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The following chart indicates that with increased BMI there was an increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Fortunately, even modest weight loss reduces health risks. A sustained "weight
loss as little as 5% to 10% has been shown to improve disorders associated with
obesity."5,41,42,72 Even relatively modest decreases in weight in the obese can
result in substantial health benefits. "Weight loss of 10% or less is often
associated with marked clinical improvement."71 In fact, NAASO, NIH and WHO
recommend weight loss for obesity-related disorders.41,42,72
A possible explanation for improvements in blood glucose, blood pressure and lipids with modest
weight loss is the finding that high-risk upper-body visceral fat is lost
disproportionately versus subcutaneous fat in early weight reduction.64 Loss of
visceral adipose tissue confers additional health benefits. In one study conducted in similarly obese women — one with a predominantly
upper-body (UB) fat distribution, the other with a lower-body (LB) distribution —
"weight loss was similar between groups (~8 kg), and no change occurred in lean
body mass or basal metabolic rate." 32 However,
cholesterol and triglycerides were greater (<0.01) in the UB group at baseline and decreased significantly more in these women (<0.01) than in the LB group.32
Weight loss with XENICAL plus diet significantly improves obesity-related risk
factors.19 Such weight loss by obese patients is associated
with:
- Reduction in levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
and triglycerides, as well as increases in the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol in patients with hyperlipidemia
- Improved fasting insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes
- Improved blood pressure in patients with hypertension
See health benefits of weight loss for specific conditions:
Type 2 Diabetes
Dyslipidemia
Hypertension
The long-term effects of XENICAL (orlistat) on morbidity and mortality associated with obesity have not been established.
Managing Patients with Obesity-Related Comorbidities
More about Obesity as a Clinical Condition
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