Small weight loss brings big health benefits for obese patients

Study shows that obese people who lost just 5% of their weight saw ‘profound benefits’ through better control of insulin in the liver, fat and muscle tissues

Even small reductions in bodyweight can have a profound impact on the health of obese people and their risk of future disease, researchers say.

A study of 40 obese men and women aged 32 to 56 found that losing just 5% of their weight led to substantial improvements in health through the better control of insulin in the liver, fat and muscle tissues.

The changes led to a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease, which along with cancer, rank among the most serious complications that people with obesity face.

Samuel Klein, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St Louis, said that expert societies generally recommend obese people to lose 5 to 10% of their bodyweight if they want to improve their health.