Eating Binges May Have Long-Term Effects

The epidemic of overweight and inactivity has driven many of us to limit our calorie intake and exercise more.  In spite of our efforts, however, there are often times when the temptation to overeat, together with difficulty in exercising, leads to a forced break with good habits - for instance, when on vacation.  There’s an old saying that goes: “a moment on the lips, forever on the hips”.  There may be some truth in this, according to the results of a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism.  Swedish scientists wanted to demonstrate possible long-term effects of a relatively short period of over-eating and inactivity.

Eighteen volunteers with an average age of 26 were subjected to a 4-week period of capped energy expenditure (maximum allowed = 5,000 steps a day) and increased energy intake by an average of 70%.  A separate matched control group of volunteers ate and exercised as normal.  Body composition was measured using dual energy x-ray (DXA) at baseline, and after 4 weeks’ intervention and after 12 months. 

The test group of subjects averaged a 14.1 lbs. increase in body weight, with an increase in body fat–free mass and fat mass.  Six months later they had lost most of their weight gain, i.e. 10.4 lbs.  After 12 months, body weights had increased by 3.3 lbs. on average over baseline weights.  The DXA exams showed this was due to increased fat mass, but not fat-free body mass (+ 3.1 lbs.)  After 2½ years, the increase in body weight with the ‘bingers’ averaged 6.8 lbs. over baseline, while the controls showed virtually no change (+0.2 lbs.)

The researchers conclude that the long-term difference in body weight in this study suggests there’s an extended effect of overeating coupled with minimal exercise on fat mass accumulation.  In other words, it’s not surprising that, if you take a 2-week cruise without much activity apart from the midnight buffet, you’re going to pack on pounds that are very hard to lose.  You are warned!