Yo-yo dieting involves unintentionally gaining weight and dieting to lose weight, only to gain it back and start the cycle over again. In general, experts recommend that most people avoid diets unless medically necessary.
As part of the new study, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 36 adults (13 men and 23 women). These people participated in a weight cycle in which they lost and gained more than 11 pounds (5 kg). All participants admitted that they made the decision to lose weight due to social stigma around weight and/or because they compared their weight to the weight of celebrities or their peers.
Study participants also reported using a variety of weight loss strategies that initially resulted in weight loss but eventually resulted in weight gain. This reinstatement left people embarrassed and generally feeling worse than before the diet.
Many participants overeat, “eat up” emotions, limit food and calorie intake, cannot remember how many calories they consume from food, are stressed by the numbers on the scale and what they eat, and exercise too much. All of this led to their feeding behavior becoming unsustainable, so they often gained more weight than they lost.
Almost all of the volunteers who participated in the study became obsessed with their weight. Losing weight became the center of their lives. Participants referred to this experience as a vicious cycle or addiction. Moreover, the majority of people get stuck in this cycle of gaining and losing weight.
News materials cannot be equated with a doctor’s prescription. Consult an expert before making a decision.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
