Health and nutrition expert Michael Mosley said the idea it is better to lose weight gradually rather than quickly is a myth.
People who are trying to lose weight are often told that if they lose weight too quickly, they will put it back on just as quickly. The 5:2 and Fast 800 diets however, say the evidence does not back this. Also, studies suggest people losing weight faster are less likely to drop out due to frustration at their slow progress.
Writing on his website Dr Mosley said: "In a recent review article titled 'Myths, Presumptions and Facts about Obesity' in the prestigious medical journal, The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers put this claim firmly into the 'myths' category. After looking at numerous studies which have compared rapid with slow and steady weight loss, they concluded you would do better to lose it quickly rather than slowly."
