A recent meta-analysis (a study that examines the results of many other studies) of over 50 years of weight-loss research revealed that people can initially lose about 5% to 10% of their weight on virtually any diet program.
This means that a 250 lb. woman can typically lose between 12 and 25 lbs. by dieting. This loss is often presented as “success” by diet companies, even though such a woman would still be categorized as “obese” according to the Body Mass Index (BMI).
But… “These losses are not maintained. As noted in one review, “It is only the rate of weight regain, not the fact of weight regain, that appears open to debate” (Garner & Wooley, 1991, p. 740). The more time that elapses between the end of a diet and the follow-up, the more weight is regained…”
“Among patients who were followed for under two years, 23% gained back more weight than they had lost. Among patients who were followed for two or more years, 83% gained back more weight than they lost (Swanson & Dinello, 1970). Even in the studies with the longest follow-up times (of four or five years postdiet), the weight regain trajectories did not typically appear to level off (e.g., Hensrud, Weinsier, Darnell, & Hunter, 1994; Kramer, Jeffery, Forster, & Snell, 1989), suggesting that if participants were followed for even longer, their weight would continue to increase…”
“The amount of weight loss maintained [after 5 years] in the diet conditions of these studies averaged 1.1 kg (2.4 lb).”
Reference: Mann, T., Tomiyama, A.J., Westling, E., Lew, A.M., Samuels, B., Chatman, J. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer.
American Psychology, 62, 220-233.
- Mod D
OK, ladies, don't ask how I stumbled on this, but please please please tell me this is BS! Or at least misleading! At my heaviest I was 200lbs. Through lifestyle changes (NOT fad diets or extreme exercise) I have lost 50 pounds and kept it off for 3 years (I danced in that time frame when I was thin). Some of the prophecy has seemed to come true. I have gained 20 lbs this past year. BUT...I think (I am hoping) that it is because my big brother passed away and I have barely exercised and though I didn't "emotional eat" I stopped caring about eating healthy and couldn't hardly do anything. Even driving or cleaning used up too much energy. I've finally turned a corner but now this article has me so concerned. It's at the back of my mind all the time. When I step in the gym, go outside for a jog, I am secretly worried if its all for nothing. That since I was 200 lbs, I'll never be able to maintain any weightloss long-term even if I lose again. It's distressing!
Maybe the people in the studies used extreme measures to lose and that's why they couldn't keep it off? I'm already distressed enough at gaining weight, I can't image putting it all back on. But from what this source says, I will still get fat again even if I exercise and eat right because, "now my body wants to be 200." Any insight would help. Again, I want to stress that I don't believe in "diets" I believe in long-term lifestyle changes.
Thanks so much for reading!
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