New study challenges long-held assumption about weight loss

• New research suggests that rapid weight loss may be more effective than a gradual approach for both initial weight reduction and long-term maintenance, challenging conventional wisdom.
• The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Turkey, involved 284 obese adults divided into rapid and gradual weight loss programmes.
• Participants in the rapid weight loss group followed a structured 16-week plan with calorie restrictions, while the gradual group aimed for a 1,000-calorie daily reduction.
• After 16 weeks, the rapid weight loss group lost significantly more body weight (12.9 per cent) compared to the gradual group (8.1 per cent).
• One year later, the rapid weight loss group maintained a greater overall loss (14.4 per cent) compared to the gradual group (10.5 per cent), indicating that rapid weight loss, when supervised, can be an effective strategy.

IN FULL

New study changes what we know about the best speed at which to lose weight