A new study has rejected the notion that weight loss followed by weight gain – yo-yo dieting – is more harmful than staying overweight.
Researchers reviewed years of observational studies, clinical trials and animal experiments to determine the impact of this type of dieting on the body.
“Once you properly account for pre‑existing health conditions, aging, and overall exposure to obesity, the supposed harmful effects of weight cycling largely disappear,” Professor Stefan Norbert from the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) said.
“The idea that ‘yo‑yo dieting ruins your metabolism’ is not supported by robust evidence.
“Trying – and even failing – to lose weight is not harmful. But giving up altogether may be.”
The research report, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, said weight cycling had been blamed for a range of adverse outcomes.
These included increased fat gain, accelerated muscle loss, reduced metabolic rate and higher risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Professor Faidon Magkos, from the University of Copenhagen, said messaging around this research had led to many people struggling with weight being discouraged from trying to lose weight.
“Our review indicates that these fears are largely unsupported,” he said.
“In most cases, the benefits of trying to lose weight clearly outweigh the theoretical risks of weight cycling.”
The research report said that, in most cases, yo-yo dieters who regained weight returned to a body composition similar to their starting point, rather than a worse one.
“Regaining weight brings people back toward baseline risk – not beyond it,” Professor Magkos said. “There’s a crucial difference between losing benefits and causing harm.”
More details are available here.
