Key Takeaways:
- Losing 5 to 10 pounds can have significant benefits for heart health, even if some weight is regained later on.
- Participants who took part in a weight loss program showed improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels compared to those who did not.
- Slowly regaining some of the lost weight did not negate the heart health benefits of the weight loss program.
- Weight loss likely triggers a metabolic reset in the body, which can lead to a decrease in harmful abdominal fat that accumulates around the organs.
- These findings highlight the importance of focusing on sustainable weight loss efforts, rather than short-term or extreme diets.
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| Weight Loss Helps Your Heart |
Here are the key findings of the review, presented in subheadings and bulletins:
Behavioral Weight Loss Programs Can Help People Shed Pounds
The study analyzed 124 weight loss clinical trials involving over 50,000 people with an average age of 51 and an average body mass index of 33. On average, participants in weight loss programs lost 5 to 10 pounds, and these programs typically lasted around seven months. Behavioral weight loss programs help people lose weight by encouraging lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and increased physical activity.
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Weight Regain Is Common After Weight Loss
During follow-up, participants regained an average of 0.26 to 0.7 pounds per year, which is a slow and steady weight gain that is common after weight loss. According to senior researcher Paul Aveyard, the reasons people gain weight in the first place don't go away after weight loss, so most people do regain weight.
Heart Health Benefits of Weight Loss Persist Even After Regaining Some Pounds
Despite weight regain, people who participated in weight loss programs still maintained lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels for at least five years after the program ended, compared to those who did not lose weight. However, the health benefits tended to diminish as a person regained more weight.
Weight Loss May Cause a Metabolic Reset That Persists Even After Regaining Some Weight
Losing weight might cause a metabolic reset that persists even if some weight is regained. According to Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez from the Mayo Clinic, losing just a few pounds can result in a significant metabolic benefit because it tends to decrease the belly fat that collects around organs, which puts pressure on the organs, increasing inflammation, and doing systemic harm to the body.
The Scale May Not Accurately Reflect Changes in Body Fat
People should keep in mind that the bathroom scale lies when it comes to how much body fat they've lost during a weight loss program. Lean muscle weighs more than body fat, so someone who exercises along with dieting might witness a modest overall weight loss that's actually disguising a much more successful drop in their fat stores.
More Research Is Needed on Long-Term Weight Loss and Health Outcomes
The review's long-term follow-up is a significant improvement compared to most weight loss clinical trials, which don't usually feature long-term follow-up. However, there are still important questions that need to be answered about weight loss and health outcomes, such as what happens five or ten years down the road after a person drops some excess weight.
Conclusion
Despite the common experience of weight regain after weight loss, the benefits of weight loss for heart health are sustained even if some weight is regained. Behavioral weight loss programs can help people shed pounds, and losing weight may cause a metabolic reset that persists even after regaining some weight. However, more research is needed on the long-term health outcomes of weight loss.