HL:

In your lab, do research participants know you’re studying eating and dieting?

MANN: No, there is no sign that says “Health and Eating Lab.” It’s just known as the Mann Lab. We tell participants that we’re studying topics like memory, moods, communication and cognitive abilities. But at some point, we offer them snacks and then our real studies begin. We do tell them afterward that the study really was about eating.

HL: So after 20 years of research, do you think weight loss diets work?

MANN: No, weight loss diets do not work in the long term because our bodies and our brains are not hardwired to resist food. This is part of our biological imperative to survive.

HL: But there are people who do lose weight and will tell you that diets do work, right?

MANN: Yes, people can lose weight, usually about 10 percent of their starting weight, on a diet in what I call the honeymoon stage. This varies in different people but is usually in the first six to 12 months of being on a diet. After that time, biological changes caused by dieting kick in. Actually, neurological changes in brain chemistry start almost as soon as people begin dieting; this causes people to become preoccupied, obsessed with food. As the diet progresses into that six-month period, there are changes in the hormones that affect eating; your body produces more of the ones that make you hungry and less of the ones that make you feel satisfied. And then your body goes into starvation mode, and your metabolism becomes very efficient with fewer calories. People call it the battle of the bulge, but it’s actually a battle against our body’s survival processes.

HL: You suggest that instead of dieting to reach an impossible perfect weight, people should aim for their genetic set weight range. What is that, and why is it important?

MANN: Genetics account for 70 percent of the variability of a person’s weight. Our genetic set weight range is that weight—give or take 15 pounds either way—that our body can function at without kicking in those biological processes we just discussed. People should strive for living on the lower end of their set weight. Without starving yourself and with regular moderate exercise, it is a sensible, healthy weight.

HL: You’ve developed what you call 12 smart regulation strategies for living on the lower end of your set weight. Would you share one with our readers?

MANN: One of my favorites is veggies first. In study after study, we showed that people will eat veggies or any other healthy food if it’s served first and particularly with no other food. Think about when you go to a restaurant and order a salad that comes before your meal. You eat all of that salad. So at home, do the same thing. Put veggies or a salad on the table before any other food. Even better, eat them before you even prepare any other food.

HL: Anything you want to add in conclusion?

MANN: People should shift the focus away from this perfect weight obsession. Just focus instead on overall health and well-being.