The Physiology of weight loss and weight regain in overweight humans

Weight loss can be achieved easily with dietary intervention, but many people will soon gain that weight back again (the yo-yo effect). Research is needed to identify the causes of this regained weight. This PhD dissertation describes the physiology of weight loss and seeks to identify causes of the yo-yo effect. Contrary to dietary guidelines in various countries, it appears that losing weight quickly (‘crash dieting’) does not lead to faster weight gain afterward than slower weight loss when tracked over a nine-month follow-up period. The rate of weight loss does influence the gene expression of fat cells, which could possibly lead to functional effects. It also appears that higher loss of muscle mass during a diet is related to weight gain during follow-up. Finally, three biomarkers were found that can predict the yo-yo effect to a certain extent.