1st Revision: Faiza Zahir Overview
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 1 billion people worldwide are obese. In Europe alone 1 in 13 deaths are thought to be related to obesity and being overweight. Obesity is a health crisis but is preventable.
An ideal body mass index (BMI) is 18.5-24.9. 25+ is considered overweight and 30+ is obese.
Even just being a little overweight can increase your risk of developing unpleasant and potentially dangerous health issues. There are so many ways in which excess weight impacts the body; this article will cover just a few ways in which losing weight is beneficial to your health. It’s worth noting that the benefits of losing weight are interlinked. For example, improving the quality of your sleep can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
The pros of losing weight:
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Losing weight can dramatically increase your heart health and help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
The benefits of losing weight to benefit your heart health is linked to:
A reduction in blood pressure
Being overweight means that your heart works extra hard to pump the blood around your body; this results in higher blood pressure (BP). Even losing just a small amount of weight can make a significant difference to your BP and therefore take some pressure off your heart.1
Blood pressure that is consistently high can result in potentially life threatening complications such as heart failure, dementia and stroke. Obesity is the leading cause of cardiovascular related illness and death related to high blood pressure.2
A reduced cholesterol level
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood, too much of this can be harmful. Everybody has cholesterol, but too much can lead to cardiovascular disease.3
High cholesterol is a build up of fatty deposits that can eventually block your blood vessels. If these fatty deposits ‘break’ they can form a clot and cause a heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Being overweight affects your cholesterol levels because it increases bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreases good cholesterol (HDL).4
Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
Diabetes UK states that 85% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese. Carrying extra weight, especially around your middle (because extra fat builds up around your organs) puts you at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.5 Type 2 diabetes causes too much sugar in your blood because your pancreas is unable to make enough insulin that works efficiently. It can cause serious health issues with your eyes, kidneys, gums and increases your risk of cancer.
If you’ve already developed type 2 diabetes, losing just 5% of your body weight can positively impact your health. Losing larger amounts of weight can even put your diabetes into remission - surely an ideal goal to reach for with life changing benefits.6
Improved quality of sleep
People that are overweight are more likely to suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality as a result of conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). OSA is seven times more common in people that are obese, and their symptoms are more severe than those that maintain a healthy weight.7 A study investigating moderate to severe OSA found that weight loss and lifestyle intervention positively correlated with a reduction in severity of symptoms, OSA comorbidities and increased general quality of life.8
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), a condition that causes a variety of unpleasant symptoms such as heartburn is another condition that is often linked to excessive body weight.9 As GERD symptoms are often worse when lying down, disturbed sleep is common. Losing weight is the best way to resolve GERD.10
There are many other correlations between being overweight and poor sleep such as irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis and other pain conditions just to name a few.11
Even something as simple as finding a comfortable position to sleep in can be more difficult for people carrying extra weight!
Improved mood
There is a direct link between depression and diet.12 Losing weight itself is most definitely not a cure for depression but there is evidence that people who eat more nutrient dense foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables have a more positive mental wellbeing.13 In addition, it’s well documented that exercise can help depression and anxiety by releasing feel-good endorphins.
Other benefits of weight loss on mental health include an improvement in self-esteem and energy levels.
Improved fertility
For women with a BMI of 30+, a decrease in oestrogen can disrupt their menstrual cycles causing irregular ovulation and irregular periods.14 This can make it challenging to fall pregnant. Obesity also affects men’s fertility. Men who are overweight can have a reduction in testosterone levels which can result in low sperm production.15
By losing weight, the body’s hormones are more likely to remain regulated and therefore it could hypothesise that a successful pregnancy is more likely.
On the other hand, one study found different results, the researchers concluded that losing weight doesn’t increase the probability of a woman becoming pregnant. Clearly there needs to be more research in this area.
FAQs
Why is losing weight so hard?
Although we all know that carrying excess weight is not good for our health, it can be easier said than done when it comes to losing it! Factors such as age, genetics, hormones, your work and social life can all have an impact on your weight loss ability.
Some people may have underlying conditions such as an underactive thyroid that may make it harder to lose weight. It can also be harder for certain groups of people to lose weight; these include post-menopausal women and those taking certain medications where weight gain might be a side effect. Your GP should be able to advise you if you have any concerns.
What is the fastest way to lose weight?
The American Heart Association states that the best way to manage your weight and to keep in shape is by learning to balance healthy eating with adequate physical activity. There’s no such thing as a ‘quick fix’ to losing weight. In fact, losing weight through methods such as so called
‘crash diets’ cause problems for your metabolism and can make losing weight even harder in the long run.16
Although it’s undeniable that healthy eating is key to maintaining an ideal weight, some people find that joining support groups such as weight-watchers or other similar weight loss programmes helps to keep them motivated to achieve their weight loss goal. There’s also an abundance of weight loss tips online.
Exercise programmes available for all different abilities are conveniently situated at most gyms and local leisure centres. These can help you to develop a tailored regime that best suits your needs to increase your physical activity.
Summary
There are so many positive effects that come hand in hand with losing weight, this article just scratches the surface of the benefits. Each person’s road to losing weight varies and there are different methods you can use to suit your particular lifestyle. If you need assistance with your weight loss, your GP can give you advice but be assured that once you embark on your journey to live a healthier lifestyle, the benefits will be abundant. Even losing a small amount of weight will give your future a more positive outlook with a reduction in the risk of developing serious health conditions.
