Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Does dieting make you fat? A twin study

International Journal of Obesity volume 36, pages 456–464 (2012)Cite this article

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

References

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

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mann T, Tomiyama AJ, Westling E, Lew AM, Samuels B, Chatman J . Medicare's search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer. Am Psychol 2007; 62: 220–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hill AJ . Does dieting make you fat? Br J Nutr 2004; 92 (Suppl 1): S15–S18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. French SA, Jeffery RW, Forster JL, McGovern PG, Kelder SH, Baxter JE . Predictors of weight change over two years among a population of working adults: the Healthy Worker Project. Int J Obes 1994; 18: 145–154.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bild DE, Sholinsky P, Smith DE, Lewis CE, Hardin JM, Burke GL . Correlates and predictors of weight loss in young adults: the CARDIA study. Int J Obes 1996; 20: 47–55.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Coakley EH, Rimm EB, Colditz G, Kawachi I, Willett W . Predictors of weight change in men: results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Int J Obes 1998; 22: 89–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kroke A, Liese AD, Schulz M, Bergmann MM, Klipstein-Grobusch K, Hoffmann K et al. Recent weight changes and weight cycling as predictors of subsequent two year weight change in a middle-aged cohort. Int J Obes 2002; 26: 403–409.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Field AE, Aneja P, Austin SB, Shrier LA, de MC, Gordon-Larsen P . Race and gender differences in the association of dieting and gains in BMI among young adults. Obesity 2007; 15: 456–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Korkeila M, Rissanen A, Kaprio J, Sorensen TI, Koskenvuo M . Weight-loss attempts and risk of major weight gain: a prospective study in Finnish adults. Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 70: 965–975.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Stice E, Cameron RP, Killen JD, Hayward C, Taylor CB . Naturalistic weight-reduction efforts prospectively predict growth in relative weight and onset of obesity among female adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychol 1999; 67: 967–974.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Neumark-Sztainer D, Wall M, Haines J, Story M, Eisenberg ME . Why does dieting predict weight gain in adolescents? Findings from project EAT-II: a 5-year longitudinal study. J Am Diet Assoc 2007; 107: 448–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Polivy J, Herman CP . Dieting and binging. A causal analysis. Am Psychol 1985; 40: 193–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Prentice AM, Goldberg GR, Jebb SA, Black AE, Murgatroyd PR, Diaz EO . Physiological responses to slimming. Proc Nutr Soc 1991; 50: 441–458.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Dulloo AG, Jacquet J, Montani JP . Pathways from weight fluctuations to metabolic diseases: focus on maladaptive thermogenesis during catch-up fat. Int J Obes 2002; 26 (Suppl 2): S46–S57.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Keski-Rahkonen A, Neale BM, Bulik CM, Pietiläinen KH, Rose RJ, Kaprio J et al. Intentional weight loss in young adults: sex-specific genetic and environmental effects. Obes Res 2005; 13/4: 745–753.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kaprio J, Pulkkinen L, Rose RJ . Genetic and environmental factors in health-related behaviors: studies on Finnish twins and twin families. Twin Res 2002; 5: 366–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Saarni SE, Pietiläinen K, Kantonen S, Rissanen A, Kaprio J . Association of smoking in adolescence with abdominal obesity in adulthood: a follow-up study of 5 birth cohorts of Finnish twins. Am J Public Health 2009; 99: 348–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sarna S, Kaprio J, Sistonen P, Koskenvuo M . Diagnosis of twin zygosity by mailed questionnaire. Hum Hered 1978; 28: 241–254.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Grummer-Strawn LM, Flegal KM, Guo SS, Wei R et al. CDC growth charts: United States. Adv Data 2000; 314: 1–27.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Cole TJ, Green PJ . Smoothing reference centile curves: the LMS method and penalized likelihood. Stat Med 1992; 11: 1305–1319.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wehkalampi K, Silventoinen K, Kaprio J, Dick DM, Rose RJ, Pulkkinen L et al. Genetic and environmental influences on pubertal timing assessed by height growth. Am J Hum Biol 2008; 20: 417–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Aarnio M, Winter T, Kujala U, Kaprio J . Associations of health related behaviour, social relationships, and health status with persistent physical activity and inactivity: a study of Finnish adolescent twins. Br J Sports Med 2002; 36: 360–364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Keski-Rahkonen A, Bulik CM, Pietiläinen KH, Rose RJ, Kaprio J, Rissanen A . Eating styles, overweight and obesity in young adult twins. Eur J Clin Nutr 2007; 61: 822–829.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Classification of Socio-Economic Groups. Central Statistical Office of Finland: Helsinki, Finland, 1989.

