Ups and downs of yo-yo dieting can be a benefit in the long run

‘Repeated bouts of weight loss and regain should not be viewed as failures, but as practice’

YO-YO DIETERS may be more likely to lose weight in the long run by learning lessons from failures, a study suggests.

The odd setback and occasional relapse may reinforce a person’s willpower and lead to improvements in how they approach their health and weight, experts believe.

Almost 10,000 people took part in a long-term obesity study run by York University’s School of Kinesiology and Health Science in Toronto, in which they regularly filled in questionnaires on their weight loss history and current progress.

The individuals came from Wharton Medical Clinic, a weight-loss and diabetes centre in Ontario.

The majority of patients reported becoming overweight prior to the age of 40 and having lost at least 10 pounds at least once in their lifetime. The study found that the more often each person had lost weight in their life, the more weight they lost at the clinic, showing the benefits of the discipline they learnt through sporadic dieting.

It is common to put weight back on as soon as a diet is over and the researchers say a setback can act as a learning experience that can help achieve sustained weight loss in the future.

Dr Jennifer Kuk, a co-author of the study, said: “Our results suggest repeated bouts of weight loss and regain should not be viewed as failures, but as practice.”

Women who became overweight earlier in life and who dieted frequently in the past also lost much more weight at the clinic, indicating they struggled in the past as yo-yo dieters, but also benefited the most from the tribulations of a weight loss journey.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, concludes that achieving longterm success requires multiple attempts. Every relapse and weight gain is a key step on the journey to good health.

Dr Sean Wharton, director of the Wharton Medical Clinic, and co-author of the study, said: “This data is reassuring [because it shows] that previous failed attempts did not put patients at a disadvantage.”

He continued: “One should continue to make attempts at weight management, and it is likely that an appropriate approach – especially with interventions such as medication or psychological help – will eventually be effective.”