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Weight Cycling

MedGen UID:
1787108
•Concept ID:
C5544538
•
Finding
Synonym: Cycling, Weight

Definition

Repeated cycles of weight loss followed by weight gain. [from MeSH]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVWeight Cycling

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Strategies for minimizing muscle loss during use of incretin-mimetic drugs for treatment of obesity.
Mechanick JI, Butsch WS, Christensen SM, Hamdy O, Li Z, Prado CM, Heymsfield SB
Obes Rev 2025 Jan;26(1):e13841. Epub 2024 Sep 19 doi: 10.1111/obr.13841. PMID: 39295512Free PMC Article
Cellular Senescence and Extracellular Vesicles in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Obesity-A Narrative Review.
Liang Y, Kaushal D, Wilson RB
Int J Mol Sci 2024 Jul 20;25(14) doi: 10.3390/ijms25147943. PMID: 39063184Free PMC Article
Medical evaluation and treatment of the obese patient with cardiovascular disease.
Blackburn GL, Kanders BS
Am J Cardiol 1987 Oct 30;60(12):55G-58G. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(87)90592-3. PMID: 3314451

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Strategies for minimizing muscle loss during use of incretin-mimetic drugs for treatment of obesity.
Mechanick JI, Butsch WS, Christensen SM, Hamdy O, Li Z, Prado CM, Heymsfield SB
Obes Rev 2025 Jan;26(1):e13841. Epub 2024 Sep 19 doi: 10.1111/obr.13841. PMID: 39295512Free PMC Article
The Physiological Effects of Weight-Cycling: A Review of Current Evidence.
Sanaya N, Janusaite M, Dalamaga M, Magkos F
Curr Obes Rep 2024 Mar;13(1):35-50. Epub 2024 Jan 3 doi: 10.1007/s13679-023-00539-8. PMID: 38172475
Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: who is really at risk?
Montani JP, Schutz Y, Dulloo AG
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:7-18. doi: 10.1111/obr.12251. PMID: 25614199
Pathways from dieting to weight regain, to obesity and to the metabolic syndrome: an overview.
Dulloo AG, Montani JP
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:1-6. doi: 10.1111/obr.12250. PMID: 25614198
Does Barbie make girls want to be thin? The effect of experimental exposure to images of dolls on the body image of 5- to 8-year-old girls.
Dittmar H, Halliwell E, Ive S
Dev Psychol 2006 Mar;42(2):283-92. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.283. PMID: 16569167

Diagnosis

Physiology of weight regain: Lessons from the classic Minnesota Starvation Experiment on human body composition regulation.
Dulloo AG
Obes Rev 2021 Mar;22 Suppl 2:e13189. Epub 2021 Feb 5 doi: 10.1111/obr.13189. PMID: 33543573
Weight cycling practices in sport: A risk factor for later obesity?
Miles-Chan JL, Isacco L
Obes Rev 2021 Mar;22 Suppl 2:e13188. Epub 2020 Dec 28 doi: 10.1111/obr.13188. PMID: 33372395
Development of the Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0.
Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD
Psychol Addict Behav 2016 Feb;30(1):113-21. doi: 10.1037/adb0000136. PMID: 26866783
Caring for Wrestlers.
Kiningham R, Monseau A
Curr Sports Med Rep 2015 Sep-Oct;14(5):404-12. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000193. PMID: 26359843
Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: who is really at risk?
Montani JP, Schutz Y, Dulloo AG
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:7-18. doi: 10.1111/obr.12251. PMID: 25614199

Therapy

Strategies for minimizing muscle loss during use of incretin-mimetic drugs for treatment of obesity.
Mechanick JI, Butsch WS, Christensen SM, Hamdy O, Li Z, Prado CM, Heymsfield SB
Obes Rev 2025 Jan;26(1):e13841. Epub 2024 Sep 19 doi: 10.1111/obr.13841. PMID: 39295512Free PMC Article
Very low-calorie ketogenic diet: A valuable and fashionable nutritional therapy. When could it become dangerous?
Gorini S, Armani A, Caprio M
Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2023 Nov;39(8):e3698. Epub 2023 Jul 19 doi: 10.1002/dmrr.3698. PMID: 37466954
Association between weight cycling and risk of developing diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zou H, Yin P, Liu L, Duan W, Li P, Yang Y, Li W, Zong Q, Yu X
J Diabetes Investig 2021 Apr;12(4):625-632. Epub 2020 Aug 28 doi: 10.1111/jdi.13380. PMID: 32745374Free PMC Article
Dietary protein - its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health.
Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Lemmens SG, Westerterp KR
Br J Nutr 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 2:S105-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002589. PMID: 23107521
Weight cycling and cancer: weighing the evidence of intermittent caloric restriction and cancer risk.
Thompson HJ, McTiernan A
Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2011 Nov;4(11):1736-42. Epub 2011 Oct 7 doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-11-0133. PMID: 21982873Free PMC Article

