Midlife Weight Loss Tied to Longer, Healthier Lives

New research from the University of Helsinki offers encouraging news: losing weight in early middle age and keeping it off, can significantly boost your long-term health and lifespan.

In a study tracking over 23,000 adults for up to 35 years, researchers found that overweight individuals who lost just 6.5% of their body weight in their 30s or 40s and maintained that loss reaped impressive benefits. The lifestyle-driven weight loss not only helped prevent diabetes but also lowered the risk of heart disease, lung disease, and even cancer, all without medication or surgery.

Lead researcher Professor Timo Strandberg hopes these results motivate people to act early. “Even modest, sustained weight loss in midlife can have a major impact on your health decades later,” he says.

The takeaway? You don’t need a drastic overhaul. Small, sustainable changes now can add healthy years to your life.

Source: University of Helsinki. "Midlife weight loss linked to longer, healthier lives." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 May 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528132109.htm>