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Cited by 173Eating Disorders and BehaviorsObesity, Physical Activity, DietNutrition, Health and Food Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 41 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Does dieting make you fat? A twin study

Pietiläinen, K H, Saarni, S E, Kaprio, J, Rissanen, A·2012·International Journal of Obesity
DOI 10.1038/ijo.2011.160
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Abstract

Objective To investigate whether the paradoxical weight gain associated with dieting is better related to genetic propensity to weight gain than to the weight loss episodes themselves. Subjects Subjects included 4129 individual twins from the population-based FinnTwin16 study (90% of twins born in Finland 1975-1979). Weight and height were obtained from longitudinal surveys at 16, 17, 18 and 25 years, and number of lifetime intentional weight loss (IWL) episodes of more than 5 kg at 25 years. Results IWLs predicted accelerated weight gain and risk of overweight. The odds of becoming overweight (body mass index (BMI)≥ 25 kg m(-2)) by 25 years were significantly greater in subjects with one (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.6, and OR 2.7, 1.7-4.3 in males and females, respectively), or two or more (OR 2.0, 1.3-3.3, and OR 5.2, 3.2-8.6, in males and females, respectively), IWLs compared with subjects with no IWL. In MZ pairs discordant for IWL, co-twins with at least one IWL were 0.4 kg m(-2) (P=0.041) heavier at 25 years than their non-dieting co-twins (no differences in baseline BMIs). In DZ pairs, co-twins with IWLs gained progressively more weight than non-dieting co-twins (BMI difference 1.7 kg m(-2) at 16 years and 2.2 kg m(-2) at 25 years, P<0.001). Conclusion Our results suggest that frequent IWLs reflect susceptibility to weight gain, rendering dieters prone to future weight gain. The results from the MZ pairs discordant for IWLs suggest that dieting itself may induce a small subsequent weight gain, independent of genetic factors.

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  1. Cannon G, Einzig H . Dieting Makes You Fat. Century Publishing: London, 1983.

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Metadata

Authors
Pietiläinen, K. H., Saarni, S. E., Kaprio, J., & Rissanen, A.
Affiliations
University of Helsinki (FI)
Corresponding author
Pietiläinen, K H
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Obesity
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2011-08-09
Volume
36
Issue
3
Pages
456-464
ISSN
  • 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5497
DOI
10.1038/ijo.2011.160
OpenAlex
W1142825731
Cited by
173
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 5
FWCI
6.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (#NNF10OC1013354)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA-09203, AA12502, R01AA009203)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
Keywords
dieting, intentional weight loss, twin discordance, monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins, body mass index, overweight, childhood obesity
MeSH terms
Adult, Body Weight, Diet, Female, Finland, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Motor Activity, Obesity, Surveys and Questionnaires, Smoking, Socioeconomic Factors, Twins, Monozygotic, Cohort Studies, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Body Mass Index, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Intention

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