One of the most common topics that comes up in my practice is exploring my client’s past pursuit of weight loss through dieting. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that dieting and/or restricting food is the best path to weight loss and health, but scientific research reveals a different story. In fact, evidence showing that dieting leads to weight gain is just as compelling as the evidence linking smoking to cancer! Yes, that’s right, there is the same level of evidence showing that dieting causes weight gain as there is showing that smoking causes cancer, yet we don’t have those warning labels printed on diet foods, shakes and programmes, do we?!
The Myth of Sustainable Weight Loss Through Dieting
Dieting often promises us control, simplicity, and a way to achieve an “ideal” weight. Yet, the reality is far less straightforward. Multiple studies indicate that not only do diets have low success rates in maintaining weight loss, but instead they often lead to weight gain over time. This might sound surprising, because isn’t a diet supposed to help you lose weight? But just as our bodies have adapted to require air and water to live, they are also designed to protect us from starvation and weight loss.
How Dieting Leads to Weight Gain
When we restrict our food intake or place rigid controls on eating, our bodies respond in ways designed to preserve energy. Whilst your rational brain knows you may have unlimited access to food in todays society, the caveman part of your brain (which contains all our natural instincts to protect ourselves) does not know this, and instead thinks there is a famine when you restrict food. This triggers a process in our hormones related to hunger and satiety, such as ghrelin and leptin, which shift to encourage us to eat more, as our bodies try to protect us from what they perceive as possible starvation. This means that even after a diet ends, hunger levels can remain elevated for some time, making it more likely that weight will come back. This weight cycling or “yo-yo dieting” effect, in which individuals lose weight only to regain it (and sometimes more), is a common outcome of restrictive eating/dieting.
One significant study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analysed the long-term effects of dieting, finding that dieting was a strong predictor of future weight gain. Researchers found that most dieters would regain their lost weight within two to five years, and often gain back more than they initially lost. Another study, conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki, followed participants for over a decade and observed similar patterns of weight regain in those who pursued weight loss through dieting.
Dieting’s Link to Weight Gain
Just as research overwhelmingly supports the harmful effects of smoking, studies continuously show that dieting is not only ineffective but often counterproductive for long-term weight management. The World Health Organisation recognises weight regain as a natural response to dieting, further highlighting that this approach can lead to feelings of failure, body dissatisfaction, and a greater risk of developing eating disorders.
This doesn’t mean that individuals aren’t losing weight in the short term, as many people experience initial weight loss, just as smokers might not experience the immediate effects of cancer. But the long-term data is clear: dieting as a strategy to lose weight leads to weight gain for most people, much in the way smoking is now widely recognised as a direct risk factor for cancer.
The Impact of Diet Culture on Health
Beyond the physical impacts, diet culture has surrounded us with the message that thin=healthier and more worthy of love, which fuels a cycle of restrictive behaviors and low self-esteem. This misconception, often promoted by media and certain health industries, ignores the mounting evidence that health is influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, socioeconomic status, stress, and sleep quality, not just weight.
These cultural messages also overlook how chronic dieting and weight cycling are associated with increased risks for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. So, rather than improving health, the pursuit of weight loss through dieting frequently harms both body and mind.
Why Intuitive Eating Offers a Sustainable Alternative
If dieting doesn’t work, what does? As an intuitive eating therapist, I often support people in shifting away from the dieting mindset towards a more sustainable, compassionate relationship with food. Intuitive eating, an evidence-based approach developed by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, encourages us to listen to our bodies, recognise hunger and fullness cues, and allow for a flexible, judgment-free relationship with food. Research shows that intuitive eating is associated with improved psychological well-being, lower rates of disordered eating, and greater satisfaction with life.
Changing the Narrative Around Weight and Health
The science on dieting and weight gain is as strong as it can be, restrictive eating/dieting simply does not work for sustainable weight management. By breaking free from the cycle of dieting and embracing a more balanced, intuitive approach to eating, we can begin to redefine what health means, not as a number on a scale but as a state of physical and mental well-being.
The evidence linking dieting to weight gain is no less compelling than the evidence that smoking leads to cancer. Both are lifestyle choices heavily influenced by culture and social pressures, yet each has significant, well-documented consequences for long-term health. Rather than subjecting ourselves to diets that don’t work, let’s choose to honour our bodies, listen to them, and nurture them through a sustainable, compassionate relationship with food and health.
If you need any support getting started on your intuitive eating journey, breaking free from dieting and improving your self-esteem, book in a free consultation today to explore how I could help you.