It's a longstanding difficulty for those on a diet - shedding a few pounds only to quickly regain them again.
Researchers have now found that our body fat retains a "memory" of obesity that endures even after weight loss, which might increase the likelihood of regaining previously lost weight.
The study's results may shed light on the commonly known "yo-yo" effect that frequently occurs when following weight loss diets, according to the researchers.
Scientists examined cells taken from body fat tissue in 18 individuals with a normal body weight and in 20 obese individuals at two points: before and after they shed excess weight following bariatric surgery.
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Studies were conducted in mice with lean, obese, and formerly obese body types, and the results indicated similar changes that were thought to be related to disturbances in metabolic pathways - chemical processes that convert food and drinks into energy.
These factors may contribute to weight gain after dieting, the authors stated.
Researchers from ETH Zurich, a prestigious university located in Switzerland, have found that focusing on these modifications could ultimately lead to more effective long-term weight management.
Reducing body weight to improve metabolic health and related health conditions is a primary goal in treating obesity, as stated in the journal Nature.
While successfully losing weight is often a major achievement, sustaining this reduction in weight proves to be a considerable challenge, particularly as the body appears to have an ingrained mechanism to counteract body weight changes.
These changes contribute to the undesirable 'yo-yo dieting phenomenon often observed.'
Although their research focused on obesity, it is possible that a similar type of cellular memory could also play a role in other contexts, such as alcohol or nicotine addiction, they pointed out.
A past survey discovered that rapid weight fluctuations may still have a beneficial impact on one's overall wellbeing.
Researchers at Oxford University found that individuals who have difficulty preserving their ideal weight over the long term still experience improvements in their health compared to their weight before they lost any weight, if they subsequently regain some pounds.
The study of over 50,000 overweight people found that even those who regained some weight after dieting had lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than before they started losing weight.
And the study's results provide reassurance that any form of weight reduction is beneficial - even if there is some regaining of the lost weight.
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