1. Rethink your birth control
Did you know that after losing just 3kg, you should have your diaphragm refitted? “As you lose weight from your hips and thighs, you’re also losing body fat in the places you can’t see and that includes your vagina,” says Dr Dawn Harper. “The fatty tissue just below the cervix holds the rubber dome-shaped contraceptive in place with a firm, flexible rim, but if body fat is reduced, the diaphragm won’t be a tight fit anymore. This can allow sperm through and result in pregnancy. And don’t think you’re not at risk - I see more women in their 40s with unplanned pregnancies in my surgery than any other group apart from teenagers.” So if you have lost or gained weight, visit your GP or gynae for advice.
2. Add seven years
Researchers from Oxford University, UK, have found that shedding excess kilos can make you live longer by seven years. “Being overweight accelerates the ageing process by causing chromosome changes,” explains Dr Sangmi Kim, lead author of the research published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. A study from Harvard University in the US also found that women who gained no more than 2.5kgs between the ages of 20 and 40 reduced their risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and gallstones by two thirds. Dr Chris Steele isn’t surprised: “I always tell my patients that losing a few kilograms to reach a sensible weight can make you, in health terms, years younger than you really are.”
3. Your eyes thank you
A report from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) in the UK found that women of healthy weight are half as likely to develop cataracts and macular degeneration as obese women, and so halve their risk of going blind. Barbara McLaughlan, RNIB’s eye health consultant, says: “Most people assume that if they don’t have any obvious problems with their sight, everything must be fine. The reality is that with the increase in obesity we have seen in recent years, many people are jeopardising their sight in later life.” As well as slimming down to a healthier weight, a balanced diet that’s low in fat but rich in vegetables, especially green leafy ones, will also help to boost your eye health.
4. Protect your head
Doctors from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, USA, claim that slimming down can halve your risk of headaches and migraines because excess weight causes inflammation of blood vessels in the head, which in turn causes pain. “Your brain is largely made up of fats, so by losing surplus fat you may be easing pressure on your brain,” explains Dr Steele. “Stress can also make many symptoms worse and if you’re tense about your size this will make your headaches much worse.”
5. Reduce your risk of osteoarthritis
Every 5kgs you lose decreases your risk of osteoarthritis of the knee by 60 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control in the US. Rob Pollock, consultant surgeon at the Stanmore Orthopaedic Centre in Watford, UK, explains: “Knees rely on cartilage to function properly. One of the most common causes of cartilage damage is , which can put a strain on joints, resulting in arthritis. By losing weight the cartilage is preserved and arthritis can be avoided.” To reduce your risk of this condition, increase the amount of weight-bearing exercise you do, like walking or dancing, as this maintains bone strength.
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