Written by Emma King and reviewed for medical accuracy by Joelle Davidson, RD
Weight cycling is the continued intentional loss and unintentional regain of weight, usually due to an unsustainable diet or lifestyle being taken up and then later dropped.
Why does weight cycling happen?
Weight cycling is usually the result of the undertaking of an unsustainable diet. Dieting and food restriction are most often not viable long-term. Cutting out certain foods or decreasing the amount of food you eat in general only increases the value of food to your brain. Though these changes may work initially, eventually intense cravings for ‘exiled’ foods or just more food in general will inevitably flood your mind. Once this happens it can be very hard to resist and will often lead to binge eating which can be extremely mentally taxing. The guilt felt after bingeing usually leads a person back to restricting or dieting which starts the whole cycle back up again. This continuous cycle is where we start to see the constant fluctuation in weight associated with weight cycling.
Why is weight cycling dangerous?
Though the harms of weight cycling are still in the early stages of being studied, there have already been concerning findings.
- Increased risk of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension (Guagnano et al., 2000)
- Hypertension is dangerous because it can increase the likelihood of serious health complications such as heart attack, kidney disease or stroke.
- Decreased ‘good’ cholesterol (Olson et al., 2000)
- HDL cholesterol is known as ‘good’ cholesterol because it helps remove other forms of cholesterol from your bloodstream which would otherwise go on to cause cardiovascular issues like heart attacks, heart disease and strokes.
- Development of diabetes (Zou et al, 2021)
- The review and meta‐analysis of work in this field done by Zou et al. found that, in general, individuals with weight cycling habits had a 23% increased risk of developing diabetes
- Increased depressive symptoms (Quinn et al., 2020)
- This study focused on internalised weight stigma as the driving force behind the development of depressive symptoms. Internalised weight stigma is “the extent to which people believe that negative weight-related stereotypes (e.g., people with larger bodies have less willpower, are less competent, or are unattractive) are true of the self, and engage in self-devaluation for one’s weight status.”
Breaking the Cycle
It’s easy to find yourself stuck in the toxic cycle of losing and regaining weight, especially as the mental toll it takes on you starts to build. To support long-term weight changes, focus on lifestyle changes rather than the number on the scale. This will help to build healthy habits that you can carry through the rest of your life.
Dietitians can help you recover from weight cycling by developing personalized meal plans that focus on balanced eating instead of strict diets. They often use principles of intuitive eating, which teaches you to pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness signals. This approach helps you build a healthier relationship with food and supports long-term weight stability. Our team of dietitians is here to support you. We offer a free, 15 minute discovery call to discuss!
References:
Guagnano, M. T., Ballone, E., Pace-Palitti, V., Vecchia, R. D., D’Orazio, N., Manigrasso, M. R., Merlitti, D., & Sensi, S. (2000). Risk factors for hypertension in obese women. The role of weight cycling. European journal of clinical nutrition, 54(4), 356–360. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600963
Olson, M. B., Kelsey, S. F., Bittner, V., Reis, S. E., Reichek, N., Handberg, E. M., & Bairey Merz, C. N. (2000). Weight cycling and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women: Evidence of an adverse effect. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 36(5), 1565–1571. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0735-1097(00)00901-3
Quinn, D. M., Puhl, R. M., & Reinka, M. A. (2020). Trying again (and again): Weight Cycling and depressive symptoms in U.S. adults. PLOS ONE, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239004
Zou, H., Yin, P., Liu, L., Duan, W., Li, P., Yang, Y., Li, W., Zong, Q., & Yu, X. (2021). Association between weight cycling and risk of developing diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of diabetes investigation, 12(4), 625–632. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdi.13380
