Does Weight Loss equal Health Gain?
Yes! Weight Loss = Health Gain
Even a relatively small amount of weight loss will decrease your chance of associated illnesses; however, the more weight lost the greater are the health benefits.
For example, when more than 50% of excess weight is lost there is a reduction in all causes of mortality of over 40%. Death from heart disease is reduced by 56%, diabetes by 92% and cancer by 60%. Life expectancy is returned towards normal.
The table below shows the impact of major weight loss on some of the common weight related illnesses:
remission / recovered & improved = overall benefit
| Remission / recovered |
& | Improved | = | Overall benefit | |
| Diabetes | 29-75% | 8-63% | 65-100% | ||
| Hypertension | 38-58% | 23-57% | 63-100% | ||
| Reflux symptoms | 76-82% | 5-14% | 86-90% | ||
| Joint pains | 53% | 24% | 76% | ||
| Sleep apnoea | 38% | 13% | 51% | ||
| Breathlessness | 85% | 12% | 97% |
The chance of coming off medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol is about 80% after losing more than 50% of excess weight and returning to a BMI of over under 30.
