Weight loss may have long-term health benefits for obese individuals, but not for lean individuals.

A study of nearly 200,000 people found that intentional weight loss has long-term health benefits for obese people, regardless of the method or strategy. People who lost more than 4.5 kg lost less weight and had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who did not lose weight, but lean individuals did not benefit, weight loss trials were associated with long-term weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. 2 Diabetes. The study was published on September 27^Th In an open-access journal PLOS Medicine.

Being overweight increases your risk of diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Weight management may be an effective strategy to prevent and manage obesity and related diseases, although long-term weight change and risk Developing type 2 diabetes They are not well studied.

Qi Sun and colleagues from TH Chan, Harvard School of Public Health, included healthy participants in three cohort studies from 1988 – 2017. 11.6% male and 14.2% male in group. They divided the methods leading to weight loss of more than 4.5 kg into seven categories: low-calorie diet, exercise, low-calorie diet and exercise, fasting, commercial weight loss program, diet pills, and a combination of fasting, commercial and diet pills. (FCP)

Exercise was most effective in long-term weight control and prevention of obesity-related weight gain in obese individuals four years later -; 4.2% overall mean weight loss in obese individuals, 2.5% weight loss in obese individuals, and 0.4% in obese individuals. This was reversed for FCP, which observed 0.3% weight loss in obese individuals, 2% additional weight gain in overweight individuals, and 3.7% additional weight gain in lean individuals.

After 24 years, regardless of the weight loss strategy, the risk of diabetes in obese people decreased – from a 21% reduction in exercise to a 13% reduction in diet pills. For overweight individuals, the researchers found that exercise reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 9%, for those taking pills it increased by 42%, and in lean people, all weight loss was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes – A 9% increase for exercise and a 54% increase for tablets or FCP.

The authors concluded that while weight loss may be beneficial for the obese and weight loss, weight loss strategies do not produce the same benefits for lean individuals, and weight loss strategies should only be used in people with medical needs.

We were a little surprised when we first saw a positive correlation between weight loss trials and rapid weight gain and higher incidence of type 2 diabetes among leaner individuals. However, we now know that such observations are backed by biology, which unfortunately leads to poor health outcomes when lean individuals deliberately try to lose weight. The good news is that overweight individuals clearly benefit from losing a few pounds, and even if the weight loss is temporary, the health benefits will last.

Qi Sun, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health