Sustaining Weight Loss May Take More Than Willpower… Says Hormones

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that hormonal changes after weight loss may be a major cause of post-diet weight gain.

The study followed 50 overweight or obese adults though a ten-week low calorie diet and for a year afterward measuring hunger related hormones. Participants lost an average of 28.6 pounds during the diet, but regained an average of 11 pounds within the following year. Tests showed hormone changes related to increased hunger were present immediately following the diet and for up to a year after.

Researchers say this study provides important information about the physiological issues surrounding sustained weight loss. What was once considered a lack of willpower may be treatable through hormone therapies or medication to increase successful weight maintenance.