Weight Cycling May Boost Long-Term Health, Study Finds

A large MRI-based study published in BMC Medicine finds weight cycling (yo-yo dieting) may confer lasting health benefits: even with weight regain, repeated weight loss reduces visceral fat and improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles, reflecting a persistent cardiometabolic memory. Over 5- and 10-year follow-ups, participants who rejoined a weight-loss program maintained better metabolic health than those who did it once, suggesting health gains go beyond the scale.