Yo-yo dieting, or weight cycling, is the repeated quick loss of weight followed by the regain of weight. Though studies remain inconclusive as of 2011, some research links yo-yo dieting to obesity, which in turn may lead to a myriad of health issues, as well as to depression. Because they are low in nutrients and do not provide satiety, fad diets that severely restrict calories or limit food choices can perpetuate yo-yo dieting.
Physical Mechanism
Yo-yo dieting is one of the reasons 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, according to medical weight-loss and bariatric medicine expert Dr. David Edelson. Drastically cutting calories and losing weight quickly put your body into "starvation" mode. "To preserve and defend itself," Edelson says, "the body burns muscle and holds onto fat, slowing metabolism." He explains that fat is a quick fuel source --- energy without calorie expenditure. It requires only 3 calories per gram to maintain compared to 70 calories for muscle. With less lean muscle to help burn calories, your metabolism slows even more, and when you return to eating normally, those calories are stored as fat. The cumulative effect of yo-yo dieting can lead to obesity, a risk factor for heart disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, stroke and sleep apnea, among other health problems.
Mental Health
Obesity may be a bridge between yo-yo dieting and depression. Though yo-yo dieters often feel helpless after continued diet failures, studies connecting weight cycling and depression are inconsistent. A study published in the "American Journal of Public Health" in 2000 found that obese women were more prone to major depression, though this was not true for men. A 1996 study found that women with a history of severe weight cycling became obese much earlier than "mild cyclers" and had begun dieting at a much earlier age. Yo-yo dieting often involves binge eating, also a risk factor for depression.
Safe Weight Loss
Burning more calories than you eat is the only non-surgical way to lose weight. Safe, slow and steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week can help prevent yo-yo dieting and ensure weight maintenance once you get to your desired weight. Losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week requires a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day, arrived at through decreased calorie intake and/or increased physical activity. You may also choose to create smaller calorie deficits over a longer period of time, as Edelson advocates: "Calories are not the end-all be-all. The quality and types of foods you eat are more important than the calories."
Recommended Diet
Focusing on health rather than weight can also prevent yo-yo dieting. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a shift to a plant-based diet with greatly decreased added sugar and solid fats is necessary to stop or reverse obesity. Emphasis should be on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, with limited meat, poultry and eggs. Eating nutrient-dense foods rather than calorie-dense foods allows dieters to eat a greater quantity of food with fewer calories and more satiety. Breaking the cycle of yo-yo dieting requires not only a change in diet, but a change in lifestyle; consult your doctor before beginning any new diet, and for advice specific to any health concerns you might have.
References
- Weight-Control Information Network: Weight Cycling
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Overweight and Obesity: Data and Statistics
- David G. Edelson, MD, FACP; HealthBridge; Manhasset, New York
- "American Journal of Public Health"; Relationship Between Obesity and DSM-IV Major Depressive Disorder, Suicide Ideation and Suicide Attempts: Results from a General Population Study; Kenneth M. Carpenter, et al.; 2000
- "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology"; Psychosocial Consequences of Weight Cycling; Susan J. Bartlett, et al.; 1996
- MedlinePlus: Tips for Losing Weight
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