Compared to people who received minimal or no weight loss support, people who lost weight through an intensive behavioral weight loss program had lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels for at least 5 years after completing the program. Lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels should theoretically translate into a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but there are currently few studies that prove this. The findings of this study suggest that joining a behavioral weight loss program grants long-term health benefits even if weight is regained. In the United States, nearly 1 in 3 adultsTrusted Source (30.7%) are overweight, and more than 2 in 5 adults (42.4%) have obesity. The problem is not limited to America. WorldwideTrusted Source, nearly 2 in 5 adults (39%) were overweight in 2016, and more than 1 in 10 (13%) were obese. These statistics are concerning because carrying excessive weightTrusted Source significantly increases a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis), and some cancers.
To avoid these problems, programs have been designed to help people lose weight by changing their behavior related to diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Most of these behavioral weight management programs, or lifestyle modification programs as they are also known, are effectiveTrusted Source at helping people lose weight over a 12-month period. Now, researchers at the University of Oxford want to understand whether behavioral weight management programs have long-term benefits beyond a year.
“Many people fear that weight loss attempts result in rapid weight regain and even over-shooting, so people might end up heavier than before the weight loss attempt. There was a fear that this would mean that weight loss did not benefit health long-term. We wanted to assess what really happens after weight loss attempts finish.” Prof. Paul Aveyard, Ph.D., professor of behavioral medicine at the University of Oxford and senior co-author Prof. Aveyard and his coworkers reviewed randomized controlled trials from around the world to compare long-term health outcomes in people.
