Q. I know that dieting doesn't work in the long run, but is it true that dieting can make you gain weight?

A. In short, yes. There are compelling studies, which indicate that dieting predicts weight gain (and often binge eating). While most people know that diets don't work, not many are aware of the weight-gain hazard.

For example, a team of UCLA scientists reviewed 31 long term studies on dieting and concluded that [1]:

• Dieting is a consisent predictor of weight gain.
• Up to two-thirds of the people regained more weight than they lost.
• Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people.

A prospective study on nearly 17,000 kids ages 9-14 years old, found that dieting predicted binge eating behavior and concluded that, "...in the long term, dieting to control weight is not only ineffective, it may actually promote weight gain" [2].

Recently, a five-year study on teens, found that dieters had twice the risk of becoming overweight, compared to non-dieting teens [3]. Notably, at baseline, the dieters did not weigh more than their non-dieting peers. This is an important detail, because if the dieters weighed more—it would be a confounding factor, (which would implicate other factors, rather than dieting, such as genetics).

Lastly, a critical editorial on the efficacy of dieting, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded, "We do not need another diet trial, we need a change of paradigm" [4]. Indeed, let us begin with this caution, "Warning: dieting increases your risk of gaining more weight."

[1] Mann, T. Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. Am. Psychologist, 2007; 62(3): 220-233.

[2] Field AE et al. Relation Between Dieting and Weight Change Among Preadolescents and Adolescents. Pediatrics, 2003 112:900-906.

[3] Neumark-Sztainer D. et al. Obesity, disordered eating,and eating disorders in a longitudinal study of adolescents: how do dieters fare five years later?J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106(4):559-568.

[4] Katan, Martijn B. Weight-Loss Diets for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity NEJM 2009 360:923-925.

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Copyright © 2010 by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD  Published at http://www.EvelynTribole.com

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DISCLAIMER: The information is intended to inform readers and isnot intended to replace specific advice from a health care professional.Copyright 2010 Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD