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Losing just 5% of your body weight in middle age can reduce inflammation, lower the risk of stroke and make your heart as healthy as if you had never gained weight, research suggests. Millions of men and women worldwide gain weight as they age, putting extra stress on their body, reducing quality of life and doing significant damage to their cardiovascular and metabolic health. While most know being overweight or obese can affect health, many believe it is an inevitable part of ageing or assume they would need to shed a large amount of weight to reap any benefits.
The new study adds to growing evidence that small changes in body weight can have a big impact on health risks. While millions of people hope to lose a large amount of weight, it’s much easier to start with a smaller goal and keep it off, experts said. Researchers at University College London found overweight people who lost just 5% of their weight in their 40s and 50s had similar heart health in older age as adults who had always been a healthy weight.
By the time they reached the age of 62, both groups had comparable cholesterol levels, blood pressure and signs of inflammation – all key measures of cardiovascular and metabolic health. From paleo to intermittent fasting: are any diets actually good for us? - video The study’s lead author, Charis Bridger-Staatz, of UCL’s centre for longitudinal studies, said: “Ageing is often framed in terms of inevitable health decline, but our new research shows that this need not be the case. “Just a modest reduction in weight in people’s 50s may make a real difference to their health, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing their risk of heart issues.” Having poor metabolic or cardiovascular health can raise the risk of serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes.
Bridger-Staatz, a senior research fellow in population health, said thousands of lives could be lost needlessly in the next decade because of poor health related to being overweight or obese. “While obesity prevention strategies rightly place strong emphasis on children and young people, these findings indicate that prevention efforts should also extend to people in their 50s,” she added. “Although this is often perceived as a stage of life when meaningful health change is no longer possible, our research shows that it’s never too late to start making changes to improve your health.” In the study, researchers looked at data from more than 6,000 people born in the UK in 1958.
They analysed body mass index and noted the highest BMI each person reached by the age of 42. The team then examined whether people had lost or gained at least 5% of their weight by age 50, and if they had maintained this weight difference at age 55. Measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation markers were also analysed.
The study found that at the age of 62, the metabolic and cardiovascular health of overweight people who had lost weight in middle age closely resembled that of the consistently healthy weight group. This was an observational study, so conclusions cannot be drawn about cause and effect. The researchers also highlighted other limitations but said the findings had important implications.
The study’s co-author, Laura Gimeno, said: “These results show that the benefits of weight loss may extend beyond short-term weight reduction. Our findings support current interest around expanding access to effective weight-loss support, including weight-loss medications. “They also highlight the importance of reducing further weight gain in midlife, as this was consistently linked to the fastest deterioration in heart and metabolic health.”
Source: The Guardian
