Yo-yo effect after weight loss

Obesity is a huge problem in contemporary civilization. It is known to increase the risk of many diseases, which exclude individuals from active professional life and contribute to premature deaths.

Millions of people worldwide undergo numerous weight-loss treatments and take supplements to support this process. Even children and adolescents - often unnecessarily - follow various diets and food restrictions. For example, in Sweden, 7-year-old girls admit to having been or currently being on a diet. Among American teenagers, as many as 50% consider themselves obese (actually, one in four is obese), while a staggering 79% of Australian female students wish to weigh less.

According to weight-loss statistics, every obese person has undergone one, several, or more weight-loss treatments. As a result, obese individuals lose several or several dozen kilograms, only to unfortunately often regain the weight. From my observations, it appears that two years after the completion of outpatient treatment, half of the patients maintain the body weight obtained through the weight-loss treatment, while the rest gain weight. It is also known that after five years, over 80% of individuals regain weight, only to attempt a new weight-loss regimen. This naturally raises the question of whether these frequent fluctuations in body weight have any health consequences. Medicine has already addressed this issue.

Long-term studies conducted in the American town of Framingham have shown that fluctuations in body weight in both women and men have an impact on increased overall mortality and morbidity and mortality due to coronary heart disease.

In the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), it was found that the aforementioned yo-yo effect increases the risk of coronary heart disease. These observations applied to both smokers and non-smokers. Similar results were obtained in the Western Electric Study. Approximately 2,000 men were observed over 25 years. Those who were between 40 and 56 years old in 1957 were included in the study.

They were divided into three groups: the first consisted of those whose change in body weight over five years was 10%, the second comprised individuals who gradually gained weight, and the third - men whose fluctuations in body weight were below 5% (it was assumed that they had stable body weight).

It turned out that the mortality rate due to coronary heart disease during the 25-year observation period was: 25% for individuals with significant fluctuations in body weight (group I), 15% for men with steady weight gain (group II), and 14% for people with stable body weight (group III).

The Western Electric Study observations thus showed that fluctuations in body weight increase the risk of coronary heart disease, while they have a minimal impact on cancer incidence. On the other hand, steady weight gain significantly exacerbates the risk of developing cancer, with the yo-yo effect playing a lesser role. Similar results were obtained in studies conducted in Gothenburg. It was proven that fluctuations in body weight affect the mortality rate. However, it is worth emphasizing that there is no complete consensus among scientists on this matter. For example, in the Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Charleston Heart Study, no significant relationship was observed between the yo-yo effect and the risk of coronary heart disease.

Despite the lack of uniform views on this issue, the yo-yo effect, i.e., frequent fluctuations in body weight, should be considered from a health perspective. Supporters of this hypothesis believe that increased consumption of animal fats and the development of obesity, especially abdominal obesity, during weight gain are fundamental for the development of metabolic disorders (metabolism), which in turn lead to an increase in the number of deaths.

We call the yo-yo effect the fluctuations in body weight consisting of consecutive weight loss and gain. If such fluctuations in an obese person exceed 5% over five years but do not exceed 10%, then the yo-yo effect is recognized. However, when weight fluctuations exceed 10%, we are dealing with a highly exacerbated form of this effect.

Who is at risk of the yo-yo effect? People from families with obesity who use improper weight-loss methods.

How can the yo-yo effect be prevented? Stage I - proper weight loss. Use only rational diets (developed based on scientific principles). Lose weight from 0.5 to 1 kg per week.

Stage II - maintaining weight after weight loss. Limit calorie intake by about 400 kcal compared to energy needs. Remember about physical activity (walk 3-5 km every day, exercise for 30 minutes every other day). Avoid snacks, fasting, or single-component diets.