There is a better age to lose weight and halve health risks

Losing excess weight between the ages of 40 and 50 reduces the risk of death and chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack, stroke and cancer in later years, according to a large study published in Jama Network Open and conducted when surgical and pharmacological interventions for weight loss were almost non-existent.

A study that lasted decades

The study was conducted at the University of Helsinki and analyzed data from three groups of people (enrolled in three different studies in different decades) for a total of over 23 thousand individuals, whose general health was monitored for a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 35 years.

In the first group of individuals, followed for an average time of almost 23 years, it was seen that those between the ages of 40 and 50 who lost weight, going from being overweight to being of the right weight, had a 48% lower risk of getting sick in the years to come, even when all other known risk factors, such as smoking, were equal.

In the second study group, followed for an average of about 12 years, weight loss was associated with a 57% reduction in the risk of developing chronic conditions over time. Finally, weight loss beyond a certain age was linked to a 16% reduction in the risk of death from all causes.

Taken together, these findings suggest that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight during midlife protects health in later years, an editorial linked to the work says.