Yo-yo diet may increase risk of heart disease and diabetes, study warns

Research suggests that a yo-yo diet may increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes later in life.

An experiment in rats showed that repeated weight loss and weight loss worsened heart and kidney function.

The rodents also showed signs of insulin resistance when cells struggle to absorb blood sugar, leading to high blood sugar levels, a precursor to diabetes.

According to scientists at Georgetown University in Washington DC, both those who follow targeted yo-yo diets and those who lose weight rapidly due to a lack of food are at risk.

Dr Aline de Souza, author of the study, said: “Although animals may appear healthy after ‘recovering’ from the diet, their hearts and metabolisms are not healthy.”

The team acknowledged that human studies would be needed to confirm their findings, but cautioned that “the more restrictive the diet, the worse the health outcomes could be.”

“Weight loss diets require careful consideration of long-term health, especially if rapid weight loss is seen as an option,” cautioned Dr. de Suza.

Celebrities such as Renee Zellweger (pictured left in 2020 and right in 2001) and Christian Bale have complained about the health effects of the yo-yo diet after gaining or losing weight to get rolling. Zellweger said her body was “bruised” at the end of the Bridget Jones attack and she was having a panic attack and worried about gaining weight soon.

Celebrities like Renee Zellweger and Christian Bale (left in 2004 and right in 2018) have complained about the health effects of the yo-yo diet after gaining or losing weight to get rolling. Bale said he was “very sick” after gaining weight after dropping to 55 pounds for 2004’s The Machinist.

Celebrities like Renee Zellweger and Christian Bale have complained about the health effects of the yo-yo diet after weight loss.

Zellweger said her body was “bruised” at the end of the Bridget Jones attack and she suffered a panic attack and feared she would gain weight soon.

And Bale said he was “very sick” after gaining weight after losing up to 55kg for The Machinist in 2004.

The experts divided 16 female rats into two groups, half of which received a normal amount of food.

Others followed a three-cycle restricted diet, following 40 percent of normal calorie intake for 14 days, followed by three weeks of “regular” eating.

The researchers monitored the heart and kidney function of both groups through ultrasound scans and measured how well the body’s cells were able to lower blood sugar, including insulin sensitivity.

During periods of dietary restriction, rats lost 20 percent of their body weight.

But their weights have returned to normal, according to findings that will be presented at an American Physiological Society conference in Philadelphia next week.

The results showed that cardiac output and systolic output (the amount of blood pumped by the heart) decreased at the same rate, meaning less blood was delivered to the body’s organs.

The team suggested that this may contribute to heart disease later in life.

Insulin resistance levels in calorie-cutting rats were 2.6 times higher than in the control group.

The team suggested that calorie restriction may alter the biological processes that regulate blood pressure and insulin metabolism.

Dr. de Souza added: “Our data supports the need for more human research to find out whether people who follow highly restrictive diets to lose weight are at increased risk of developing heart problems later in life.”

“We need to do more research in this area, but the findings suggest that the more restrictive the diet, the worse the health outcomes can be.

“Weight loss diets require careful consideration of long-term health, especially when you consider rapid weight loss as an option.”

HOW SHOULD A BALANCED NUTRITION BE?

According to the NHS, meals should be potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholemeal

• 30 grams of fiber per day: Equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-grain biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread, and a large baked potato in the crust

• Have some alternatives to milk or dairy products (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat, low-sugar options

• Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fat)

• Choose unsaturated fats and spreads and consume sparingly.

• Drink 6-8 glasses / glass of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt per day and less than 20 g of saturated fat for women and less than 30 g for men.

Source: Eatwell NHS Guide