For decades, weight loss has been one of the most desired lifestyle goals for people of all shapes and sizes, largely due to societal beauty standards that often glorify smaller, leaner body types. However, a new study published in the journal "I Science" found that enhancing physical activity and increasing fitness is more effective in improving health than the process of losing weight.
The study analyzed the relationship between weight loss and exercise on one hand, and mortality rates among overweight and obese individuals on the other. It concluded that adopting an approach that does not primarily rely on weight reduction in the treatment of obesity may be more effective than any approach centered around weight loss.
Researchers argue that a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with increased mortality risks from cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, similar to the risks associated with a lower BMI. The study found that preventing obesity-related mortality risks can be achieved through improving cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity, and that weight loss does not consistently correlate with reduced mortality rates or disease prevention.
The authors recommend adopting a weight-neutral approach in treating health conditions related to obesity, which may be equally or more effective than a weight loss-centered approach, emphasizing cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity, according to the website "Metro."
