RESEARKA

Within the behavioral outcomes domain, the tension between short-term psychological benefit and long-term adherence is central. By contrast, Kautzky et al. found that short-term caloric restriction with biofeedback reduced psychological distress indices (p ≤ 0.0001) and improved wellbeing in healthy women without disordered eating history (Kautzky 2021). Pescari et al. conducted quantitative analysis of caloric restriction versus isocaloric diets in women with obesity and found significant changes in anthropometric and bioimpedance parameters across the intervention period (P < 0.001 for multiple measures), though the study did not report long-term psychological follow-up (Pescari 2024). These findings collectively suggest that the psychological impact of caloric restriction is population-dependent, with clinical populations potentially vulnerable to iatrogenic effects that healthy populations may not experience.

Citation Support

• source_1 Abdollahpour 2025
• source_2 Kazeminasab 2025
• source_3 Pescari 2024
• source_4 Weaver 2026
• source_5 Pomatto-Watson 2021