Losing a little weight in midlife may help later heart health

New findings from NCDS show that overweight adults who lose at least 5% of their weight in their early to mid-50s go on to have similar heart health as those who remained a healthy weight during adulthood. 

According to a new UCL briefing paper published today, by age 62, both groups have comparable cholesterol levels, blood pressure and signs of inflammation – all key measures of heart and metabolic health.  

Lead author, Dr Charis Bridger Staatz, said:

“Ageing is often framed in terms of inevitable health decline, but our new research shows that this need not be the case. Just a modest reduction in weight in people’s 50s may make a real difference to their health, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing their risk of heart issues.” 

The researchers looked at study members’ BMI from their 20s onwards, and identified the highest weight each person reached by age 42. They then determined whether individuals had lost or gained at least 5% of their weight by age 50, and if they had maintained this weight change at age 55. 

To see the impact of weight loss or gain in their early to mid-50s, the researchers examined measures of your heart and metabolic health taken at age 44 and 62. These included blood pressure, and blood tests measuring cholesterol and inflammation. Poor heart and metabolic health are linked to conditions such as heart disease and heart attacks. 

What the researchers found 

A quarter (24%) of study members had a BMI in the healthy weight range for nearly all of adulthood. A further 6% of study members lost at least 5% of their body weight by age 50 and had managed to keep the weight off by age 55. This was made up of 4% whose peak BMI was in the overweight range before losing weight, and 2% whose peak BMI had been in the obesity range. 

The findings showed that if heavier adults lost some weight, their heart and metabolic health declined no more quickly than that of their healthy weight peers. 

Over a third of study members gained weight by their mid-50s, with their resulting BMI in the overweight (18%) or obesity (18%) categories. This group’s heart health had deteriorated the fastest by age 62. Those whose weight went up and down within the obesity range also had poorer outcomes. 

‘Never too late’ 

Co-author, Dr Laura Gimeno, said:

“These results show that the benefits of weight loss may extend beyond short-term weight reduction. Our findings support current interest around expanding access to effective weight loss support, including weight loss medications. 

“They also highlight the importance of reducing further weight gain in midlife, as this was consistently linked to the fastest deterioration in heart and metabolic health.”

Dr Bridger Staatz added:

“According to the British Heart Foundation, nearly 170,000 lives could be lost in the next decade because of cardiovascular disease related to excess weight. While obesity prevention strategies rightly place strong emphasis on children and young people, these findings indicate that prevention efforts should also extend to people in their 50s. Although this is often perceived as a stage of life when meaningful health change is no longer possible, our research shows that it’s never too late to start making changes to improve your health.

“Policymakers may wish to consider how weight management support can be offered before older age, while also ensuring that efforts promote a holistic approach to weight management across the life course, including exercise and healthy eating alongside new medications. Slower heart and metabolic ageing may translate into reduced health service need with potential long-term health, social and economic benefits for both the NHS and society.”

Read the full research paper

Weight loss and positive ageing: Initial findings from the 1958 National Child Development Study at Age 62 by Dr Charis Bridger Staatz, Dr Laura Gimeno, Professor George Ploubidis is published as a briefing paper on the CLS website.

In the press

These findings were covered in the The Guardian, Daily Mail and The Telegraph among others.

You can also listen to these findings on Times Radio from 55 minutes onwards.