The truth about weight and your health
Most us have been taught that being at a higher weight is linked to a range of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. Sometimes this is stated in terms of your body mass index (BMI), which is commonly used a proxy measure for health. If you are at a higher weight, your doctor might advise you to lose weight to lower your risk of developing one of these conditions. If you develop one of these health conditions, it’s likely that your doctor will recommend weight loss as a treatment option.
The truth about your weight and your health is that the relationship is not black and white, and your weight is actually not a reliable indicator of your current or future health. There are many factors which influence your weight, and most of them are not within your control. People at a “healthy weight” (as defined by BMI, which is NOT a good measure of health) still develop the chronic health conditions commonly associated with being at a higher weight. We know that there are health behaviours which have a positive effect on physical health for all bodies, regardless of BMI category. A study by Matheson et al. (see below) showed that regardless of BMI category, the more health habits someone engaged in, the lower their risk of an early death. Also interesting is that the difference in risk of an early death between BMI categories gets smaller the more healthy habits someone engages in.
What to do if your doctor recommends weight loss
If your doctor recommends you lose weight, I suggest that you ask questions and weigh up the risks, to allow you to make an informed choice about whether trying to lose weight is the best option for you.
Questions to ask your doctor:
(1) What is your suggestion for how I go about losing weight?
(2) What is the long-term (5+ years) success rate of your suggested weight loss method?
(3) What are the risks to my physical and mental health from trying your suggested weight loss method?
(4) What would you recommend if I weren’t at a higher weight?
(5) Why can’t I just try that instead of trying to lose weight?
Most people will regain all the weight they lose, within a few years. Many people (1/3 – 2/3) will actually gain back more weight than what they lost in the first place. This is the case for all intentional weight loss methods, even ones overseen by a doctor or dietitian. Trying to lose weight risks you developing disordered eating and exercise behaviours, and this can have serious consequences for your physical and mental health. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that continually losing weight and gaining it back is more harmful to your health than being at a stable, higher weight.
You don’t need to lose weight in order to improve your health. Together we can optimise your nutrition to a level that you can comfortably maintain without needing to restrict your eating or deny yourself foods that you enjoy. Regardless of what happens with your weight, eating healthily in this way can help you to manage your health conditions or risk factors.