Set Point Theory
The concept that your body defends a preferred weight range through hormonal and metabolic mechanisms.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
Set point theory suggests that your body has a preferred weight range it tries to maintain, like a thermostat. When you lose weight, your body may fight back by increasing hunger and slowing metabolism, which is why keeping weight off can be challenging.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Set point theory posits that body weight is regulated by a homeostatic feedback system involving the hypothalamus, adipose-derived hormones (leptin), and gut hormones (ghrelin, GLP-1). Weight loss triggers compensatory responses — decreased leptin, increased ghrelin, and reduced resting energy expenditure — that resist further loss and promote regain. This physiological defence explains the high recidivism rate in obesity treatment and supports the need for long-term, multimodal interventions rather than short-term dieting.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
Weight regain is not a failure of willpower — it is biology. Dr. Joseph Wang's programme uses medical and lifestyle strategies to help your body adapt to a new, healthier set point.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.