BENEFITS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Many individuals who are overweight or obese may benefit the most by losing weight by following healthy diet and exercises.

Overweight is when one’s body mass index (BMI) is between 23 and 27.4 kg/m2.

Obesity is when one’s body mass index (BMI) is above 27.5 kg/m2.

Weight loss of about 5% may be very helpful in avoiding health conditions such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

Regular exercise for about 30 minutes at least 4-5 times a week along with healthy, timely meals help in losing weight and having a better control over blood sugar levels, decreasing the risk of Diabetes as well as in maintaining normal blood sugar levels, decreasing the frequency, dose of medications in individuals with Diabetes.

Cutting down body fat and weight loss help in maintaining normal HDL cholesterol levels, that is more important and difficult than LDL cholesterol levels.
Triglyceride levels in blood are decreased with weight loss and this helps in decreasing the risk of fat deposition in arteries, that in turn lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, etc.
Many individuals with hypertension are benefitted by losing weight with healthy diet, low salt intake, exercises, etc. by decreasing the work load on heart.
Weight loss helps in cutting down extra weight, pressure and strain over weight bearing joints such as knee, hip, spine, etc. and in turn helps in avoiding and managing arthritis.
Decreased waist circumference is also important along with weight loss, in spite of normal BMI as body fat deposits trigger release of chemicals, that may cause inflammation leading to arthritis, tissue damage, etc.
Losing extra weight may help in decreasing the possible risk of cancer such as breast, colon, ovary, pancreas, kidney, liver, etc.
Individuals with overweight, obesity may experience sleep apnea, a condition with difficulty in breathing during sleep due to extra tissue deposit over the back of throat, that blocks respiratory tract in lying down position. Weight loss helps with a better sleep by avoiding sleep apnea.
A healthy weight loss may help in boosting body image, that in turn helps with positive attitude, mood changes and more energy as one feels better about themselves.