WEIGHT LOSS IS ACCOMPANIED AN INCREASE IN REAL LIFE EXPECTANCY

Obesity potentiates many risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc. Conversely, any weight loss helps to mitigate them. But in the end, losing weight is this reflected a real increase of life expectancy? Here is the proof, demonstrated in obese people who underwent bariatric surgery.

Weight and life expectancy

The extra pounds are not beneficial to health. But if the life expectancy of patients with obesity is lower, conversely, weight loss reduces the risk factors associated with excess weight. Indeed, any weight reduction is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes, better control of high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and a significant improvement in the quality of life. It was still necessary to demonstrate that improving these risk factors was accompanied by a real increase in life expectancy. This is what just proved two independent studies, one European, the other American, conducted in people who have undergone obesity surgery.

The obesity surgeries

Recall that obesity surgery is based on several techniques to all decrease the size of the stomach and thus get a quick satiety. This is gastric banding (placing a flexible ring around the stomach), the gastric bypass (part of the stomach contents is deflected) and stapled gastroplasty (volume the stomach is reduced by putting clips on it) .On the 4,000 Swedish obese people, half of them underwent surgery for obesity. Fifteen years later, the non-operated lost an average of 2% of their weight. For others, the maximum weight loss was located about two years after surgery, and was 32% with gastric bypass, 25% for gastroplasty and 20% with the ring. Ten years later, weight status was stabilized at 25%, 16% and 14%. The percentage of deaths is lower among treated subjects, 5% against 6.3% in the control group. The most common causes were myocardial infarction (13 cases against 25 in the control group) and cancer (29 cases against 47).

Weight loss increases life expectancy

The US study looked at more than 14,000 obese people, half of them were candidates for gastric bypass. After a 7-year follow-up on average, their mortality was reduced by 40% compared to control subjects. In the intervention group, mortality from coronary heart disease was reduced by 56%, diabetes-related mortality was reduced by 92% and by 60% cancer. However, there among the subjects operated an increase in mortality from accidents and suicides by 58%. In conclusion, weight loss in obesity leads to an increase in life expectancy. This intervention therefore appears much beneficial.