It has been confirmed by U. S. researchers that what some dieters have long claimed, cutting calories may not result in weight loss.

They were surprised to find simply reducing caloric intake in monkeys by 30 percent was not enough to promote significant weight loss in one month, scientists at Oregon Health & Science University say.

a significant change was found by the study in the activity levels for these monkeys and when caloric intake was further reduced in a second month, physical activity in the monkeys diminished even further.

Judy Cameron, a professor of behavioral neuroscience at the OHSU School of Medicine, says in a statement, "This research shows that simply dieting will not likely cause substantial weight loss. Instead, diet and exercise must be combined to achieve this goal."

The study further said that Cameron and colleagues fed 18 female rhesus macaque monkeys a high-fat diet for several years and then tracked weight and activity as calorie consumption was reduced. A comparison group of three monkeys fed a normal monkey diet and trained to exercise on a treadmill did lose weight.

It was also suggested by the researchers that the body may have a natural compensatory mechanism that causes physical activity to decrease in response to decreased calories. (With Inputs from Agencies)