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Int J Eat Disord 1996 Jan;19(1):5-12

Effects of weight cycling on the resting energy expenditure and body
composition of obese women.

Wadden TA, Foster GD, Stunkard AJ, Conill AM.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry,
Philadelphia 19104, USA.

OBJECTIVE: Numerous reports have suggested that cycles of weight loss and
regain (i.e., weight cycling) are associated with adverse health
consequences, a concern that may lead some obese individuals to forgo
weight control efforts. The present study examined whether weight cycling
was associated with a reduction in resting energy expenditure (REE) and
with increases in both total and upper body fat. METHOD: REE, body
composition, and body fat distribution were measured before and after
weight loss, and following full weight regain, in 12 women who before
treatment had a mean (+/- SEM) age of 38.8 +/- 3.4 years and weight of 98.0
+/- 3.2 kg.  RESULTS: At the end of treatment, patients lost 18.9 +/- 2.6
kg which was comprised of significant decreases in body fat and fat-free
mass of 15.2 +/- 2.2 and 3.7 +/- 0.8 kg, respectively (both ps < .001). REE
also fell during this time from 1,631 +/- 82 to 1,501 +/- 51 kcal/d (p <
03).  All of these measures, however, returned to their baseline values
when patients regained their lost weight. Body fat distribution was
unchanged throughout the study. DISCUSSION: These results do not support
claims that weight cycling adversely affects REE, body composition, or body
fat distribution.