One in three people actually gain weight when trying to lose weight,
according to a British study that surveyed 4,000 men and women.
Dieters admitted that no matter which diet plan they followed, they
ended up putting on weight. Researchers attribute this to an "obsession"
with fad diets, which leads to "yo-yo" dieting as people
switch plans to follow the latest trends.
The survey found:
- More than 40 percent give into food temptations
- Nearly 40 percent of women and 20 percent of men admit they
gain weight after a diet
- Only 18 percent of dieters achieve their goal weight
- About 20 percent of those trying to lose weight stay on a diet
for up to a month
Also, most people said they were currently trying to lose weight
and nearly all knew yo-yo dieting was unhealthy. Experts said many
dieters want a quick fix, setting them up for failure. Some cheated
and did not stay committed to a diet because they were bored of
strict eating plans -- such as the grapefruit or Atkins' diets.
It was also discovered that many did not incorporate exercise.
People fall victim to diet trend because they desire to lose weight.
According to the survey:
- Nearly one in five men think they need to drop 15 to 20 pounds
- Most women want to lose about 7 to 15 pounds
BBC
News September 8, 2004
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