What is the Origin of Weight Loss Resistance?

The term is a practical clinical descriptor that emerged from obesity medicine and endocrinology, acknowledging that simple "calories in versus calories out" models often fail to explain complex patient cases. It emphasizes the biological and homeostatic factors that actively defend a set point of body weight. The concept highlights the role of the endocrine system in metabolic adaptation to dieting.

What is the Mechanism of Weight Loss Resistance?

Resistance is often mediated by complex hormonal feedback loops: chronic caloric restriction can lead to a compensatory decrease in thyroid hormone conversion and an increase in appetite-stimulating hormones like ghrelin. Concurrently, persistent low-grade inflammation or insulin resistance can impair adipocyte lipolysis and favor fat storage. This neuroendocrine and metabolic counter-regulation effectively lowers the basal metabolic rate and increases hunger signals, overriding behavioral efforts.

Weight Loss Resistance ∞ Area

Weight Loss Resistance

Meaning

Weight loss resistance is the clinical phenomenon where an individual, despite consistent and significant efforts involving caloric restriction and increased physical activity, experiences a minimal or plateaued reduction in body mass. This state is often indicative of underlying metabolic, hormonal, or inflammatory dysregulation that is actively counteracting the energy deficit. Addressing this resistance requires a precise clinical investigation into the patient’s unique physiological profile.