Overeating and Body Changes

Overeating for just four weeks may cause lasting changes in body fat composition.
The Los Angeles Times (8/24, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, "overeating for just four weeks can cause changes in body fat composition that last for years." In a two-year study of 18 young and healthy adults of normal body weight who were told to be sedentary and to raise their intake of calories by 70% for one month and a control group who changed neither their diet nor their exercise habits, researchers found that "at the one-year mark, the gluttony group was an average of 3.3 pounds heavier than before their four-week binge while there was no change in the body weight of the control group."
BBC News (8/24) reported, "The study suggests that even a short period of excessive eating and a lack of exercise can potentially change a person's physiology -- making it harder to lose and keep off weight." The UK's Telegraph (8/25, Alleyne) also covers the story.