Heart Benefits of Weight Loss Even if Regained

Losing weight can be challenging, and keeping the weight off is even harder. However, shedding extra pounds has been linked to a healthier heart and a lower risk of diabetes. A recent study discovered that individuals who followed an intensive behavioral weight loss program had lower systolic blood pressure, better cholesterol ratios, and reduced diabetes biomarkers for at least five years. The results were compared with people who did not participate in any program or participated in a less rigorous one.

What's even more impressive is that these benefits persisted even when participants regained some of the weight they lost. According to Professor Paul Aveyard, a behavioral medicine expert and one of the study's authors, this is excellent news for individuals looking to lose weight. It's important to do so by joining a behavioral weight loss program, which is proven to be the most effective way to shed extra pounds. This study provides encouragement for individuals to focus on their weight loss journey, knowing that the health benefits will last even if some weight is regained.

Study Finds Behavioral Support Effective for Weight Loss

A recent study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that participants who received intensive behavioral support in a weight management program were more likely to lose weight than those who received little or no support. The study analyzed 124 controlled trials involving over 50,000 participants who were randomly assigned to a weight management program or a control group. These programs promote weight loss through exercise, healthy eating, partial or total meal replacement, intermittent fasting, and financial incentives.

The participants in the study were on average 51 years old and considered obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 33. The World Health Organization has declared obesity an epidemic, with obesity contributing directly to cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders.

Behavioral weight management programs like WW (formerly Weight Watchers) aim to motivate, support, advise, and monitor progress through weekly meetings with a leader. The study found that participants who received intensive behavioral support were more likely to experience weight loss than those who received little or no support.

How Behavioral Support for Weight Loss Can Decrease Risk Factors for Heart Disease and Diabetes

A recent study found that people who received behavioral support during their weight loss journey had a lower risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, even after regaining some weight. While those who did not receive support still lost weight, those who did were able to maintain a weight loss of about 5 pounds more than their counterparts in the control group.

Although the group who received no support did see a reduction in risk factors, the support group saw an even greater benefit. At both one and five years after starting the program, the support group had lower systolic blood pressure, lower levels of HbA1C (a protein used to test for diabetes), and lower ratios of total cholesterol to "good" cholesterol. These factors are all linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

While those who received support did regain slightly more weight per year than the control group, the benefits of their weight loss journey persisted. The study suggests that receiving behavioral support during a weight loss program can have long-term health benefits, even after regaining some weight.

Long-Term Benefits Even After Regaining Weight, Says Expert

A recent study on weight loss programs has caught the attention of nutrition scientist and professor of medicine at Stanford School of Medicine, Christopher Gardner. According to Gardner, who was not involved in the study, the research is comprehensive and stands out due to its focus on long-term results, specifically up to five years after participants completed the program.

Gardner notes that weight loss studies typically only provide data for up to a year, making this study unique and very helpful. He believes that the study's results support the idea that regaining weight after losing it is still beneficial compared to not losing weight at all. However, he also points out that it remains unclear whether positive outcomes persist beyond the five-year mark, and more information is needed to confirm this potential benefit.

The Consequences of Regaining Weight After Losing It

New research suggests that regaining weight after losing it may not be as bad for your heart health as previously thought. Previous studies showed that fluctuating weight increases the risk of poor outcomes for heart patients and that some competitors who regained weight after losing it on a TV show ended up less healthy than before their weight loss.

However, this new study suggests that even if weight is regained, the initial weight loss may still provide significant health benefits, such as reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Intensive weight loss programs that involve extreme measures may lead to short-term weight loss, but they are difficult to maintain, and less-intensive programs may be more practical in the long run.

The goal of losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week may be more achievable for most people and could result in successful long-term weight loss.

Conclusion

In conclusion, recent studies have found that participating in an intensive behavioral weight loss program can result in significant long-term health benefits, including lower systolic blood pressure, better cholesterol ratios, and reduced diabetes biomarkers.

These benefits even persist when individuals regain some of the weight they lost. Behavioral support during a weight loss journey can decrease the risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and losing weight may still provide significant health benefits, such as reduced cardiovascular disease risk, even if some weight is regained.

While extreme weight loss programs may lead to short-term weight loss, less-intensive programs that promote healthy eating and exercise may be more practical and achievable in the long run. Overall, these findings provide encouragement for individuals to focus on their weight loss journey and prioritize their health.