Losing weight reduces your risk of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes — even if you put it back on, researchers say
Losing weight can reduce your chances of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes—even if you gain some of it back.
Oxford University researchers found that those who lost the pounds still had health benefits five years later, even if they regained some of the weight.
Weight loss programs – like the NHS Soup and Shake Diet – can help people lose and maintain a healthy weight by encouraging lifestyle changes.
But regaining some weight when the help and advice stops is common.
The scientists wanted to test whether the subsequent health benefits of losing weight, such as lowering blood pressure, persisted after the procedures were completed.
Oxford University researchers found that those who lost the pounds still had health benefits five years later
They combined the results of 124 studies involving more than 50,000 participants who had taken part in diet or exercise interventions such as meal replacement, intermittent fasting or financial incentives to lose weight.
The participants were on average 51 years old and had a body mass index of 33, which is considered obese.
On average, people lost between 5 and 10 pounds (2-5 kg), while typically gaining up to 0.7 pounds (0.32 kg) per year.
Compared to those in a less intense program and those in no weight-loss program, participants who lost weight through an intense weight-loss program had lower risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
These lower risk factors persisted for at least five years after the weight-loss program ended, according to results published in the journal American Heart Association.
It has been found that those who have lost weight have lower systolic blood pressure – pressure in the arteries when the heart is beating – and lower levels of “bad” cholesterol.
Researchers found that levels of HbA1c, a protein in red blood cells used to test for diabetes, fell by 0.26 percent both one and five years after participating in an intensive weight-loss program.
This suggests that the reduced risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes appeared to remain lower even after weight gain, they said.
Professor Susan Jebb of the University of Oxford and co-author of the study said: “For people who are overweight or obese, losing weight is a powerful way to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
She added, “Our results should provide reassurance that weight loss programs are effective in controlling cardiovascular risk factors and are very likely to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.”
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grain, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 servings of varied fruit and vegetables daily. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Base meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This equates to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole wheat biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and 1 large baked potato with its skin on
• Have some dairy products or dairy alternatives (like soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which should be oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water daily
• Adults should consume less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men per day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
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