Lose weight effortlessly and in the fastest time

 Having too much body fat can lead to a number of potentially deadly health conditions, but a recent study suggests weight loss may help lower some of those risks.

Surveys conducted for obese patients.

Three-quarters of adults with obesity have attempted to lose weight in the past year, but most have been unsuccessful

A survey of adults with obesity from six Western European countries highlights the struggle people with obesity endure trying to lose weight, and sheds new light on what works and what doesn't when it comes to losing weight.

The study by Dr. Marc Evans from University Hospital, Cardiff, UK, and Dr. Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, from Lane Clark & Peacock LLP, London, UK, and colleagues including from Novo Nordisk, Denmark, a manufacturer of diabetes and obesity medications and sponsor of the study, is being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, Netherlands (4-7 May).

"Our survey results indicate that while the majority of adults with obesity are actively trying to reduce their weight, using a variety of strategies, most are unsuccessful," says Dr. Evans. "This underscores the need for increased support and solutions for weight management. And while obesity's impact on health is well known, our finding that a sizeable proportion of adults with obesity appear at elevated risk of hospitalization or surgery due to multiple underlying illnesses, undoubtedly adds a sense of urgency to tackling Europe's growing obesity epidemic."

For this study, researchers conducted the cross-sectional RESOURCE survey to collect data on demographic characteristics, comorbidities, treatments, healthcare use, weight loss strategies and weight change in the past year from adults (aged 18 years or older) with obesity (BMI 30 kg/m² or higher) in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Data were collected between May and June 2021.

Respondents were asked about different methods they have used to lose weight, including commercial weight loss programs, anti-obesity medications, calorie-controlled or restricted diets, exercise, support from weight loss services, and digital health applications.

In total, 1,850 eligible individuals (average age 53 years, 52% female) with obesity who reported using primary or secondary healthcare services in the past 12 months were included in the analyses. Women who were pregnant were excluded. Over half (56%; 1,042) of participants had a BMI of 30 to <35 kg/m² (obesity class I), more than a quarter (27%; 496) had a BMI of 35 to <40 kg/m² (obesity class II) and just under a fifth (17%; 312) had a BMI of 40 to <70 kg/m² (obesity class III).

79% report trying to lose weight in the past year

Analyses looking at weight loss strategies found that 79% of respondents reported attempting to lose weight in the past year; the proportion was similar across obesity classes (class I, 75%; class II and III, 80%).

The most common weight loss methods were calorie-controlled or restricted diets (72% of participants), exercise programs or courses (22%), and pharmaceutical treatments (12%). However, three-quarters of participants who attempted to lose weight within the past year, did not achieve a clinically meaningful weight loss defined as at least 5% of their body weight.

The degree of success varied greatly between weight loss strategies—with just under a third of respondents reporting clinically meaningful weight loss from using a weight loss service or taking a pharmaceutical treatment. However, a third of respondents also reported gaining weight (more than 5% their bodyweight) despite attempts at various weight loss strategies.

Notably, exercise and calorie-controlled or restricted diets were the least beneficial, with respect to achieving clinically meaningful weight loss with only around 20% of respondents achieving this level of weight loss using these approaches.

While weight loss surgery is currently considered the most effective approach to clinically significant weight reduction, very few respondents in the study had undergone any weight loss surgical procedures. Among respondents from the UK, calorie-controlled or restricted diets and exercise programs or courses were the most common weight loss strategies (see table in notes to editors).

The researchers say that further research is needed to explore how successful individuals who lose weight are at maintaining this weight loss. 

More than 25% of people living with obesity have three or more complications

Further analyses of the survey data indicate that adults living with obesity face a broad range of obesity-related complications (ORCs), which tend to increase as obesity progresses, and which are associated with greater use of healthcare resources.

In total, 476 (26%) reported having no ORCs, 526 (28%) reported one ORC, 362 (20%) had two ORCs, and 486 (26%) had three or more ORCs.

The analyses also found increasing disease complications as obesity progresses: 23% of respondents with class 1 obesity reported three or more ORCs, compared to 26% with class II obesity, and 37% of those with class III obesity.

The most commonly reported ORCs were high blood pressure (39%), dyslipidaemia (high levels of cholesterol and/or other fats in the blood; 23%), type 2 diabetes (18%), and osteoarthritis (16%;).

