Research

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A trajectory of weight gain followed by weight loss results in a net gain in fat mass (FM) despite fat-free mass (FFM) returning to baseline levels.

If you have gained weight and then lost it back to your starting weight, your body composition may not be the same as it was before. You may have more fat and less muscle than you did initially. To ensure you are maintaining a healthy body composition, incorporate strength training and monitor body composition metrics, not just total body weight.

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However, the gain in FM between baseline and 12 months, was not fully reversed between 12 and 24 months, resulting in a net gain in FM of 1.71 (0.4, 3.01) kg over each 24-month period.
Thomas Yates et al. · Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism · 2023

Why this rating

Prospective cohort study with objective BIA measurements and adjustment for multiple confounders.

Source

Impact of weight loss and weight gain trajectories on body composition in a population at high risk of type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort analysis

Thomas Yates et al. · Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism · 2023

DOI 10.1111/dom.15400

cohort · n=622Cited 22×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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