Recent data reveals alarming statistics on the weight status of American adults, with a little over 42% classified as obese and approximately 30.7% considered overweight. Shockingly, this means that more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are struggling with excess weight.

Furthermore, the data highlights that adults between the ages of 40 and 59 are particularly prone to obesity, with over 44% falling into this category. Obesity also affects 39.8% of adults aged 20 to 39, and 41.5% of those aged 60 and above.

With sedentary lifestyles and stressful jobs, the accumulation of belly fat has become a common concern. Unfortunately, this type of fat deposit has been associated with severe health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. In extreme cases, obesity can even shorten life expectancy by an average of three to ten years, depending on its severity.

While there are various methods to reduce body fat, such as adopting a healthier diet plan, regular exercise, and quitting smoking, many individuals struggle to achieve their desired outcomes or are unable to lower their risk of heart disease.

But why?

A groundbreaking study analyzing data from a vast sample of over 20,000 U.S. adults suggests that a healthier diet and increased physical activity are crucial for weight loss to lower reducing the risk of heart disease.

Conversely, the study revealed that skipping meals and relying on prescription diet pills have little to no effect on weight loss, or weight maintenance.

Despite achieving a “clinically significant” 5% reduction in body weight, many participants in the study continued to exhibit risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly, the average composite score for eight heart disease risk factors remained consistent throughout the entire study population, irrespective of reported weight fluctuations.

To conduct the analysis, researchers utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2007 and 2016, which included a total of 20,305 U.S. adults aged 19 or older. The participants provided information on various factors, such as smoking status, physical activity levels, average hours of sleep per night, weight history, weight loss strategies, and dietary intake over the previous 24 hours. Additionally, health exams and laboratory tests were conducted to measure their body mass index, blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and blood glucose levels.

Using this comprehensive dataset, the team from Ohio State University calculated the values for each individual’s Life’s Essential 8 metrics as recommended by American Heart Association, which encompass key measures for cardiovascular health. Furthermore, the researchers evaluated the participants’ diet quality based on the Healthy Eating Index, a tool that assesses adherence to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Out of the total sample size, 17,465 individuals had either maintained their weight or gained weight, while 2,840 individuals intentionally lost at least 5% of their body weight in the past year.

The study found that adults who achieved clinically significant weight loss reported an improvement in diet quality, with higher scores in protein intake and lower intake of refined grains and added sugar. They also engaged in more moderate and vigorous physical activity and had lower levels of LDL cholesterol compared to those who did not achieve significant weight loss. However, despite these positive changes, the weight-loss group had a higher average BMI and HbA1c blood sugar measure, as well as fewer hours of sleep, which could potentially lower their composite Life’s Essential 8 score.

A larger percentage of individuals who failed to achieve a 5% weight loss reported resorting to skipping meals or relying on prescription diet pills as their preferred methods for shedding pounds. Moreover, this group disclosed additional weight-loss strategies such as adopting low-carb and liquid diets, resorting to laxatives or inducing vomiting, and even engaging in smoking habits.

“We saw that people are still gravitating to non-evidence-based approaches for weight loss, which are not sustainable. What is sustainable is changing behaviors and eating patterns,” write the authors.

As per federal data projections, indicating a staggering increase to over 85% of the adult U.S. population being overweight or obese by 2030 (compared to the current rate of 73%), the authors emphasized the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards preventive measures in order to combat the rising prevalence of heart disease and associated health complications.

The results of the study were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association

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