Rapid weight loss may be more effective than a gradual approach, according to new research that challenges long-held assumptions. Experts have found that people who shed pounds quickly not only achieve greater initial weight loss , but are also more likely to maintain it over a year. The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Turkey , directly contradicts the conventional wisdom that slower weight loss is superior for sustained results. One expert said that the work “challenges the longstanding assumption that gradual weight loss is superior for long-term outcomes”. Researchers from Norway analysed data from 284 obese adults, dividing them into two programmes. The rapid weight loss group followed a 16-week plan, limiting calories to 1,000 for the first eight weeks, 1,300 for weeks nine to 12, and 1,500 for the final four weeks.…