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Losing
Weight-Or Even Just Trying-Boosts Survival
Overweight and obese people who try to lose weight may
live longer than people who do not try to shed excess pounds,
according to a new study, which also found that people who
tried but failed to trim down were less likely to die than
those who made no attempt.
It may seem like a no-brainer that people who are carrying
around extra pounds can prolong their lives by slimming
down, but the scientific evidence is not so straightforward,
according to the lead author of the study.
"There is a widespread assumption that weight loss
is good," Dr. Edward W. Gregg told Reuters Health in
an interview. Weight loss is proven to have beneficial effects
on several risk factors for disease, including high blood
pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar, explained
Gregg, who is at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
in Atlanta, Georgia.
But the evidence linking weight loss to these improvements
comes from relatively short-term studies, Gregg said. There
is not really any very convincing evidence that losing weight
decreases the risk of dying, according to Gregg.
In fact, the CDC researcher pointed out that a large number
of studies have suggested that people who lose weight may
actually be at greater risk of premature death.
The problem with most of these studies, Gregg said, is that
they did not separate intentional weight loss from weight
loss that occurred because of disease.
"We were able to move a little bit beyond that data,"
Gregg said.
In a study of more than 6,000 obese and overweight people
35 and older who were followed for up to nine years, the
death rate was 24% lower in people who lost weight intentionally
than in people who did not try to shed pounds and whose
weight stayed steady. But the death rate was 31% higher
in people who lost weight unintentionally, the researchers
report in the March 4th issue of the journal Annals of Internal
Medicine.
For people who were trying to trim down, those who actually
lost weight had the lowest death rate. In a somewhat surprising
finding, however, even people who were trying to lose weight
but did not succeed had a lower death rate.
"How to interpret that finding is a little tricky,"
Gregg said in the interview.
People who are trying to lose weight may take steps to make
their lifestyle healthier, such as increasing physical activity
and eating a better diet, Gregg said. These lifestyle changes
may be beneficial even if they do not lead to weight loss,
he said. Gregg added that people who are trying to lose
weight may be getting better medical care.
More research is needed to determine why people who try
but do not succeed to lose weight live longer, Gregg said.
Until that question is answered, the CDC scientist encouraged
people "to talk to your doctor about whether you are
at an ideal weight."
For people who are overweight or obese, Gregg recommended
gradual weight loss by making healthy lifestyle changes
in moderation. Besides exercising more and eating less,
other healthful steps include eating more fruits and vegetables
and adding more fiber to the diet, Gregg said.
SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine 2003;138:383-389.
Article Source: Reuters Health
Article Author: Merritt McKinney
Net Reference 89
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