Losing weight helps some diabetics avoid heart problems—but hurts others
Heterogeneity of Treatment Effects From an Intensive Lifestyle Weight Loss Intervention on Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Data From the Look AHEAD Trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
A big study looked at whether losing weight through diet and exercise helps people with type 2 diabetes avoid heart attacks and strokes. It found that for some people, it really helps—but for others, it might actually make things worse.
Surprising Findings
An intervention widely promoted as universally beneficial (intensive weight loss) caused harm in a significant subgroup.
Public health messaging has long treated weight loss as a cure-all for diabetes-related heart risk — this study shows it can backfire for nearly 25% of patients.
Practical Takeaways
If you have type 2 diabetes and are considering an intensive weight loss program, discuss your individual risk profile with your doctor — especially if you have complex medical history or multiple chronic conditions.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
A big study looked at whether losing weight through diet and exercise helps people with type 2 diabetes avoid heart attacks and strokes. It found that for some people, it really helps—but for others, it might actually make things worse.
Surprising Findings
An intervention widely promoted as universally beneficial (intensive weight loss) caused harm in a significant subgroup.
Public health messaging has long treated weight loss as a cure-all for diabetes-related heart risk — this study shows it can backfire for nearly 25% of patients.
Practical Takeaways
If you have type 2 diabetes and are considering an intensive weight loss program, discuss your individual risk profile with your doctor — especially if you have complex medical history or multiple chronic conditions.
Publication
Journal
Diabetes Care
Year
2019
Authors
T. D. de Vries, J. Dorresteijn, Y. van der Graaf, F. Visseren, J. Westerink
Related Content
Claims (4)
For people with type 2 diabetes, factors like age, weight, blood sugar levels, and past heart problems can tell us whether losing weight through diet and exercise will help or hurt their heart health.
Losing weight with diet and exercise doesn’t always help the heart in people with type 2 diabetes—sometimes it helps a lot, sometimes it doesn’t help at all, and sometimes it might even make things worse.
Comprehensive lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise, sleep, stress management) can achieve a 20–40% relative reduction in cardiovascular event risk comparable to statin therapy.
For some people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight, losing weight through diet and exercise can lower their chance of having a heart attack or stroke—but for others, it might actually increase that risk.