Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center

International Eating Disorder Referral Organization

Answers to Common Questions about Weight and Dieting by Deborah Kauffmann, RD, LDN

How much should I weigh? When you have finished growing, and you are eating when you are hungry and stopping when full, your weight tends to stabilize within a small weight range called setpoint or natural weight. This weight is mostly determined by genetic factors such as bone structure, musculature, and number of fat cells you are born with. Setpoint weight for any given height can vary so greatly that none of the current height-weight standards are valid.

If I am above my natural weight, should I diet to return to it? Dieting is not an effective means of weight loss. In fact, dieting can lead to weight gain. Approximately 95% to 98% of people who lose weight by dieting regain the lost weight. About 33% to 66% of these people gain to a higher weight.

When you diet, your metabolic rate decreases since you are not meeting your body’s energy needs (not enough calories). You become intensely hungry, and as a result you will most likely overeat at some point. This is not only because you are not taking in enough food but because you are probably avoiding certain foods that are higher in fat or sugar. This causes you to crave these foods and overeat them.

Even if you return to normal eating after dieting, you are likely to gain to a higher weight, especially if you have dieted frequently. This is because the body feels it needs to prepare for the next diet or “famine” by storing more energy. To accomplish this, the body may lower metabolic rate and increase number of fat cells. In other words, the body may reset its setpoint weight to a higher weight.

Besides the above problems, dieting is a health risk that can lead to conditions such as gallstones, gallbladder damage, anemia, osteoporosis, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. Repeated dieting resulting in weight cycling has been shown to greatly increase the risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease.

At times, individuals may be above their natural weight. If this is true for you, it may be because you are frequently eating when not hungry or past fullness. Dieting will only make these problems worse (and dieting probably caused these problems in the first place). The solution is not to diet but to return to normal eating according to your internal cues of hunger and fullness.

Can I be healthy if my natural weight is high? Although you may assume, along with many health professionals, that higher weights lead to decreased life expectancy and chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the evidence suggests that the health risks of being at a higher weight have been greatly exaggerated and that health is much more related to genetic and lifestyle factors. Also, several long-term studies indicate that weight loss is associated with a greater risk to health. For more information about weight and health, I recommend 5 Health Care Myths by Frances Berg at www.healthyweight.net, The Obesity Myth: Why America’s Obsession With Weight Is Hazardous To Your Health by Paul Campos, and Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health by Glenn Gaesser.

Deborah Kauffmann is a registered dietitian who has specialized in the treatment of eating disorders and the nondiet approach to weight management since 1990. She has a private practice in Baltimore, Maryland and can be contacted at 410-982-9667 or healthateverysize@comcast.net. Deborah is also a member of The Eating Disorder Consortium of Baltimore www.edcbaltimore.org. Article submitted by Deborah Kauffmann, permission for use granted by Deborah Kauffmann.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author and are presented without editing. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of EDReferral.com, and no official endorsement by EDReferral.com of the opinions expressed herein should be inferred.

To begin your search for help and referrals CLICK HERE

*We cannot diagnose or treat eating disorders by e-mail, but we can send you information and assist you in finding resources. Information provided by the Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center is not a substitute for medical treatment or psychological care.  It is vital that you talk with your physician and a qualified mental health professional regarding eating disorder symptoms and treatment.

*While EDRIC includes articles and links to sites which provide additional information on eating disorders and related topics, the EDRIC does not endorse or recommend any site, product or service provided on these links.

Search for Treatment   Take Instant Poll  Abbreviations/Glossary  Return to Home Page  Membership