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How nutrition works

Body weight

What studies show about the link between diet and body weight.

Body weight is influenced by diet, physical activity, sleep and other factors. Here you find what research says about individual nutrients and foods – with evidence level and sources.

Nutrients & foods

  • Evidence: insufficientmixed

    Banana

    • There is insufficient evidence that eating ordinary ripe bananas specifically leads to weight loss. [1][2]

      Evidence

  • Evidence: moderate

    Dietary fibre

    • Viscous fibre supplements may produce a small reduction in body weight without prescribed energy restriction. [3]

      Evidence

  • Evidence: limitedmixed

    Psyllium husk

    • Psyllium husk has not been shown to produce dependable weight loss in adults. [4]

      Evidence

Sources

  1. 012019Health Benefits of Green Banana Consumption: A Systematic ReviewOpen source
  2. 022024Green banana biomass anti-obesogenic, anti-hyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, and intestinal function potential effects: a systematic reviewPubMed 38630587Open source
  3. 03The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2020Can dietary viscous fiber affect body weight independently of an energy-restrictive diet? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsOpen source
  4. 042019The effects of psyllium supplementation on body weight, body mass index and waist circumference in adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPubMed 30880409Open source