UCLA Center for the Study of Women

“Everyone knows diets don’t work. All they do is stress you out.” This judgment, uttered by the inimitable Oprah Winfrey, characterizes a vast number of women’s experiences with dieting. The weight comes off initially and then seems to rebound right back, making the entire miserable experience for naught. The common perception that diets don’t work seems to be acknowledged (if not accepted) by women everywhere.