People lost an average of 48 pounds on a very-low-calorie diet, but after three years had maintained a average weight loss of only 7.2 pounds.

Among people who lost an average of 48 pounds on a very-low-calorie diet, one-out-of-eight ( 12 percent ) maintained 75 percent of their weight loss—at least 36 pounds—after three years.

Three years after losing an average of 48 pounds on a very-low-calorie diet, 40 percent had gained back more than they had lost.

People on a very-low-calorie diet lost an average of 11.4 lbs in 11 days. After 21 days, the average weight loss was 20.2 lbs. This weight loss represented 4.9 percent of body weight and 8.6 percent of body weight.

People put on a very-low calorie diet that contained less than 800 calories per day lost an average of approximately 39 pounds or 16 percent of body weight after six months according to a recent review paper.

People put on a very-low calorie diet that contained less than 800 calories per day lost an average of approximately 25 pounds or 10 percent of body weight after one year according to a recent review paper.

People put on a very-low calorie diet that contained less than 800 calories per day lost an average of approximately 15.5 pounds or 6.3 percent of body weight after two years according to a recent review paper.

Among people who lose a significant amount of weight—at least 10 percent of their body weight—60 percent maintain a weight loss of at least 10 percent after one year according to a new paper.

Among people who lose a significant amount of weight—at least 10 percent of their body weight—35 percent maintain a weight loss of at least 10 percent after three years according to a new paper.

Among people who lose a significant amount of weight—at least 10 percent of their body weight—19 percent maintain a weight loss of at least 10 percent after five years according to a new paper.

Weight loss after two years of treatment with diet drugs ranges between 7 percent and 8 percent according to a new paper.

Weight loss after two years with non-drug therapies ranges between 3 percent and 6 percent.

Among people who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight, those who followed at very-low-calorie diet lost an average of 24 percent of their body weight compared to a weight loss of 17 percent for those who used a commercial program or self-guided approach according to a study from The City University of New York in
New York, New York, USA.

Obese men and women lost an average of 31.7 pounds on a very-low-calorie diet containing 400 to 800 calories per day. Those given Xenical (orlistat) regained 5.3 pounds less over the next three year than those given a placebo according to a study from researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Aarhus, Denmark.

After losing weight for two months on a very-low-calorie diet, women given Xenical (orlistat) maintained an additional 7.5 pounds weight loss after three years compared to women who were given a placebo according to a study from Denmark.

After losing weight for two months on a very-low-calorie diet, men given Xenical (orlistat) only maintained an additional 1.8 pounds of weight loss after three years compared to men who were given a placebo according to a study from Denmark.

After losing weight for two months on a very-low-calorie diet, fewer people given Xenical (orlistat) developed type 2 diabetes after three years compared to those given a placebo (5.2 percent versus 10.9 percent) according to a study from Denmark.

Muscle loss accounts for an average of one-fourth (23.4 percent) of weight loss while on a very-low-calorie diet according to a new review paper from researchers at the Australian Centre for Obesity Research and Education at the Monash Medical School in Melbourne, Australia. This is reduced to an average of 22.5 percent when a very-low-calorie diet is combined with exercise

People lose more muscle while fasting than on a low-calorie or very-low-calorie diet. While fasting, approximately 18 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle). While on a very-low calorie diet, 30 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle). While on a low-calorie diet, 18 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle).

People lose weight three times as fast while fasting as opposed to while on a low-calorie diet. While fasting, people lost an average of 0.77 pounds per day compared to 1.14 pounds per day while on a very-low calorie diet versus 2.22 pounds per day while fasting.

Very-low-calorie diets produce greater short-term weight loss, but do not produce greater long-term weight loss than low-calorie diets according to an analysis from researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

An intensive behavioral weight loss program combined with a low-calorie or very-low-calorie diet cause an average weight loss of 52.6 pounds or 18.5 percent of body weight in severely obese women and 79.2 pounds or 22.5 percent in severely obese men according to a study from the University of Kentucky and Health Management Resources Weight Management Program in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

White women lost 10 percent of their body weight in three months, black women lost 9 percent, following a very low calorie diet of 500 to 800 calories per day in addition to exercise and behavioral counseling according to a new study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The average weight loss on a low-calorie diet is 8 percent of body weight over three to twelve months according to the U.S. NIH’s Obesity Guidelines (p. 42). The average long-term weight loss maintained after 3 to 4.5 years of follow-up is 4 percent of body weight.

Here is the American Dietetic Assoication’s position on weight management as of 2002.