Lasting heart risk gains, even with regain
- Published in
- Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023
- People studied
- 30,836
In 124 trials of weight-loss programmes, cholesterol ratio, blood pressure and blood sugar stayed lower for at least 5 years after the programme ended, though the gains shrank as weight came back.
- Checked against
- PubMed 36974678
- Published in
- Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Key takeaway
This pooled analysis of 124 randomised trials looked at weight-loss programmes built on changing habits, in adults with overweight or obesity. It followed people for a median of 28 months after the programme ended. Even as weight came back, cholesterol ratio (total against 'good' HDL cholesterol), blood pressure and blood sugar (HbA1c) were still lower than in comparison groups 1 and 5 years later. The blood pressure difference shrank from 1.5 to 0.4 mmHg, and more regain went with smaller differences.
At a glance
- Type of study
- pooled analysis of randomised trials of weight-loss programmes built on changing habits (meta-analysis)
- People studied
- 30,836
- How long
- median 28 months after the programme ended (11 months to 30 years)
- Compared with
- comparison groups with a less intensive or no programme
- Main result
- Small heart risk gains lasted at least 5 years despite regain.
- Strength of evidence
- Randomised trials
What this study does not show
The differences are small, and evidence that the programmes lower heart disease or diabetes itself is less certain. Few studies followed people for 5 years or more, and there is no single total of people: the blood pressure result covers 30,836.
Results from studies in groups of people, mostly in diet and movement programmes. They cannot be promised to any one person. This information is educational and does not replace a consultation with a doctor.
More on heart
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- Lower risk of serious heart eventsLong-term or observational studies · Gregg et al., Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2016
- Fewer irregular heartbeat episodesRandomised trials · Abed et al., JAMA 2013
- Better heart risk markers from age 55Randomised trials · Salas-Salvadó et al., Diabetes Care 2019
- No fewer heart attacks or strokes in one large trialRandomised trials · Look AHEAD Research Group, N Engl J Med 2013
- Lasting heart risk gains, even with regainRandomised trials · Hartmann-Boyce et al., Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023
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