For most people, attaining a normal body weight is already challenging enough, but according to new research, the task is even more difficult for those who are obese.
In a study featured in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers at King's College London, led by Dr. Alison Fildes, have discovered that an obese individual typically has a harder time in bringing down his or her weight to normal compared to most other people.
Obese males have a one in 210 chance to achieve a normal body weight, while females have a one in 124 chance. The chances become even less likely if the person suffers from severe obesity, dropping to one in 1,290 for men and one in 677 for women.
The researchers' findings suggest that current programs for weight management often focus on exercise and dieting, but they mostly fail at addressing the issue of being obese at population level.
Weight Loss Probability for Obese People
To find out the probability of obese patients achieving a normal body weight, Fildes and her team examined electronic health records from 278,982 participants, consisting of 149,788 females and 129,194 males, between 2004 and 2014.
The main goal of the researchers is to identify at least a five percent reduction in weight among the participants during the study. Those patients who underwent bariatric surgery were not included.
The team used at least three body mass index (BMI) records for each participant in order to estimate changes in weight.
The study showed that patients who are obese have an annual chance of one in 12 for males and one in 10 for females to attain a five percent reduction in their weight.
Fildes and her colleagues found that among the participants who were able to achieve a five percent weight loss, around 53 percent of them regained the same amount of lost weight after two years, while around 78 percent of them regained the weight after five years.
An overall assessment of the findings suggest that out of the total number of participants with a BMI rating of 30-35, only 2,245 women and 1,283 men were able to achieve a normal body weight. This translates to an annual probability of one in 124 for women and one in 210 for men.
For participants who had a BMI rating beyond 40, or those who have severe obesity, the chances decreased to one in 677 for women and one in 1,290 for men.
Fildes said that these findings demonstrate the difficulty for obese people to achieve at least a five to ten percent weight loss and maintain even slight reductions to their weight. She pointed out that the study highlights the inadequacies of current weight management programs.
How to Combat Obesity
According to the American Heart Association, the key to combating obesity is by maintaining a healthy balance when it comes to the food that people eat. The type of food and drink that people consume should be in accordance to the amount of calories needed for physical activities and normal growth.
The main idea, especially for teenagers and children, is to reduce the rate of weight gain, while still allowing the body to grow and develop. This can be done by implementing even small changes in eating habits, such as introducing more fruits and vegetables to their diet, giving them low-fat to non-fat milk and dairy products and choosing fish, beans, lentils and lean meat for their protein.
Favorite dishes can also be made better by substituting unhealthy ingredients with healthier options.
Try to avoid the temptations of calorie-filled treats by replacing them with low-fat and low-sugar snacks, such as apples, bananas, blueberries and grapes.
The results of the King's College London study are published [pdf] in the American Journal of Public Health.
Photo: Gaulsstin | Flickr
