Regular Food Logging Linked to Greater Weight Loss, Study Finds

People who tracked what they ate six or seven days a week lost an average of 11% of their starting weight over six months, according to a study of data from 5,132 users of the U.S.-based MyNetDiary diet and weight-management app.

The researchers examined whether the frequency of food logging was linked to changes in body weight. A day counted as a logging day when a user entered at least one food item into the app. Participants were then grouped according to the average number of days per week they recorded their meals.

The results showed a step-by-step pattern. Participants who logged food fewer than two days a week lost an average of 7% of their initial weight. Those logging two to fewer than three days lost 7.4%, while logging three to four days was associated with a 7.8% loss. The average reached about 8% for four to five days, 9.8% for five to six days, and 11% for six to seven days.

The association remained after researchers accounted for age, sex, and initial body mass index. Each additional day of logging per week was linked to a 35% higher likelihood of losing at least 5% of starting body weight. For people who are overweight or obese, that level of loss is considered clinically meaningful and can improve measures such as blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood fat levels.