To improve CV risk profile, not only weight loss is important, but also staying at a lower weight

Introduction and methods

Lifestyle interventions can result in substantial weight loss and short-term health benefits [1,2], but it is hard for patients to maintain the achieved weight loss [3,4]. When weight loss is maintained, this is beneficial in terms of reducing development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) [1] and to sustain favorable cardiometabolic factors [5,6]. Weight regain, on the other hand, is associated with loss of the cardiometabolic benefits associated with weight loss [6,7].

Comparisons of individuals with successful weight loss maintenance (maintainers) and individuals who regained weight (regainers) are scarce. This is related to the fact that various methods are used to define successful weight loss maintenance. Furthermore, different cut points have been used to differentiate maintainers and regainers.

This study used data from the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial [8], to examine the difference between maintainers and regainers in cardiometabolic risk factor change from years 1 to 4, after the intensive lifestyle intervention, which targeted ~7% weight loss. After the 1 year intensive lifestyle intervention, followed a 3-year maintenance phase. The current analyses were conducted in participants in the intensive lifestyle intervention group, who lost ≥3% of initial body weight, and who had follow-up data through the end of year 4 (n=1791), excluding those taking niacin or fibrates (n=230, leaving 1561). This study used five cut points for %weight loss, which were used to divide participants into maintainers and regainers (from 0% regain to 100%, at 25% increments). The effects on cardiometabolic risk factors were analyzed, namely HDL-c and triglyceride (TG) levels, systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP), waist circumference (WC), fasting glucose (FG) and HbA1c. An attempt was made to identify a cut point capable of differentiating maintainers and regainers that maximizes the risk difference between the groups.

Main results

• When analyzing change in cardiometabolic risk factors from years 1 to 4 and comparing the change between maintainers and regainers, an inverse linear pattern of improvement in HbA1c and WC with increasing cut points was seen in men who lost <10% of initial weight, and in women who lost <10% of initial weight for SBP.
• In men who lost ≥10% of initial weight, linear improvement in HDL-c, HbA1c concentrations and DBP were seen, and women who lost ≥10% of initial weight showed better WC and HbA1c.
• Greater improvement in some cardiometabolic risk factors were seen, in a non-linear fashion, in maintainers vs. retainers across all or most cut points of % weight loss regained. Irrespective of initial weight loss categories, better HDL-c in women, and better TG concentration in men were seen. In women who lost ≥10% initial weight, better TG level was seen. Women showed losing <10% of initial weight showed improved WC and HbA1c. Among those who lost ≥10% initial weight, men showed better WC, TG, FG and HbA1c and women had better HDL-c, TG and FG concentration and SBP.
• No single cut point of % weight loss regained was identified to maximize risk difference between maintainers and. retainers, but maintaining 75% of weight loss (25% regain cut point) was generally beneficial.

Conclusion

References

Find this article online at J Am Heart Assoc.