 ± 4.5 (21–47)	US	140%–180% weight f/height based on MetLife tables and body fat ≥35%, no comorbidities	12 weeks, university clinical research center	75% individuals' RMR: low-fat or low-carb diets, 45 min aerobic PA (60–60% max HR) 3x/week, nutrition and education meetings 1x/week	Doubly labeled water and appropriate calculations
[51]	48 women	53.8 ± 2.5 (postmenopausal)	Denmark	BMI ≥25, no comorbidities	12 weeks, university clinical research center	Up to 10 260 kJ portions of formula diet, small food supplementation, 1–1.5 h each aerobic and strength PA 3x/week	DEXA
[52]	20 men	25–50	The Netherlands	BMI ≥30, no comorbidities noted	12 weeks, outpatient site (no details noted)	Very low cal protein-enriched formula diet (Modifast): around 5 mJ/day), 1 hour low-intensity aerobic PA (40% HR) 4x/week, weekly meetings w/nutrition and exercise pros	underwater weighing
[53]	20 men and women	44.7 ± 13.0	Belgium	BMI 25–40, no comorbidities	24 week intervention + 24 week observation, outpatient hospital	600 cal deficit, 1 hour aerobic and strength training 2x/week, biweekly dietician	BIA
[54]	34 men and women	45.6 ± 9.0 (18–65)	US: mostly white, minority black	BMI 30–60, elevated lipids, no other comorbidities	24 weeks, outpatient clinical research center	Low-fat diet: 500–1000 cal/day deficit, ≥30 min aerobic PA 3 d/week, biweekly nutritionist meetings	BIA and DEXA (on a subset)

Note: university clinical research center: outpatient unless indicated otherwise.

Abbreviations. GCRC: General Clinical Research Center, BIA: bioelectrical impedance, DEXA: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, cal: calories, d/week: days per week, and h/day: hours per day.

^*Only reporting participant data for the diet + aerobic PA intervention arm.