YO-YO dieting is better for you than not losing weight at all, a study shows.
Shedding pounds on an intensive regime helps reduce the chances of heart disease and diabetes for at least five years — even if you put it back on.
GettyYo-yo dieting is better for you than not losing weight at all, a study by Oxford University researchers shows[/caption]
Regaining weight after going on a diet is common, leaving many doctors believing this “renders an attempt to lose weight pointless”, Oxford University researchers said.
But Professor Susan Jebb said the study “should provide reassurance that weight loss programs are effective”.
This is because cholesterol and blood pressure levels remained lower in the long-term after a diet when compared to those not on them.
She said: “Many doctors and patients recognise that weight loss is often followed by weight regain.
“This concept has become a barrier to offering support to people to lose weight.
“For people with overweight or obesity issues, losing weight is an effective way to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
Around a quarter of adults are obese, while a further 38 per cent are overweight, according to the Health Survey for England 2021.
Nearly two thirds of Brits altered their diet to get healthier in the same year, according to a poll by YouGov.
But previous research suggests up to 95 per cent of dieters put weight straight back on as soon as they stop their meal plan.
The latest study, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, sought to determine whether this had long-term impacts for their health.
Scientists reviewed research from 124 studies, comprising more than 50,000 patients, to see how their risk of heart disease or diabetes changed after losing weight.
People lost up to 4kg (10lb) while dieting over the course of the studies, putting up to 0.32kg (0.7lb) back on within a year on average.
But even those who did not manage to keep off the pounds over the long-term had a lower risk of both conditions than those who were not on a weight-loss program.
Dr Vishal Rao, said: “The present study has interesting implications for the impact of weight regain that may occur after pharmacologic therapies.”