Preservation of healthy lean body mass and function during weight loss

Sustainable treatments for obesity are needed and novel pharmacotherapies that aid weight loss appear promising. In their proposed agenda, Pinkney and Tarrant1 highlight additional priorities towards behavioural approaches in people living with obesity alongside current and emerging medical treatment. We support these suggestions and would like to highlight a different but aligned area of importance: the preservation of healthy lean body mass (LBM), in particular, skeletal muscle and physical function, during periods of substantial weight loss.