Obesity Even a minimal weight reduction shows clear positive effects

Obesity: Even light weight loss brings a lot for health
People with severe overweight (obesity) often find it difficult to reduce their weight. Many do not manage to eat healthier or move regularly. Sometimes for fear of failure. But it would be worthwhile: According to the latest scientific findings, five percent less weight can have a positive impact on your health.

Strong overweight makes you sick
Health experts agree that severe overweight (obesity) makes you sick. Obesity is a risk factor for many civilization diseases. Especially diseases of the vessels and the cardiovascular system such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease or arteriosclerosis are to be mentioned here. In addition, obesity increases the risk of joint wear and tear (arthritis), diabetes, cancer and psychosocial disorders. It has recently been shown that obesity in women increases the risk of postnatal depression. But while most sufferers realize that their body weight has a negative impact on their health, many find it difficult to lose weight. But they would do something very good with it: According to new scientific findings, even a small weight loss brings much for your health.

Even small weight loss can already achieve far-reaching positive effects in overweight people. (Image: Kurhan / fotolia.com)

"Great return for a small stake"
Heavily overweight people who manage to lose five percent are doing a great service to their health, researchers in the journal Cell Metabolism reported. This significantly reduces the risk of many weight-related illnesses. Accordingly, the body fat percentage shrinks by eight percent, even in the case of particularly unhealthy belly fat (seven percent). Senior author Samuel Klein of Washington University in St. Louis explained, according to a news agency dpa: "This is a great return for a small mission."

Previous findings confirmed
According to German experts, this would confirm previous findings. Crash diets are not recommended, according to Christina Holzapfel from the Adiposity Competence Network (TU München). "A healthy body weight is a life task," said the expert to the dpa. According to the study, the current recommendation for obese people in the US is currently a weight reduction of five to ten percent. However, even with a relatively small weight reduction, various risk factors for type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease were significantly reduced, reported the team of scientists to Faidon Magkos of Washington University in St. Louis. So improve the metabolism, as well as the insulin sensitivity of the organs and the blood sugar level decreases.

Positive health effects are increasing
If you manage to lose more than ten percent of your weight, your muscles will also benefit more. According to the authors, the positive health effects, such as lipid metabolism and inflammation, are generally increasing. "We hope that these results will encourage people with severe obesity to take manageable steps," says Klein. According to the study, 40 adults without any other illnesses participated in the study, whose body mass index (BMI) averaged just under 38 - from 30 it is referred to as obesity. A part of the test group kept its weight, while the other men and women in a six-month diet around five, ten or 15 percent decreased. Her blood levels and other health-related data such as blood pressure and heart rate were monitored during this time. Almost half of the subjects (19) achieved a five percent weight reduction.

Better explanation of the relationships for patients
Christina Holzapfel said according to dpa, the results of the study are pleasing. Earlier analyzes have shown that a moderate weight loss of five to ten percent improve the metabolic situation. "It always affects the quality of life, including the joints." It was important to permanently reduce his body weight. Exercise, diet, behavior: the entire lifestyle has to change. Dirk Müller-Wieland from the German Diabetes Association (DDG) said that the more detailed reasons the study provides for positively affecting metabolism even with low weight loss could help explain the relationships better to patients in the future. "The goal of losing five percent weight motivates tremendously."

Small steps for the health
For obese people, it is far more difficult to lose pounds than commonly thought. This applies to adults as well as to children and adolescents. Not infrequently, the probability of getting fat, already in the genetic material given. An international research team found a gene responsible for obesity a few years ago. And Scottish researchers recently reported that a hormone that regulates appetite could be responsible for making losing weight far more difficult for women. According to experts, it can be even more important as a motivating factor that even very small steps in weight loss are very good for your health. Also, the authors of the current study emphasized that many sufferers could save the feeling of failure if they set themselves small goals. Five percent less weight was much easier to achieve than a minus of ten percent. (Ad)