- But type “setting a weight loss goal” into any online search engine and you’ll likely be left with more questions than answers.
- They’ll typically use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to confirm a “healthy” weight and provide a goal weight based on this range.
- Most sales pitches will suggest you need to lose substantial amounts of weight to be healthy – making weight loss seem an impossible task.
Using BMI to define our target weight is flawed
- So it’s no surprise we use measurements and equations to score our weight.
- BMI classifies bodies as underweight, normal (healthy) weight, overweight or obese and can be a useful tool for weight and health screening.
fails to consider two critical factors related to body weight and health – body fat percentage and distribution
does not account for significant differences in body composition based on gender, ethnicity and age.
How does losing weight benefit our health?
- Losing just 5–10% of our body weight – between 6 and 12kg for someone weighing 120kg – can significantly improve our health in four key ways.
- But research shows improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels are evident with just 5% weight loss.
- Excess weight is linked to high blood pressure in several ways, including changing how our sympathetic nervous system, blood vessels and hormones regulate our blood pressure.
- A meta-analysis of 25 trials on the influence of weight reduction on blood pressure also found every kilo of weight loss improved blood pressure by one point.
- Research shows just 7% weight loss reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.
- In one study each kilogram of weight loss resulted in a fourfold decrease in the load exerted on the knee in each step taken during daily activities.
Focus on long-term habits
- An analysis of 29 long-term weight-loss studies found participants regained more than half of the weight lost within two years.
- When we lose weight, we take our body out of its comfort zone and trigger its survival response.
- Read more:
What's the 'weight set point', and why does it make it so hard to keep weight off?
losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain, specifically periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight
making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.
Setting a goal to reach a healthy weight can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be a pre-defined weight according to a “healthy” BMI range. Losing 5–10% of our body weight will result in immediate health benefits. At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register here to express your interest.
Dr Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.