Key points from article :
A yearlong weight-loss study has identified behaviors and biomarkers that contribute to short- and long-term weight loss.
Strictly following a diet - either healthy low-carb or healthy low-fat - was what mattered for short-term weight loss during the first six months.
The gut bacteria and the amounts of certain proteins the body makes can affect the ability to sustain weight loss.
Some people shed more pounds on low-fat diets while others did better on low-carb diets.
Researchers have identified several biomarkers that predict how successful an individual will be at losing weight and keeping it off long-term.
"Weight loss is... microbiome and metabolic biomarkers who will lose the most weight," said Michael Snyder, co-senior author of the paper.
The study was carried out at Stanford Medicine and was published in Cell Reports Medicine.
