Evidence Base

The studies behind every answer.

Original papers. Full analysis. Every finding linked to its DOI so you can check our work.

The Best Diet Beats the Worst by One Grape Per Day Researchers pooled 121 trials and 21,942 people to compare every popular diet. The gap between the best and mid-ranked diet is absurdly small — and a separate trial reveals what actually predicts whether a diet works for you. Ge et al. · 2020 · BMJ · n=21
The Post-Diet Muscle Split Nobody Saw Coming Both groups lost the same fat. But researchers kept measuring for 10 more weeks — and found the only body composition difference happened after the diet ended, not during it. Conlin et al. · 2021 · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · n=23
They Mapped 124 Factors. One Outperformed All Others. Researchers tested every possible predictor of weight regain across 31,741 people — from metabolism to demographics to psychology. The most consistent one is something most people already own and stopped using. Varkevisser et al. · 2019 · Obesity Reviews · n=31,741
The Math Behind Your Month-Four Plateau Researchers built a mathematical model to test whether metabolism or compliance explains the six-month plateau. The equation settled the debate — and the answer will probably sound familiar. Thomas et al. · 2014 · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · n=5,211
The App You Quit Was Already Working Researchers tracked what happened across 12 randomized trials and 1,190 people who kept logging their food. The per-meal math changes how you think about the app sitting unused on your phone. Berry et al. · 2021 · Obesity Reviews · n=1,190