Yo-Yo Dieting Will Not Increase Cancer Risk

New findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reveal that yo-yo dieting, otherwise known as cyclical weight loss and the regain of lost pounds will not increase the risk of developing cancer.

Researchers at the American Cancer Society used medical data from 62,792 men and 69,520 women collected for the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort in 1992 that examined links between weight cycling and the incidence of cancer.

During a 17 year follow-up in the Cancer Prevention Study, 15,333 men and 9,984 women developed cancer. However, weight cycling was not found to be linked to incidence of 15 types of cancer examined in the study. Researchers adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and other health factors, and still did not find a connection between weight cycling and cancer.

Though previous studies involving animals and humans have indicated that weight cycling could potentially disrupt bodily processes that might increase inflammation or increase in immune cell accumulation involved in the development of certain cancers, the study results suggested no connection.

"Our findings suggest that overweight and obese individuals shouldn't let fears about their ability to maintain weight loss keep them from trying to lose weight in the first place," said Dr. Victoria Stevens, strategic director for laboratory services at the American Cancer Society, in a press release.

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