At a recent Sports Medicine conference, results from a male-only Self-Help, Exercise and Diet Using Information Technology (SHED-IT, what's the deal with those impolite acronyms?) revealed that the men most successful at reducing their weight were the ones who cut their fat intake by 40% and sugary drinks by 55%. Furthermore, it was noted that the biggest losers did not necessarily up their intake of fruit and vegetables and their fibre intake was still lower than recommended. The study also indicated that the group which used the online monitoring system (which included online feedback) lost more weight and had better retention than those who were simply given instructions at the beginning Article Paper
It looks like the study did not consider exercise, which has its own host of added benefits.
Hey doc! What do you prescribe for a person who just CANNOT gain weight?