A new study from Brown University studied over 150,000 post-menopausal women aged 50-79 for about 11 years. The researchers asked the women how their weights varied over their lifetime; placing them into four categories: stable weight, steady weight gain, maintained weight loss, and weight cycling (weight going up and down). The study showed that there was a connection between yo-yo dieting and death from heart attack in women who were “normal weight,” but not those who were obese or overweight.
These normal weight cyclers were 3.5 times more likely to die suddenly from a heart attack than a normal weight woman who had stable weight throughout her life. The normal weight yo-yo dieters were also 60% more likely to die in the hospital after their cardiac arrest.
Why Yo-Yo Dieting is Dangerous
Women are more likely than men to change weight frequently. Study leader Dr. Somwail Rasla said that 20-55% of the United States female population admits to weight cycling, compared to just 10-20% of the male population. Losing weight can cause someone to appear healthy, but there may be additional health risks in the background.
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| Weight cycling is unhealthier and yields less favorable long-term results than steady weight loss. Source: medlineplus.gov |
Losing weight quickly can be dangerous, depleting electrolytes, calcium, and magnesium. Many doctors recommend losing weight at a slower rate, at about a pound a week, combining a healthy diet and physical exercise without restricting food drastically. This method is safer and is less likely to lead to yo-yo dieting, enabling people to keep off the weight they lose and stay healthy.
Meaning of the Study
Since the Brown University study is merely observational, it’s difficult to put too much emphasis or draw many conclusions from it. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women's Heart Health at Lenox Hill Hospital and a Heart Association spokeswoman, was quoted as saying the study "shows the real, true negative effects of what yo-yo dieting can do on our hearts, and this is very, very relevant and important for us to see and understand." Steinbaum was not part of the study.
Observational studies allow patients to self-report, leaving the possibility for biased answers. Future studies would be more accurate if the women could come in for weigh-ins and other medical exams. Ultimately, the study is a positive start in the development of additional research of the risks of weight cycling in women.
