Overweight adults who lose at least 5% of their weight in their early to mid-50s go on to have similar heart health as those who remained a healthy weight during adulthood.
According to a new UCL briefing paper published today, by age 62, both groups have comparable cholesterol levels, blood pressure and signs of inflammation – all key measures of heart and metabolic health.
Ageing is often framed in terms of inevitable health decline, but our new research shows that this need not be the case.
Charis Bridger Staatz, Senior Research FellowLead author, Dr Charis Bridger Staatz, said: “Ageing is often framed in terms of inevitable health decline, but our new research shows that this need not be the case. Just a modest reduction in weight in people’s 50s may make a real difference to their health, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing their risk of heart issues.”
About the data
Researchers from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies analysed data from more than 6,000 people born across Britain during one week in 1958 who are taking part in the National Child Development Study.
They looked at people’s BMI from their 20s onwards, and identified the highest weight each person reached by age 42. They then determined whether individuals had lost or gained at least 5% of their weight by age 50, and if they had maintained this weight change at age 55.
To see the impact of weight loss or gain in their early to mid-50s, the researchers examined measures of participants’ heart and metabolic health taken at age 44 and 62. These included blood pressure, and blood tests measuring cholesterol and inflammation. Poor heart and metabolic health are linked to conditions such as heart disease and heart attacks.
A quarter (24%) of participants had a BMI in the healthy weight range for nearly all of adulthood. A further 6% of participants lost at least 5% of their body weight by age 50 and had managed to keep the weight off by age 55. This was made up of 4% whose peak BMI was in the overweight range before losing weight, and 2% whose peak BMI had been in the obesity range.
The findings showed that if heavier adults lost some weight, their heart and metabolic health declined no more quickly than that of their healthy weight peers.
Over a third of participants gained weight by their mid-50s, with their resulting BMI in the overweight (18%) or obesity (18%) categories. This group’s heart health had deteriorated the fastest by age 62. Those whose weight went up and down within the obesity range also had poorer outcomes.
‘Never too late’
Co-author, Dr Laura Gimeno, said: “These results show that the benefits of weight loss may extend beyond short-term weight reduction. Our findings support current interest around expanding access to effective weight loss support, including weight loss medications.
“They also highlight the importance of reducing further weight gain in midlife, as this was consistently linked to the fastest deterioration in heart and metabolic health.”
These results show that the benefits of weight loss may extend beyond short-term weight reduction.
Laura Gimeno, Research FellowDr Bridger Staatz added: “According to the British Heart Foundation, nearly 170,000 lives could be lost in the next decade because of cardiovascular disease related to excess weight. While obesity prevention strategies rightly place strong emphasis on children and young people, these findings indicate that prevention efforts should also extend to people in their 50s. Although this is often perceived as a stage of life when meaningful health change is no longer possible, our research shows that it’s never too late to start making changes to improve your health.
“Policymakers may wish to consider how weight management support can be offered before older age, while also ensuring that efforts promote a holistic approach to weight management across the life course, including exercise and healthy eating alongside new medications. Slower heart and metabolic ageing may translate into reduced health service need with potential long-term health, social and economic benefits for both the NHS and society.”
Notes to editors
Weight loss and positive ageing: Initial findings from the 1958 National Child Development Study at Age 62 by Dr Charis Bridger Staatz, Dr Laura Gimeno, Professor George Ploubidis is published as a briefing paper on the CLS website.
For more information or to speak to the researchers involved, please contact:
Ryan Bradshaw, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies
Tel: +44 (0)207 612 6516
Email: r.bradshaw@ucl.ac.uk
Meghan Rainsberry, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies
Tel: +44 (0)207 612 6530
Email: m.rainsberry@ucl.ac.uk
Study methodology
Weight measures
The researchers used body mass index (BMI) from age 23 onwards to identify the highest weight each person reached by age 42. BMI was calculated from participants’ height and weight, which was normally self-reported. They then looked at whether individuals’ weight had changed by more than 5% compared to their highest BMI by age 55.
People with higher BMIs who lost weight and kept it off in their mid-50s were grouped according to whether their highest BMI was in the overweight range (25–30 kg/m2) or the obesity range (over 30 kg/m2). The researchers also identified people who gained more than 5% above their previous highest weight, those whose weight went up and down within the obesity range, and those whose weight remained relatively constant over time. In their analyses, the researchers compared these groups to people whose weight always stayed within the healthy range (less than 25 kg/m2).
Health measures
Cardiometabolic health refers to the health of the heart, blood vessels and metabolic systems that regulate cholesterol, blood pressure and body weight. Poor cardiometabolic health increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The study looked at different measures of cardiometabolic health and body composition at age 62. These were: blood pressure; cholesterol and triglycerides (markers of fat levels in the blood); signs of inflammation that are associated with greater cardiovascular risk (measured by a blood marker know as C-Reactive Protein); and body composition (measured using levels of fat tissue in the body, and amount of fat tissue relative to non-fat tissue, such as bone and muscle).
Researchers examined these indicators when participants were age 44 and 62, to assess how these biomarkers changed over time following weight change. Measures of body composition were only available at age 62.
This is an observational study. This means that researchers did not control what the participants were exposed to, instead they observed what happened to the different groups of people without intervening. The authors were able to use very detailed data to account for a wide range of factors that may have influenced the links between weight change patterns and biomarkers. This included birthweight, parental occupational social class, cognitive ability, adolescent BMI and psychological distress. And at age 23, self-rated health, smoking status, occupational social class, partnership status, educational attainment, family weekly income, and membership in civic or social organisations. However, it would be impossible to rule out every influence with absolute certainty.
Differences by sex
In this briefing paper, the research team did not examine differences in weight loss and health between men and women. They looked at sex differences in the pre-printed paper, Hard to lose, easy to gain; Trends in obesity and weight change across the life course in four British Birth cohorts published this year.
The British Heart Foundation estimate that 170,000 lives are at risk over next decade from weight-linked cardiovascular disease. Read more on the BHF website.
