London: A new long-term study from researchers in the U.K. and Finland reveals that losing weight in your 40s and 50s can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes.
Published in JAMA Network Open, the study followed over 23,000 white Europeans aged 30 to 50 for up to 35 years, highlighting the lasting health benefits of even moderate, sustained weight loss.
Participants who shed 6.5% of their body weight in mid-life and maintained it showed a significantly lower risk of developing chronic illness.
The analysis sorted individuals into four groups based on their weight trajectories and found that those who reduced their weight from overweight to normal had up to 48% lower risk for chronic diseases and a 19% reduction in overall mortality.
Dr Timo Strandberg, lead author and professor at the University of Helsinki, emphasized that most participants lost weight through lifestyle changes, as the data was collected before modern surgical or pharmaceutical interventions were widely used.
He noted that people who maintained a healthy weight throughout life had the best long-term outcomes.
“This research underscores that it’s never too late to make healthy lifestyle changes,” said Dr. Strandberg. He hopes the findings will motivate more individuals to take proactive steps in mid-life to improve longevity, especially as global obesity rates continue to rise.
