The Problem with Dieting

Many of you may have read the New York Times article published last year discussing the results of research into the long-term follow-up of contestants on the TV show “The Biggest Loser.” I’ll give you the cliff notes in case you missed it:  After 6 years of following contestants, all but one had regained the weight they lost during the show.

The Effects of Dieting on Weight Loss and Gain

This is not an anomaly.  Research shows that 95% of the time, dieting leads to short term weight loss and long-term weight regain. Actually, diet cycling leads to a higher body weight over time – not lower.

So why is the diet industry so profitable? Weight-loss companies do a great job of finding people who can show they had short term results and they sell it, hard.