Summary of Losing Weight May Benefit Your Heart, Even if Some Weight Is Regained:
Lifestyle changes through intensive behavioral weight loss programs can decrease the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes for at least five years, even if some weight is regained, according to a systematic review published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. The review covered 124 studies and more than 50,000 participants, with an average follow-up of 28 months. The study found that weight loss achieved through lifestyle changes was associated with decreased risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes for at least five years. Participants who lost weight through an intensive behavioral weight loss program had lower systolic blood pressure levels, total cholesterol-to-good cholesterol ratio, and HbA1c levels compared to people who did not participate in a program or a lower-intensity behavioral program. The British Heart Foundation and the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre funded the study.
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Lifestyle Changes Can Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
A systematic review published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes has found that people who lost weight through an intensive behavioral weight loss program had lower systolic blood pressure levels, better cholesterol-to-good cholesterol ratio, and lower HbA1c levels compared to people who did not participate in a program or participated in a lower-intensity behavioral program. The effects of weight loss achieved through lifestyle changes lasted for at least five years, even if some weight was regained.
Obesity and a Healthy Heart
Obesity increases the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance, all of which can lead to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Overweight and obesity contributed to 2.4 million deaths in 2020, according to the latest Statistical Update by the American Heart Association. Behavioral weight loss programs encourage people to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating nutritious food and increasing physical activity. Weight regain is common after such programs, but this review shows that even if some weight is regained, lifestyle changes decrease cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes risk factors for at least five years.
Long-Term Effects of Behavioral Weight Loss Programs
The review analyzed 124 studies totaling more than 50,000 participants, with an average follow-up of 28 months. The studies included interventions such as diet and exercise, meal replacement, intermittent fasting, or financial incentives tied to weight loss. Participants in these studies had an average age of 51 and a body mass index of 33 (considered obese). The average weight loss across studies ranged from 2-5 kilograms, or 5-10 pounds, while weight regains averaged 0.12 to 0.32 kg (0.26 pounds to 0.7 pounds) a year. Participants who lost weight through an intensive weight loss program had lower risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes than those who followed a less intensive or no weight loss program. These lower risk factors remained for at least five years after the weight loss program ended.
Taking a Look at the Numbers
The review found that, on average, systolic blood pressure was 1.5 mm Hg lower at one year and 0.4 mm Hg lower at five years after participation in an intensive weight loss program. The HbA1c diabetes marker was reduced by 0.26 at both one and five years after program completion. The ratio of total cholesterol to good cholesterol was 1.5 points lower one year and five years after participation in an intensive weight loss program. And while more research is needed to confirm this finding, the review’s authors suggest that the decreased risk of cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes persists even after weight regain.
Behavioral Weight Loss Programs vs. Medication Therapy
Behavioral weight loss programs remain the primary method of weight management, though they can be resource intensive. Meanwhile, emerging medication therapies are expensive. An accompanying editorial notes that more research is needed to understand the long-term impact of various weight loss interventions and how weight regains affects long-term clinical outcomes. Despite the limitations of this review, the findings indicate that making lifestyle changes through an intensive behavioral weight loss program can lead to sustained cardiovascular benefits for at least five years.
Conclusion
The results of this systematic review highlight the importance of making healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Though weight regains is common after behavioral weight loss programs, this review shows that even if some weight is recovered, the benefits of weight loss achieved through lifestyle changes persist for at least five years. Making lifestyle changes, including exercise and healthy eating, can improve not just your weight but your overall health, particularly when it comes to your heart.
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