Normally, we assume dieting makes us thin.
However, new research from Florida State University says that dieting as an adolescent could actually make you fat by age 30.
Dr. Pamela Keel, lead researcher of the study, says that practicing dieting behavior early in life could have a dangerous impact on your behavior as you age–such as making you obese, more prone to making bad decisions about your health, or even increasing your risk of alcoholism.
The findings were presented at the meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior.
“Younger age of dieting predicts greater problems 10 years out from college,” says Keel, who serves as a professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. “There is already something different about women who start dieting at an early age, in terms of their social environment or genetic makeup. In fact, eating disorders are often driven by social, psychological and biologic la factors.”
The study, which was carried out by Keel, looked at 1,340 college-aged women when they first went on a diet, and then interviewed them again 10 years later to track their diet and health progress. By the end of the story, many of the women had become obese or battled alcoholism.
But what trouble researchers was that these health problems were strongly linked to the age when they first dieted–in this case, the earlier they dieted. Those who did not diet as early did not face a higher risk of these health problems, however.
“The study demonstrates that, despite the evidence-based methods we now have available for weight loss, many college-aged women are still turning to fad diet methods rather than seek[ing] professional help,” says Dr. Holly Lofton, a doctor from the Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Medical Center. “One interesting fact is that, as obesity has increased over the last 20 years in young and older adults, this study found that the average age that women start dieting has decreased.”
In addition to these findings, researchers also say that women who engaged in dieting behavior early in life were more likely to practice behaviors commonplace with eating disorders, such as self-induced vomiting after eating. This finding also correlates with previous research which found that eating disordered behavior was prevalent among teens. In that study, researchers found that more than 50 percent of teenage girls used laxatives or vomited to control their weight. Conversely, problems with weight control–and not improved weight control–were associated with these behaviors.
“The new research is a reminder that, while losing weight is generally good for health, an unbalanced approach may lead to health issues such as eating disorders in the long run,” says Dr. Karen Cooper, a weight management specialist for the Women’s Health Institute at Cleveland Clinic. “For long-lasting results there really needs to be a change in behavior.”
What This Means for You
While this study doesn’t imply all diets are bad, it does show that engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors, such as vomiting, is more likely to lead to weight instability later in life. For the best way to lose weight, you’re better off taking it slow and steady–by gradually eating fewer calories while staying active.
Readers: Have you done anything unhealthy to lose weight?
Sources:
Dieting Young Makes Women Obese By Age 30 – TIME.com
Dieting at Young Age Affects Women’s Health Later in Life Study Says – CBSNews.com
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