Psychological Effects of Weight Cycling in Obese Persons: A Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

This review summarizes studies on the psychological effects of weight cycling (i.e., weight loss and regain) in obese persons and proposes an agenda for future research on this topic. Among general psychological constructs, the current literature suggests that weight cycling is not associated with depression, other psychopathology, or depressogenic cognitive styles. Weight cycling is associated with decreased perceptions of health and well-being, although the clinical significance of this relationship is uncertain. Among weight-and eating-related constructs, weight cycling does not appear to be related to restraint, hunger, or personality traits associated with eating disorders. Weight cycling, however, does appear to be associated with clinically significant reductions in eating self-efficacy and weak but consistent increases in binge eating severity. Definitive conclusions about the presence or absence of the psychological consequences of weight cycling are premature, given the small number of studies, as well as a variety of methodological and interpretive concerns. A new generation of research is necessary to determine the extent and nature of the psychological sequelae of weight cycling.

Relation between self-reported weight cycling history, dieting and bio-behavioral health in Japanese adult males

“…Weight cycling, however, is consistently associated with clinically significant reductions in eating self-efficacy and weak but consistent increases in binge eating severity in young women and obese women 19,24,42) . In several previous studies of young females, weight cycling was also associated with increased habitual unhealthy dieting behaviors or abnormal weight/eating concerns [19][20][21][22][24][25][26]43) . One of the reasons for these inconsistencies by different measures is that, persons who are dieting or intending to lose weight-many are likely to have a weight cycling history-have a trend of underestimating their actual amount of calorie intake, whereas they have more undesirable eating related psycho-behavioral patterns.…”

“…(4.5 kg) or 10% of weight were the most common magnitude in the general population 19,26,[29][30][31][32] . Taking into account these findings, we asked subjects for the frequency (0, 1, 2, 3+) of positive answers to the following question; "Have you ever lost ten percent of your weight (through dieting or exercise for weight loss) and then re-gained it?…”

“…Although most constructs provide some continuous measure such as the number of diets or weight cycles, others are based on a classification, such as "Are you a yo-yo dieter?" 19) . Even among variables that appear to be identical (e.g.…”

“…(4.5 kg) or 10% of weight were also the most common magnitude in the general population 26,[29][30][31][32] . Foster suggested that the amount of weight loss necessary to be recognized by others is defined as approximately 10% of body weight 19) .…”

“…binge eating, body image, eating self-efficacy, unbalanced nutritional intake, and purging behaviors) in obese persons 19) and in young women 20,21) . In addition, the health effects of dieting itself have been questioned 22,23) .…”