Here is a Level A evidence statement (the highest possible level of certainty) from the Australian National Medical Health and Research Council (NHMRC – the government’s health research arm) showing that weight regain is what is absolutely expected after intentional weight loss. For the majority.
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“Weight loss following lifestyle intervention is maximal at 6-12 months. Regardless of the degree of initial weight loss, most weight is regained within a 2-year period and by 5 years the majority of people are at their pre-intervention body weight”
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Those who do not regain weight are statistical outliers, even if they do publish pretty books and end up in front of our eyes and ears ALL THE DAMN TIME, and contribute to this misconception that lasting weight loss is available if people would only just try hard enough. Bodies don’t work that way, no matter how some might wish they might.
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Department of Health and Ageing, National Health and Medical Research Council, Clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, adolescents and children in Australia, Melbourne 2013, p161
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https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/n57
Not real new NEWS here, but it is something that we have to remind people of constantly!