What Are the Short and Long Term Benefits and Adverse Effects of Weight Loss?

Although there seems to be little doubt that overweight individuals have increased risk for morbidity and mortality, it does not immediately follow that weight loss reduces that increased risk. Understanding the health consequences of weight loss requires data on what happens to those who have lost weight. Such data should derive from either observational studies of persons who by self-report or measurement have lost weight or clinical trials in which how the weight was lost is known. Much of the longer term data come from observational studies because follow-up in trials has generally been short; however, clinical trials would provide clearer evidence of the relationship between weight loss and health...