Yo-yo dieters may be healthier and live longer than those who stay obese, a new Ohio University study in mice suggests. Mice that switched between a high-fat and low-fat diet every four weeks during their approximate two-year lifespan lived about 25 percent longer and had better blood glucose levels than obese animals that ate a high-fat diet. The yo-yo dieters also lived about as long as a control group of mice steadily fed a low-fat diet. Some experts argue that constantly shedding and regaining pounds can be harmful to health. The new research, presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston, suggests, however, that yo-yo dieting is preferable to remaining obese and not dieting at all.