Prognosis

Association between weight cycling and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective cohort study.
Kim S, Lee DH, Giovannucci EL, Keum N
Br J Cancer 2024 Feb;130(3):496-503. Epub 2023 Dec 19 doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02529-y. PMID: 38114529Free PMC Article
Prevention Strategies in Endometrial Carcinoma.
MacKintosh ML, Crosbie EJ
Curr Oncol Rep 2018 Nov 13;20(12):101. doi: 10.1007/s11912-018-0747-1. PMID: 30426278Free PMC Article
Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: who is really at risk?
Montani JP, Schutz Y, Dulloo AG
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:7-18. doi: 10.1111/obr.12251. PMID: 25614199
Pathways from dieting to weight regain, to obesity and to the metabolic syndrome: an overview.
Dulloo AG, Montani JP
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:1-6. doi: 10.1111/obr.12250. PMID: 25614198
Impact of weight cycling on risk of morbidity and mortality.
Mehta T, Smith DL Jr, Muhammad J, Casazza K
Obes Rev 2014 Nov;15(11):870-81. Epub 2014 Sep 29 doi: 10.1111/obr.12222. PMID: 25263568Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Association between weight cycling and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective cohort study.
Kim S, Lee DH, Giovannucci EL, Keum N
Br J Cancer 2024 Feb;130(3):496-503. Epub 2023 Dec 19 doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02529-y. PMID: 38114529Free PMC Article
Development of the Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0.
Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD
Psychol Addict Behav 2016 Feb;30(1):113-21. doi: 10.1037/adb0000136. PMID: 26866783
Pathways from dieting to weight regain, to obesity and to the metabolic syndrome: an overview.
Dulloo AG, Montani JP
Obes Rev 2015 Feb;16 Suppl 1:1-6. doi: 10.1111/obr.12250. PMID: 25614198
Impact of weight cycling on risk of morbidity and mortality.
Mehta T, Smith DL Jr, Muhammad J, Casazza K
Obes Rev 2014 Nov;15(11):870-81. Epub 2014 Sep 29 doi: 10.1111/obr.12222. PMID: 25263568Free PMC Article
Injuries in judo: a systematic literature review including suggestions for prevention.
Pocecco E, Ruedl G, Stankovic N, Sterkowicz S, Del Vecchio FB, Gutiérrez-García C, Rousseau R, Wolf M, Kopp M, Miarka B, Menz V, Krüsmann P, Calmet M, Malliaropoulos N, Burtscher M
Br J Sports Med 2013 Dec;47(18):1139-43. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092886. PMID: 24255909

Recent systematic reviews

Weight regain, body composition, and metabolic responses to weight loss in weight cycling athletes: A systematic review and meta-analyses.
Bagot S, Pélissier L, Pereira B, Chanséaume Bussiere E, Duclos M, Dulloo A, Miles-Chan J, Charlot K, Boirie Y, Thivel D, Isacco L
Obes Rev 2024 Feb;25(2):e13658. Epub 2023 Dec 14 doi: 10.1111/obr.13658. PMID: 38096860
The impact of weight cycling on health outcomes in animal models: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Thillainadesan S, Madsen S, James DE, Hocking SL
Obes Rev 2022 May;23(5):e13416. Epub 2022 Jan 25 doi: 10.1111/obr.13416. PMID: 35075766
Association between weight cycling and risk of developing diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zou H, Yin P, Liu L, Duan W, Li P, Yang Y, Li W, Zong Q, Yu X
J Diabetes Investig 2021 Apr;12(4):625-632. Epub 2020 Aug 28 doi: 10.1111/jdi.13380. PMID: 32745374Free PMC Article
Intentional weight loss, weight cycling, and endometrial cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zhang X, Rhoades J, Caan BJ, Cohn DE, Salani R, Noria S, Suarez AA, Paskett ED, Felix AS
Int J Gynecol Cancer 2019 Nov;29(9):1361-1371. Epub 2019 Aug 26 doi: 10.1136/ijgc-2019-000728. PMID: 31451560Free PMC Article
Injuries in judo: a systematic literature review including suggestions for prevention.
Pocecco E, Ruedl G, Stankovic N, Sterkowicz S, Del Vecchio FB, Gutiérrez-García C, Rousseau R, Wolf M, Kopp M, Miarka B, Menz V, Krüsmann P, Calmet M, Malliaropoulos N, Burtscher M
Br J Sports Med 2013 Dec;47(18):1139-43. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092886. PMID: 24255909

Supplemental Content

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