It claims that losing weight in your forties drastically reduces the risk of chronic diseases and prolongs life, even without extreme dieting.
To reach these conclusions, researchers at the University of Helsinki compiled data from three major studies conducted among British and Finnish populations.
In total, more than 23,000 people were followed for 22 to 35 years, an exceptionally long period that allows for the observation of real health impacts.
It appears that adults who lost weight in their 40s reduced their risk of chronic disease by 48% and their risk of death by 19%.
These benefits go far beyond the prevention of diabetes, which has already been established by other research.
Losing weight at this age also reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, and lung disease. These protective effects persist even when researchers exclude diabetes from their calculations.
Importantly, this study was conducted at a time when bariatric surgery and weight-loss drugs were relatively rare.
Participants therefore achieved these results solely through diet and exercise, methods that are accessible to everyone.
“The benefits of lifestyle-based weight management are widely discussed even though studies have found it surprisingly difficult to demonstrate health benefits beyond the prevention of diabetes,” said study co-author, professor Timo Strandberg, quoted in a news release.
However, maintaining weight loss over the long term remains a major challenge, as the figures from this study illustrate.
Indeed, only 96 British participants and 188 Finnish participants managed to lose weight and keep it off, compared to more than 1,200 who remained overweight throughout the study period.
This study also highlights a little-known aspect of weight loss. Contrary to popular belief, the most significant benefits are neither immediate nor spectacular.
The most significant effects can take decades to become apparent, which explains why such a long follow-up period was needed to identify them.
The message is therefore clear for anyone who’s overweight in their forties: while maintaining a healthy weight throughout life remains the ideal, it’s never too late to start taking action.
In fact, even modest but sustainable weight loss can pay big dividends in the long run and add precious years to your life.