Many adults struggle with overweight and obesity issues.
A recent study offers insights into the likelihood of these individuals achieving meaningful weight loss.
Overall Findings
A study published in JAMA Network Open has highlighted that only one in 10 adults with overweight or obesity manage to lose 5 percent or more of their weight annually.
This research, led by Lyudmyla Kompaniyets, Ph.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, was based on electronic medical records of 18 million U.S. patients who had recorded their body mass index (BMI) information over a period spanning from 2009 to 2022.
Details from the Study
Out of all the patients in the study, 72.5 percent were identified as overweight or obese during their initial visit. From this group:
Only one in 10 managed to lose 5 percent or more of their weight each year.
The chance of significant weight loss was higher for those with a higher starting BMI.
Specifically, one in 12 people with initial overweight managed this feat, while the number increased to one in 6 for those with an initial BMI of 45 or above.
When it came to reducing BMI to a healthy weight range, the odds were one in 19 for those initially overweight. For individuals with a starting BMI of 45 or above, the odds were slimmer at one in 1,667.
Gender and Ethnic Differences
The study also revealed differences based on gender and ethnicity:
Women generally had a higher success rate of achieving both significant weight loss and reducing BMI to a healthy range compared to men.
Among all ethnic groups, White women had the highest likelihood of achieving these outcomes.
Over the longer term, spanning three to 14 years, about one-third of those initially overweight and 41.8 percent of those initially obese managed to shed 5 percent or more of their weight.
In terms of achieving a healthy BMI, 23.2 percent of the overweight group and just 2 percent of the obese group were successful.
Recommendations from the Study
Given these findings, the study’s authors suggest that medical professionals and public health campaigns should tailor their messages.
They emphasize the need for interventions that can help individuals with excess weight both achieve and maintain significant weight loss.
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The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
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