Beyond diabetes: Losing weight in middle-age linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-05-28 01:00

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People who lose weight in their 40s and 50s are less likely to develop a range of health problems beyond type 2 diabetes, according to international research. The researchers used data from 23,000 participants providing regular height and weight assessments to see how their BMI changed over time, as well as their health. They say the link between weight loss and reduced diabetes risk is well known, so they looked at the data both with and without looking at type 2 diabetes. The researchers say either way, people who sustainably reduced their BMI to healthy levels in their 40s and 50s were less likely to develop chronic disease including heart attacks, strokes, cancer, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Helsinki, Finland

Funder: The Whitehall II study and Dr Kivimäki were supported by grants 221854/Z/20/Z from the Wellcome Trust, MR/Y014154 and MR/R024227 from the UK Medical Research Council, R01AG056477 from the US National Institute on Aging, and 350426 from the Research Council of Finland. Dr Nyberg and Ms Pentti were supported by grant 350426 from the Research Council of Finland. Dr T. E. Strandberg was supported by grants TYH2022103 and TYH2024108 from the Helsinki University Hospital and a grant from the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation. Dr Frank was supported by grant 221854/Z/20/Z from theWellcome Trust.

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