Weight Cycling Research

Weight cycling, often referred to as "yo-yo dieting," is a phenomenon characterised by repeated cycles of weight loss and subsequent weight gain. This pattern can have significant implications for both physical and mental health, influencing metabolic processes, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life. The following list of research papers delves into various aspects of weight cycling, exploring its causes, consequences, and potential interventions. By examining these studies, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding fluctuating weight and its impact on individuals and society.

* indicates notable paper

• Bangalore S, Fayyad R, Laskey R, DeMicco DA, Messerli FH, Waters DD. (2017). Body-Weight Fluctuations and Outcomes in Coronary Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. Apr 6;376(14):1332-1340. 

• Ceriello et al. (2021). Variability in body weight and the risk of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes: results from the Swedish National Diabetes Register. Cardiovascular Diabetology. 20:173.

• Chen et al. (2021). Association of long-term body weight variability with dementia: a prospective study. The Journals of Gerontology. Dec 15;glab372.  doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab372.

• Cho YJ, Kawk JS, Yoon HJ, Park M. (2021). Body weight variability and cancer incidence in men aged 40 years and older-Korean National Insurance Service Cohort. Scientific Reports. 11:12122

• Gaesser & Angadi (2021). Ob*sity treatment: Weight loss versus increasing fitness and physical activity for reducing health risks. iScience 24 102995.

• Leite, N. C., Cardoso, C. R. L., Villela-Nogueira, C. A., & Salles, G. F. (2024). Body weight   variability and the risk of liver-related outcomes in type 2 diabetes and steatotic liver disease: a cohort study. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 32(6), 1210–1218. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24035

• Montani J, Schutz Y, Dulloo A (2015). Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: who is really at risk? Obes Rev. Feb;16 Suppl 1:7-18.

• Nam GA et al. (2020). Body Weight Variability and the Risk of Cardiovascular Outcomes and Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study. Diabetes Care. Sep;43(9):2234-2241. doi: 10.2337/dc19-2552. 

• Park, Y., Kim, S. H., Ryu, J., & Yoon, H. J. (2024). Association of midlife body-weight variability and cycles with earlier dementia onset: a nationwide cohort study. Alzheimer’s research & therapy, 16(1), 91. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01460-5

• Park KY, et al (2021). Body Weight Fluctuation as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes: Results from a Nationwide Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 8(7):950.

• Vincent HK, Johnson AJ, Sibille KT, Vincent KR, Almeida-Cruz Y. (2023) Weight-cycling over 6 years is associated with pain, physical function and depression in the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort. Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 9;13(1):17045. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-44052-3. PMID: 37813940; PMCID: PMC10562481.