Going on a diet has negative consequences not only for the body but also for your mind. A study from the North Carolina State University, published in the journal ‘Qualitative Health Research’, says that yo-yo dieting or weight cycling is a prevalent part of modern lifestyle, with fad diets and lose-weight-quick plans as people pursue beauty ideals. Inevitably, these diet behaviours became unsustainable, and people regain all the weight. This makes them feel ashamed, and further internalise stigma associated with obesity, leaving them worse off than they did before they began dieting. Weight loss became a focal point of their lives, to the point that it distracts them from spending time with friends, family, and colleagues and reducing weight-gain temptations such as drinking and overeating. The findings suggest that it can be damaging for people to begin dieting unless it is medically necessary and is advised by a doctor. Once an unhealthy dieting pattern begins, it is very difficult to avoid a lifelong struggle with weight.
