Researchers say weight comments lead to gaining weight

People who criticize women about their waistlines may prompt them to gain even more weight.

Researchers in Canada studied a group of college-age women for about eight months, tracking their weight and feelings about their body, along with what kind of messages their loved ones were giving them about their body.

Those who reporting having people tell them they looked fine just as they are were better able to maintain their weight or even lose a few pounds; those who had very few messages of support gained nearly five pounds during the study period.