Will Losing Weight Improve Health?

Weight loss is a primary tool in the fight against obesity, but Australian scientists say it is not very effective at improving health. The primary reason is that most people who diet have difficulty keeping the weight off for more than a few years. Their computer simulations showed that within six years, most dieters have regained those pounds and the health problems that go with them.
The nutrition researchers say that tackling the obesity epidemic requires different interventions–including better nutrition labeling, as well as high taxes on junk food. Encouraging physical activity may also be an essential component in maintaining a healthy weight long term. According to the surgeon general, obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers cost the US economy approximately $117 billion each year.
[International Journal of Obesity, online Jan. 11, 2011]