A new study has shed light on the risks and downsides of yo-yo dieting, a pattern where people repeatedly lose and gain weight.
This type of dieting, also known as weight cycling, has been recognized as harmful and challenging to break free from.
Lynsey Romo, an associate professor of communication at North Carolina State University, emphasizes how ingrained yo-yo dieting is in American culture, driven by the pursuit of beauty ideals through fad diets and quick weight-loss solutions.
Romo suggests that, based on their findings and existing research, most people should steer clear of dieting unless it’s necessary for health reasons. The study provides insights into overcoming the negative aspects of weight cycling.
Researchers interviewed 36 adults who had gone through cycles of losing and regaining more than 11 pounds to understand their experiences with yo-yo dieting.
These interviews revealed that social stigma and comparisons to celebrities or peers, rather than health concerns, often motivated individuals to start dieting.
Participants used various weight-loss methods, leading to temporary success but eventual weight regain.
This cycle of losing and regaining weight not only caused feelings of shame and self-stigma but also led to extreme and unsustainable dieting behaviors.
These included binge eating, excessive exercise, and reliance on quick fixes like diet drugs or low-carb diets, which ultimately resulted in gaining back even more weight.
The study highlighted the obsessive nature of weight loss for participants, with it becoming a central focus of their lives to the detriment of social interactions and overall well-being. Some described their experience as an addiction or a vicious cycle.
A few individuals managed to break free from this harmful pattern by shifting their focus from weight loss to overall health, engaging in enjoyable physical activities, and adopting a more relaxed and healthy approach to eating.
These strategies allowed them to challenge the cycle of yo-yo dieting effectively.
Despite these success stories, the majority of participants remained trapped in the cycle, hindered by deep-seated thought patterns, societal pressures, and a toxic diet culture.
This cycle proved difficult to escape, even for those who earnestly wished to.
This study, published in Qualitative Health Research, concludes that weight cycling can inflict significant harm, leading to body dissatisfaction, shame, stress, and an unhealthy preoccupation with weight.
It cautions against dieting based on societal standards, highlighting the potential for long-term psychological and physical repercussions.
The research underscores the importance of addressing and moving away from toxic diet behaviors to foster a healthier and more positive relationship with food and body image.
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The research findings can be found in the journal Qualitative Health Research.
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