  25. Rao JNK, Scott AJ . On chi-squared tests for multiway contingency tables with cell proportions estimated from survey data. Ann Stat 1984; 12: 46–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Keys A, Brozek J, Henschel A, Mickelsen O, Taylor HL . The Biology of Human Starvation. University of Minnesota Press: Minnesota, USA, 1950.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. Womble LG, Williamson DA, Martin CK, Zucker NL, Thaw JM, Netemeyer R et al. Psychosocial variables associated with binge eating in obese males and females. Int J Eat Disord 2001; 30: 217–221.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Swanson DW, Dinello FA . Follow-up of patients starved for obesity. Psychosom Med 1970; 32: 209–214.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Ernsberger P, Koletsky RJ, Baskin JS, Collins LA . Consequences of weight cycling in obese spontaneously hypertensive rats. Am J Physiol 1996; 270/4 (Part 2): R864–R872.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Kajioka T, Tsuzuku S, Shimokata H, Sato Y . Effects of intentional weight cycling on non-obese young women. Metabolism 2002; 51: 149–154.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Dulloo AG, Jacquet J, Girardier L . Autoregulation of body composition during weight recovery in human: the Minnesota Experiment revisited. Int J Obes 1996; 20: 393–405.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Wadden TA, Foster GD, Stunkard AJ, Conill AM . Effects of weight cycling on the resting energy expenditure and body composition of obese women. Int J Eat Disord 1996; 19: 5–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Jebb SA, Goldberg GR, Coward WA, Murgatroyd PR, Prentice AM . Effects of weight cycling caused by intermittent dieting on metabolic rate and body composition in obese women. Int J Obes 1991; 15: 367–374.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Forbes GB . Body fat content influences the body composition response to nutrition and exercise. Ann NY Acad Sci 2000; 904: 359–365.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Weinsier RL, Hunter GR, Zuckerman PA, Redden DT, Darnell BE, Larson DE et al. Energy expenditure and free-living physical activity in Black and White women: comparison before and after weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 1138–1146.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Rosenbaum M, Hirsch J, Murphy E, Leibel RL . Effects of changes in body weight on carbohydrate metabolism, catecholamine excretion, and thyroid function. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 1421–1432.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Loos RJ, Rankinen T . Gene–diet interactions on body weight changes. J Am Diet Assoc 2005; 105 (Suppl 1): S29–S34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Despres JP, Nadeau A, Lupien PJ, Theriault G et al. The response to long-term overfeeding in identical twins. N Engl J Med 1990; 322: 1477–1482.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Despres JP, Theriault G, Nadeau A, Lupien PJ et al. The response to exercise with constant energy intake in identical twins. Obes Res 1994; 2: 400–410.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Saarni SE, Rissanen A, Sarna S, Koskenvuo M, Kaprio J . Weight cycling of athletes and subsequent weight gain in middleage. Int J Obes 2006; 30: 1639–1644.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Field AE, Haines J, Rosner B, Willett WC . Weight-control behaviors and subsequent weight change among adolescents and young adult females. Am J Clin Nutr 2010; 91: 147–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Li S, Zhao JH, Luan J, Ekelund U, Luben RN, Khaw KT et al. Physical activity attenuates the genetic predisposition to obesity in 20 000 men and women from EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study. PLoS Med 2010; 7: e1000332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the FinnTwin16 participants for their invaluable help in this prospective study. The study was supported by Helsinki University Hospital Research Funds (AR, KHP), grants from Novo Nordisk, Gyllenberg, Yrjö Jahnsson, Biomedicum Helsinki, the Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation, and the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research (KHP), the Väinö and Laina Kivi Foundation (SES), the Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in Complex Disease Genetics (Grants 213506 and 129680 to JK). Data collection in FinnTwin16 was supported by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (Grants AA-12502 and AA-09203 to Richard J Rose), and the Academy of Finland (Grants 44069 and 141054 to JK).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Obesity Research Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    K H Pietiläinen & A Rissanen

  2. Department of Public Health, Finnish Twin Cohort Study, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    K H Pietiläinen, S E Saarni & J Kaprio

  3. Institute for Molecular Medicine, Helsinki, Finland

    K H Pietiläinen & J Kaprio

  4. Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

    S E Saarni & J Kaprio

Authors
  1. K H Pietiläinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S E Saarni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J Kaprio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A Rissanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K H Pietiläinen.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pietiläinen, K., Saarni, S., Kaprio, J. et al. Does dieting make you fat? A twin study. Int J Obes 36, 456–464 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.160

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.160

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links