Research
Adherence
Higher baseline levels of dietary disinhibition, binge eating, and depressive symptoms are significant predictors of subsequent weight regain in successful weight losers.
If you struggle with binge eating, dietary disinhibition, or depression, your risk of regaining weight is higher. Seek interventions targeting these psychological factors to improve long-term maintenance.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Those who gained weight by the 1-year follow-up had, at the initial assessment, reported higher levels of dietary disinhibition... and objective binge eating... Gainers also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than maintainers at the initial assessment.
Why this rating
Large sample, validated psychological scales, longitudinal.
Source
What predicts weight regain in a group of successful weight losers?
Maureen T. McGuire et al. · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · 1999
DOI 10.1037/0022-006x.67.2.177
cohort · n=714Cited 408×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Longer duration of successful weight maintenance (2-5+ years) significantly reduces the relative risk of subsequent weight regain compared to shorter maintenance durations (<2 years).Good
- Weight regain in successful losers is primarily driven by a decline in physical activity (specifically high-intensity exercise) and an increase in dietary fat percentage, rather than an increase in total caloric intake.Good
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- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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