Obesity is one of the leading causes for all major health disorders, such as heart disease and diabetes. Thus, losing weight and getting back in shape is just as essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle as regular checkup by doctors. However, many people complain that they work out regularly but do not seem to lose weight at all, while others say that they follow strict diet but still weigh the same. A new study suggests that when it comes to weight loss, consistence is the key.
What is the research about?
The research was performed by scientists at the Drexel University in Pennsylvania and was published in the journal Obesity.
Researchers conducted the study to determine the kind of program best for losing those extra kilos in the body. Primarily there are two kinds of weight loss that is seen normally in an individual, which includes a drastic loss over a short period of time or a gradual loss which takes place over time.
The research included 183 obese and overweight adults, mostly women who reside near Philadelphia. For one year, these participants took part in a program through which they were counseled on their diet and work-outs. From the very beginning of the study, the researchers weighed each participant after each week of following the program. The adults were also part of assessment meetings held after 6 months, 12 months and 24 months after the study's commencement.
What the results revealed
The results showed that those whose body mass varied more in the weekly measurements were more likely to have difficulty controlling their weight, compared to those whose weight variability was lesser at the beginning weeks of the program. This means that people who drastically lost those extra kilograms from their body were also more likely to regain that after a while.
However, those people who managed to lose those unwanted kilograms slowly, were likely to remain in the same shape.
So, in the end the study comes down to consistency and variability of weight loss. It was seen that those who consistently lost weight had a better time controlling the obesity even after the program had ended.
However, those who lost a lot of pounds suddenly during the weight loss program, could not maintain the weight after the program ended. However, scientists say more research is needed to verify the results of the study. This is because around 81 percent of the participants were women in this case and research needs to prove that the same is true for men as well.
