Yo-Yo Dieting May Increase Risk of Gallstones

We know that yo-yo dieting isn’t a good thing, but we didn’t know of specific health problems associated with it – until now. A report from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study has examined weight loss patterns in men over from 1988 to 1992. Weight cyclers who were free of gallstones at baseline were followed from 1992 to 2002. The frequency of occurrence of gallstone disease was compared between different groups of weight cyclers and non-cyclers, or weight maintainers.

Light cyclers were 11% more likely, medium cyclers were 18%, and severe cyclers (20 pounds or more per cycle) were 42% more likely to develop gallstone disease. More loss-gain cycles increase the risk. Those heavy cyclers with more than one episode of cycling were over 50% more likely to get gallstones.

This study was done in a population of men. However, there’s no reason to believe the results aren't relevant for women, too. Women trying to lose weight are just as likely to become cyclers, so they should be aware of this possible risk.