We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Across America, millions of people suffer from chronic obesity. Although Americans make up only 5% of the world’s population, they account for nearly 13% of the world’s obese population.

This is probably why losing weight is one of the most pressing health concerns of our time. Losing weight is now much more than an obsession, it’s a necessity. There’s no shortage of services catering to people who want to shed pounds or trim their waistline. From multimillion dollar gyms to trendy diets, there’s a booming industry focused on helping people lose weight. It’s a noisy space and most remedies aren’t backed up with scientific data or empirical evidence. If you’re trying to lose weight, here’s what science has to say about the phenomenon:

Diet is probably better than exercise

There’s a lot of new research that pits exercise against dieting and the verdict seems clear – calorie restrictions are much more powerful.  By avoiding that 300 calorie pack of chips, you essentially avoid the need for a half hour walk or ten minutes of intense exercise. Motivating yourself to keep exercising is probably the biggest challenge for most people, so it makes perfect sense that avoiding food is an easier alternative.

Although that’s not to say that exercise isn’t important. However, exercise alone makes the body tired and hungry. This is because it stimulates the release of biochemicals that make your body feel under nourished and depleted. Anyone who’s noticed ibogaine success rates in the past few years can attest to the power of the body’s natural chemistry.

Conclusively, scientists recommend a combination of exercise and diet, but suggest that diet is probably more important.

Exercise will help with metabolism

There are a ton of non-weight related benefits of exercise. Regular work outs help keep your mind sharp and strengthen your immune system. However, there is one key way in which exercise can help you lose weight – by repairing your metabolism.

A broken or underperforming metabolism is probably the key reason people struggle to keep weight off. Studies have shown that a lack of exercise and extreme food restrictions can wear down your body’s natural metabolism over time. If you start exercising regularly you could gradually repair this metabolism. In other words, exercise may not be the perfect solution for weight-loss, but it is essential in your efforts to maintain a healthy weight once you’ve shed the pounds.

You’re measuring weight wrong

Experts recommend monitoring your weight closely while you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. However, most of us end up measuring weight with the wrong instruments. Many Americans simply rely on a bathroom weighing scale to figure out how much they weigh. However, a BMI index or body fat scan could be more beneficial since these techniques account for your height, age, and fat composition.

Considering it’s the most important healthcare challenge of our times, there’s a lot of ongoing research into how we can lose weight and keep it off. Natural remedies like calorie reduction, adequate sleep, constant monitoring, and regular exercise seem to be have the best results.