How much weight loss is needed to improve health?
Losing 5% to 10% of your weight may reduce your health risks. A realistic weight loss of 5% to 10% can improve health conditions and reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases like1-6:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Bad cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
While healthy eating and physical activity must be part of any weight-loss intervention, they are not always sufficient to maintain weight loss.1 This is why it is important to work with your health care professional to develop a comprehensive and individualized approach to weight management.
To help start a conversation with your health care professional about your weight, complete a free TrueWeightTM History Assessment.
- Jensen MD, Ryan DH, Apovian CM, et al. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines; Obesity Society. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63(25ptB):2985-3023.
- Weight-control Information Network. Do you know some of the health risks of being overweight? US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. NIH Publication No. 07-4089. November 2004. Updated December 2012. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/weight-control/health_risks_being_overweight/Documents/hlthrisks1104.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2015.
- Wing R, Lang W, Wadden T, et al. Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2011;34:1481-1486.
- Dengo AL, Dennis EA, Orr JS, et al. Arterial destiffening with weight loss in overweight and obese middle-aged and older adults. Hypertension. 2010;55(4):855-861.
- Tuomilehto J, Gylling H, Peltonen M, et al. Sustained improvement in mild obstructive sleep apnea after a diet- and physical activity-based lifestyle intervention: postinterventional follow-up. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:688-696.
- Foster G, Borradaile K, Sanders M, et al. A randomized study on the effect of weight loss on obstructive sleep apnea among obese patients with type 2 diabetes: the Sleep AHEAD study. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(17):1619-1626.
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