It is not uncommon to regain a few pounds after a diet. And if this yoyo effect is not good for morale, it does not put your heart in too much trouble. A study published in the journal “Circulation : Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes” shows that losing weight is associated with a decrease in risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes for at least five years, even if some weight has been regained.
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes: losing weight reduces the risks.
The researchers pooled the results of 124 studies evaluating the health benefits of weight loss. This represented more than 50,000 participants, with an average follow-up of 28 months. They were on average 51 years old, with a body mass index of 33, which is considered obese. In these experiments, participants lost between 2 and 5 kg. Weight regain averaged 0.12 to 0.32 kg per year.
The team assessed the impact of weight loss on their risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
First observation: people who lost weight through a sustained slimming program had lower risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than those with less intensive support. These volunteers had, among other things, a drop in systolic blood pressure and in the level of HbA1c (a protein in red blood cells used to test for diabetes). Moreover, “The ratio of total cholesterol to good cholesterol — known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — was 1.5 points lower one year and five years after participation in an intensive weight-loss program “indicates the Press release published by the American Heart Association on March 28, 2023.
Benefits persist even with weight gain
The scientists also noticed that the risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes seemed to remain lower for people who lost the extra pounds, even after regaining weight.
Few studies have followed people for more than 5 years and “more information is needed to confirm if this potential benefit persists”, acknowledged the co-lead author of the research, Dr Susan A. Jebb of the University of Oxford. But she believes that the “Results should provide reassurance that weight loss programs are effective in controlling cardiovascular risk factors and very likely to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.”