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Weight cycling does not increase cancer risk
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Weight cycling does not appear associated with elevated cancer risk, according to an analysis of data from a large prospective cohort.
Nearly half of all U.S. adults have tried to lose weight, but most are unable to maintain their weight loss. This recurring cycle of intentional weight loss followed by weight regain is known as weight cycling or “yo-yo dieting.”
“Although both weight and weight gain are known to increase risk of cancer, whether weight cycling is associated with cancer risk, independent of body weight, is largely unknown,” Victoria L. Stevens, PhD, of the Epidemiology Research Program for the American Cancer Society, and colleagues wrote. “Because many people try to lose weight, understanding whether weight cycling is associated with cancer risk has important public health implications.”
Large prospective U.S. cohort
Stevens and colleagues conducted the first large, comprehensive study to assess the association between weight cycling and overall and site-specific cancer risk. They analyzed data from 62,792 men and 69,520 women who participated in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) Nutrition Cohort.
The researchers defined weight cycling as self-reported intentional weight loss of 10 pounds or more that were later regained. The investigators assessed incidence of all cancer among study participants between 1992 and 2009. They also assessed incidence of 15 specific cancer types, including prostate, colon, rectal, pancreatic, renal, esophageal, liver, stomach and lung cancers, melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloma.
Overall, 15,333 men and 9,984 women developed cancer during the 17-year study period.
Results for models that adjusted for BMI and other covariates showed no association between weight cycling and overall cancer risk among women (HR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86-1.08 for ≥ 20 cycles vs. no weight cycles) or men (HR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.83-1.11 for ≥ 20 cycles vs. no weight cycles). The researchers observed no associations between weight cycling and any specific cancer type analyzed.
“For the millions of Americans struggling to lose weight, the last thing they need to worry about is that if it comes back, they might raise their risk of cancer,” Stevens said in a press release. “This study, to our knowledge the largest and most comprehensive to date on the issue, should be reassuring. Our findings suggest that overweight and obese individuals should not let fears about their ability to maintain weight loss keep them from trying to lose weight in the first place.”
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People who are trying to lose weight should be encouraged to do so even though they may regain it given the extensive health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight, Stevens and colleagues wrote.
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Disclosure: Stevens and colleagues report no relevant financial disclosures.
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