“Restraint pays” is the mantra researchers at Brigham Young University say is key to fending off weight gain in middle age. In a study of 192 middle-aged women, researchers found that over a three-year period those who didn’t restrict their eating were 138 percent more likely to put on 6.6 pounds or more than those who did—regardless of age, weight, or level of physical activity. Previously, experts have said that limiting what you eat to control weight can backfire, prompting binges. But this research suggests that sensible portion control may work if you hope to keep off pounds.
Source: American Journal of Health Promotion, January/February 2009