Though the popular belief says that losing weight will prolong life, this has never been proven and such weight cycling may actually cause higher mortality rates (Gaesser "Thinness and Weight Loss: Beneficial or Detrimental to Longevity"; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Never-Smoking Overweight U.S. White Women Aged 40-64 Years."; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Overweight White Men Aged 40-64 Years").
Though the popular belief says that losing weight will prolong life, this has never been proven and such weight cycling may actually cause higher mortality rates (Gaesser "Thinness and Weight Loss: Beneficial or Detrimental to Longevity"; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Never-Smoking Overweight U.S. White Women Aged 40-64 Years."; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Overweight White Men Aged 40-64 Years")
Though the popular belief says that losing weight will prolong life, this has never been proven and such weight cycling may actually cause higher mortality rates (Gaesser "Thinness and Weight Loss: Beneficial or Detrimental to Longevity"; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Never-Smoking Overweight U.S. White Women Aged 40-64 Years."; Williamson "Prospective Study of Intentional Weight Loss and Mortality in Overweight White Men Aged 40-64 Years")
NEJM, Volume 332:621-628, March 9, 1995, Number 10
Conclusions Maintenance of a reduced or elevated body weight is associated with compensatory changes in energy expenditure, which oppose the maintenance of a body weight that is different from the usual weight. These compensatory changes may account for the poor long-term efficacy of treatments for obesity.