Most dieters 'end up heavier'

[Mule]

Most dieters 'end up heavier'
By Beverley Rouse, PA
Published: 10 April 2007

Going on a diet is unlikely to lead to long-term weight loss, according to a new study. Researchers in California found people typically lose between five and 10 per cent of their starting weight during the first six months of a diet.

But the study found between a third and two-thirds of people who went on diets regained more weight than they had lost, within four or five years.

The study was carried out by researchers at UCLA, California's biggest university.

The report's lead author, UCLA associate professor of psychology Traci Mann, said: "We found that the majority of people regained all the weight, plus more.

"Sustained weight loss was found in only a small minority of participants, while complete loss regain was found in the majority.

"Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people."

Researchers analysed 31 long-term studies that followed participants for two to five years.

Mann added: "We concluded most of them would have been better off not going on the diet at all. Their weight would have been pretty much the same, and their bodies would not suffer the wear and tear of losing weight and gaining it all back."

She said some diet studies relied on participants to report their weight rather than having it measured by an impartial source while others had low follow-up rates which made their results unrepresentative. She said this might make diets seem more effective than they really were as those who gained weight might be less likely to take part in the follow-ups.

Mann said in her opinion eating in moderation was a good idea for everybody as was regular exercise.

She added: "That is not what we looked at in this study. Exercise may well be the key factor leading to sustained weight loss.

"Studies consistently find that people who reported the most exercise also had the most weight loss."

Mann added: "My mother has been on diets and says what we are saying is obvious."

The study is published in this month's edition of American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle2437500.ece

[super mike]

This probably wouldn't be the case with bullshit fad diets that encourage yoyoing weight.

[Waka]

Fuel in = fuel out.
It's not difficult ya fat cnuts.

Natural selection I call it...

W.

[Booyakasha]

I think I probably realised diets dont work by the time I was in my early 20's, having been on them since my early teens I had plenty of experience to form the opinion
that restricting food alone simply does not work.

I would never diet ever again, and although I am on the porky side I still believe
my health is in a general better state than denying myself food , robbing your body
of the nutrients it needs can have devastating effects on your health! people do need to bare this in mind when subscribing to all these hair brained diet plans.

Eating in moderation, and eating a wide range of foods ( including naughty stuff ) coupled with daily excercise seems a more logical approach to weight loss, although probably not the quickest solution , it is more a long term plan but one that is more sustainable.

There is also this pattern of thought that overweight = unhealthy..this is simply not true
you can be overweight (within reason) and still be healthy and on the other hand be slim and not so healthy.

[Nikki]

i think its how you metabalism is and how quick you lose weight. some people just stop eating andmake them self ill to lose weight. others excerise and eat healthy and go about in the right way for the body to handle

[Ganty]

Some bastards can eat all they want and never put on a pound... Jammy gits

[CzarJunkie]

The problem with diets, especially fad diets, is they do not encourage lifestyle change including probably the most important key to losing excess weight, more exercise.

The biggest problem I have though is with companies such as weight watchers, for every succesful dieter who loses weight and reaches their target and maintains that weight in the long term there are thousands of others who don't. Their whole business is built on the fact that their 'points' system is totally impractical and simply doesn't work in the long term.

Much like the pharmaceutical companies, they require customer retention in order for their business to survive. So why the fuck would they cure someone, be it from illness or obesity? That would be corporate suicide.

If you want to lose weight, change what you put into your body and exercise more. It really is that simple.

[Booyakasha]

The problem with diets, especially fad diets, is they do not encourage lifestyle change including probably the most important key to losing excess weight, more exercise.

The biggest problem I have though is with companies such as weight watchers, for every succesful dieter who loses weight and reaches their target and maintains that weight in the long term there are thousands of others who don't. Their whole business is built on the fact that their 'points' system is totally impractical and simply doesn't work in the long term.

Much like the pharmaceutical companies, they require customer retention in order for their business to survive. So why the fuck would they cure someone, be it from illness or obesity? That would be corporate suicide.

If you want to lose weight, change what you put into your body and exercise more. It really is that simple.

You hit on a very valid point I was going to raise CzarJunkie, Obesity is big business
it is quite a big and vast market, practically every industry known to man has its hand
in some form of weight loss product or other, worldwide for decades companies
have proffited from products offering false promises, there is no real incentive
at all to cure the disease.

And Ive just said all this while stuffing my gob with a triple bacon sarnie

[super mike]

If you want to lose weight, change what you put into your body and exercise more. It really is that simple.

But there isn't a company selling me exactly what i have to eat and when, that means I will have to think and do a bit of research. I am too fucking lazy and stupid to do that for myself so i will stick with letting my weight yoyo while i give away hundreds/thousands of pounds a year into these companies.

[CzarJunkie]

But there isn't a company selling me exactly what i have to eat and when, that means I will have to think and do a bit of research. I am too fucking lazy and stupid to do that for myself so i will stick with letting my weight yoyo while i give away hundreds/thousands of pounds a year into these companies.

Not sure what to make of that post. But the sentiments are typical, we don't have the gumption to do anything for ourselves anymore and expect someone else to do all the hard work for us while we continue blissfully unaware that our lifestyles are killing us.

There seems to be a huge disconnect in western nations between what we put into our bodies and our long term health and fitness. The body is made up from food, water, air and light. Largely you are the custodian of the body you live in and you alone can determine it's physical state by how you treat it. That's not difficult to understand is it?

Being overweight will negatively affect your health and lead to chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and/or heart diease. Change your lifestyle or die prematurely. Simple really.

[Mule]

Some bastards can eat all they want and never put on a pound... Jammy gits

Not true.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/tr.../fatthin.shtml

[GTI]

Not true.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/tr.../fatthin.shtml

I agree it is a myth, metabolism is linked to muscle mass, so fat people with higher fat:muscle ratios appear to have slower metabolisms than skinny people who have lower fat:muscle ratios. As you can imagine it creates a vicious circle as the fatter they get, the slower their metabolism appears to be.

[muggy]

Fuel in = fuel out.
It's not difficult ya fat cnuts.

[CzarJunkie]

I agree it is a myth, metabolism is linked to muscle mass, so fat people with higher fat:muscle ratios appear to have slower metabolisms than skinny people who have lower fat:muscle ratios. As you can imagine it creates a vicious circle as the fatter they get, the slower their metabolism appears to be.

And it's why exercise is so important for effective and long term weight management too.