This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Hi, my name is Dr Sarah Barenbaum. Today, we're going to be talking about weight-loss goals and realistic weight-loss goals.
One of the first questions patients always ask me is, “What should my goal weight be?” For a long time, medical advice has really been focused on BMI, or body mass index. Even now, it's hard to ignore because BMI can be all over the chart in bold and red with exclamation points.
The goal in weight loss is not based on numbers on the scale or achieving a “normal” BMI. It's really about health, health goals, and reducing any weight-related complications. BMI is just a measure of mass and doesn't tell us anything about an individual's health. BMI does not differentiate between lean and fat mass, does not provide any information on body fat distribution, and does not account for variability across populations, including age, sex, and ethnicity.
When we're thinking about weight loss, we're really thinking about improvements in health. Research has shown us that we start to see improvements in overall health with as little as 5% total body weight loss. With this much weight loss, we start to see improvements in fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
With 5% to 10% total body weight loss, we start to see greater improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and fatty liver. With 10% to 15% total body weight loss, we start to see improvements in conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. With 15% weight loss or more, we start to see improvements in overall cardiovascular mortality.
Greater weight loss produces greater health benefits, but every person is unique in their needs and in their own journey. The weight-loss goal must be individualized to meaningful health improvements based on that person's preferences, their medical history, and their specific health risks.
The goal really is, again, not based on numbers on a scale or trying to achieve what the BMI charts tells us is normal, because that does not apply to most people.
COMMENTARY
Beyond BMI: Weight Loss Produces More Health Benefits
DISCLOSURES
| April 11, 2025This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Hi, my name is Dr Sarah Barenbaum. Today, we're going to be talking about weight-loss goals and realistic weight-loss goals.
One of the first questions patients always ask me is, “What should my goal weight be?” For a long time, medical advice has really been focused on BMI, or body mass index. Even now, it's hard to ignore because BMI can be all over the chart in bold and red with exclamation points.
The goal in weight loss is not based on numbers on the scale or achieving a “normal” BMI. It's really about health, health goals, and reducing any weight-related complications. BMI is just a measure of mass and doesn't tell us anything about an individual's health. BMI does not differentiate between lean and fat mass, does not provide any information on body fat distribution, and does not account for variability across populations, including age, sex, and ethnicity.
When we're thinking about weight loss, we're really thinking about improvements in health. Research has shown us that we start to see improvements in overall health with as little as 5% total body weight loss. With this much weight loss, we start to see improvements in fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
With 5% to 10% total body weight loss, we start to see greater improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and fatty liver. With 10% to 15% total body weight loss, we start to see improvements in conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. With 15% weight loss or more, we start to see improvements in overall cardiovascular mortality.
Greater weight loss produces greater health benefits, but every person is unique in their needs and in their own journey. The weight-loss goal must be individualized to meaningful health improvements based on that person's preferences, their medical history, and their specific health risks.
The goal really is, again, not based on numbers on a scale or trying to achieve what the BMI charts tells us is normal, because that does not apply to most people.
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
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