Have Our Attempts to Curb Obesity Done More Harm Than Good?

Abstract

Dieting is a common method for weight loss, maintenance, and prevention of weight gain, but the harmful outcomes of dieting are understudied. Dieting is typically advised for obese patients for the sake of their health, though this does not account for the many complicated factors surrounding obesity. We conducted a search through the PubMed database on obesity, dieting, and eating disorders and did not limit the study by population or year. We found studies showing that although dieting may cause short-term weight loss, it is associated with weight gain in the long-term. We also found studies assessing the negative psychological and physical outcomes of dieting. Though there are many studies that emphasize the negative psychological impact of dieting, few studies have explored how dieting may contribute to the development of eating disorders in the obese. Studies on the physical impact of dieting were less conclusive but warrant further study. While it is difficult to draw any substantial conclusions from the data, our results showed that dieting may carry more risks than benefits as a means to lose weight.

Prevalence, correlates, and gender disparities related to eating disordered behaviors among health science students and healthcare practitioners in Lebanon: Findings of a national cross sectional study

“…The latter finding appears to be in confirmation with a recent study in Lebanon, which showed that 72.7% of female medical students had high risk in the EAT-26 scale ( 11 ). Another cross-sectional study with Pakistani medical students provided similar results by observing that 87.9% of high-risk participants were females ( 14 ). Also consistent with these findings were that obtained in France ( 21 ), the United States and Canada ( 26 ), Tunis ( 27 ), and Saudi Arabia ( 18 ), which all explored that female participants were more vulnerable to eating disorders risk than male participants.…”

“…In addition, it is worth to mention that medical students and physicians in our study represented a salient proportion of high-risk participants (17.8%). Medical students had been shown to have a considerable risk of eating disorders in many preliminary investigations, including that reported in Lebanon ( 11 ), Egypt ( 12 ), Brazil ( 13 ), and Pakistan ( 14 ). Of note, in this study, the prevalence of eating disorders in the pharmacy health profession was also just the same (17.7%) compared to medicine.…”

“…Many researchers provide data in this regard. In a study entitled: “Have Our Attempts to Curb Obesity Done More Harm Than Good?”, Memon et al ( 14 ) concluded that dieting, if restrictive, may not help patients lose weight and may cause psychological and physical adverse effects. They also added that dieting induces more risks than benefits as a means to lose weight, exploring the dieting and eating disorders relationship ( 14 ).…”

“…In a study entitled: “Have Our Attempts to Curb Obesity Done More Harm Than Good?”, Memon et al ( 14 ) concluded that dieting, if restrictive, may not help patients lose weight and may cause psychological and physical adverse effects. They also added that dieting induces more risks than benefits as a means to lose weight, exploring the dieting and eating disorders relationship ( 14 ). Along with media use, body image dissatisfaction, and weight-related teasing, dieting may contribute to the development of a spectrum of weight-related disorders ( 50 ).…”

“…Nighttime shift duty was positively associated with restrained eating and emotional eating among nurses ( 10 ). In addition, in multiple preliminary investigations, medical students reported an appreciable prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors, including that conducted in Lebanon ( 11 ), Egypt ( 12 ), Brazil ( 13 ), and Pakistan ( 14 ). Further, body image dissatisfaction had been reported as an important concern for pharmacy students, which was considered a serious precursor for disordered eating among them ( 15 ).…”