Weight cycling associated with higher risk of death, study states
| Dec 1, 2018, 09:59 IST
For those of you not in the know, weight cycling is the constant loss and gain of body weight. A recent study has now associated this with a higher risk of death. Published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the study claims that weight cycling leads to adverse health outcomes.
On an average, 80 percent of people who lose weight will gradually regain it to end up at the same weight or even heavier than they were before they went on a diet. "This study shows that weight cycling can heighten a person's risk of death," said lead study author Hak C. Jang. "However, we also concluded that weight loss as a result of weight cycling can ultimately reduce the risk of developing diabetes in people with obesity," the author added.
In a cohort study, researchers examined 3,678 men and women from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study and found weight cycling was associated with a higher risk of death. People who underwent less weight cycling were less likely to develop diabetes as compared to the other participants. The health benefits of weight loss overshadowed the adverse effects of weight cycling for individuals with obesity looking to lower their diabetes risk.
On an average, 80 percent of people who lose weight will gradually regain it to end up at the same weight or even heavier than they were before they went on a diet. "This study shows that weight cycling can heighten a person's risk of death," said lead study author Hak C. Jang. "However, we also concluded that weight loss as a result of weight cycling can ultimately reduce the risk of developing diabetes in people with obesity," the author added.
In a cohort study, researchers examined 3,678 men and women from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study and found weight cycling was associated with a higher risk of death. People who underwent less weight cycling were less likely to develop diabetes as compared to the other participants. The health benefits of weight loss overshadowed the adverse effects of weight cycling for individuals with obesity looking to lower their diabetes risk.