Over the previous year, similar proportions of individuals in obesity classes I, II, and III had been hospitalized (19%, 16% and 17%, respectively) or undergone a surgical procedure (18%, 18% and 16%). However, the analyses found that having at least one ORC was linked to increased healthcare resource use.

Those with multiple ORCs (3 or more) twice as likely as those with none to be hospitalized in past year (13% vs 28%). Similarly, 14% of those without ORCs had undergone any surgical procedure, compared with 24% of those with three or more ORCs.

Extensive new study shows which weight loss methods actually work

Those who are obese and try to shed weight are often unsuccessful according to a new study. Over a quarter of people living with obesity who had attempted to lose weight manages to lose a significant amount a year later.

The new study led by Dr Marc Evans and other researchers from the University Hospital Cardiff, looked at information on 1,850 obese adults with an average age of 52, whom 79% said they attempted to lose weight in the last year. The new study, being presented to the European Congress on Obesity in the Netherlands, examined adults from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

People who had attempted diets (72%) had also started exercising, had weight loss surgery, tried medication or used digital apps. Researchers discovered among those who attempted to shed weight, 73.4% had not achieved 'clinically meaningful' weight loss.

Despite this, Wales Online reported those who have had surgery are most likely to have lost weight - with half losing at least 5% of their body weight. People using digital health applications (32%) lost weight and three in 10 who attended a weight loss service- dropped the pounds.

Additionally 30% of people who had medication or took up exercises lost a clinically meaningful amount of weight and others who embarked on a calorie controlled or restricted diet lost a significant amount of weight.

However, researchers found that people who mixed methods of weight loss - for example exercise and a calorie controlled diet - were more likely to have achieved weight loss. 22% of people who attempted one weight loss strategy had shed a significant proportion of body weight, in comparison to 33% who used a combination of weight loss tools.

“Our survey results indicate that while the majority of adults with obesity are actively trying to reduce their weight, using a variety of strategies, most are unsuccessful,” said Dr Evans. “This underscores the need for increased support and solutions for weight management.

“And while obesity’s impact on health is well known, our finding that a sizeable proportion of adults with obesity appear at elevated risk of hospitalisation or surgery due to multiple underlying illnesses, undoubtedly adds a sense of urgency to tackling Europe’s growing obesity epidemic.”

A separate study published at the conference found the impact of losing or gaining weight on serious health problems among obese people depends of their body mass index (BMI). Professor Kamlesh Khunti, from the Diabetes Research Centre at the University of Leicester, examined data on 422,642 adults in the UK with obesity between 2001 and 2010and is also leading the study.

The researchers compared how the risk of developing 13 obesity-related complications which includes: sleep apnoea, high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attacks, asthma and depression and were affected by a change in weight. Participants were tracked for an average of seven years.

Weight loss appeared to affect patients with lower and higher BMI scores differently. For heart attack, irregular heart rhythm and heart failure, those with the highest initial BMI (of 50) got the greatest benefit from weight loss.

But those with a BMI of 30, losing weight appeared to reap more benefits. For example, people with a BMI of 30 who lost around fifth of their total body weight had a 56% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, however the risk only fell by 39% for those with a BMI of 50.

Health News – Weight loss surgery may lower health risks

Millions of Americans struggle with obesity.

Having too much body fat can lead to a number of potentially deadly health conditions, but a recent study suggests weight loss surgery may help lower some of those risks.

Today’s Health News has more on the findings.

Visceral fat: A 'brisk' 30 minute walk a day can help reduce waist circumference

IT CAN be beneficial to reduce excess visceral fat, as being overweight can bring with it several health risks. There are several ways to reduce visceral fat, including changing your exercise routine.

Harvard Health explains: “Visceral fat lies in the spaces between the abdominal organs and in an apron of tissue called the omentum. Subcutaneous fat is located between the skin and the outer abdominal wall.” Fortunately, it notes “exercise can help reduce your waist circumference”.

The organisation says: “Even if you don't lose weight, you lose visceral belly fat and gain muscle mass.

“Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace.

“Also create opportunities to add motion to routine tasks. For example, park farther from your destination and walk the rest of the way, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and stand while you talk on the phone.”

It says studies have shown that you can help trim visceral fat or prevent its growth with both aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, and strength training such as exercising with weights.

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