June 3, 2025, 10:58 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Many people gain weight between the ages of 40 and 50, but a new long-term study reveals that those who manage to shed a few pounds during this stage of life can reduce their risk of serious illnesses—and even live longer.
Being overweight is considered a risk factor for many chronic diseases—from diabetes to cancer. Many people, especially in middle age, gain weight due to natural aging processes and find it harder to lose. But how important is it really to pay attention to your weight at this age, and more importantly, to reduce it? A new study from the United Kingdom and Finland now provides answers. It examined how moderate weight changes between the ages of 40 and 50 can affect long-term health. The researchers analyzed whether people who shed their excess weight at this age are less likely to become seriously ill. Indeed, the risks for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other chronic ailments were significantly lower in the group that achieved weight loss at this age.
Overview
Long-term Effects of Weight Loss in Middle Age
The researchers wanted to find out how weight loss in middle age—between 40 and 50 years—affects long-term health. They asked: Is it really helpful to shed excess weight at this age, and does it protect not only against diabetes but also against other diseases such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, or COPD?1
Previous studies often only examined short-term effects, mostly focusing on diabetes.2 The new study specifically looked at the long-term effect over decades and examined whether other chronic diseases and mortality are also affected.
Study Design and Methods
The results come from a large analysis that combined data from three independent long-term studies from the United Kingdom and Finland:
- the Whitehall II Study (United Kingdom)
- the Helsinki Businessmen Study (Finland)
- the Finnish Public Sector Study (Finland)
In total, data from 23,149 adults were evaluated. All participants were under 50 years old at the start of the studies and had no chronic diseases.
In the Whitehall II Study from the United Kingdom, participants’ weight was first recorded between 1985 and 1988, with a second measurement between 1991 and 1993. In the Helsinki Businessmen Study, a Finnish long-term study, the first weight measurements took place between 1964 and 1973, while the second measurement was conducted shortly thereafter, between 1974 and 1975. Finally, in the Finnish Public Sector Study, data collection began in 2000, with the second measurement occurring about four years later.
Despite these different time periods, all three studies had a common goal: to investigate how weight changes in middle age—usually between 40 and 50 years—and what long-term health consequences these changes have.
Participant Groups and Measurements
Based on these measurements, participants were divided into four groups:
- People who consistently maintained a normal weight
- People who transitioned from overweight to normal weight
- People who transitioned from normal weight to overweight
- People who remained consistently overweight
After the second measurement, participants were followed for many years—up to 12 years in the Finnish Public Sector Study, up to 22 years in the Whitehall II Study, and even up to 35 years in the Helsinki Businessmen Study.
The researchers recorded who later developed diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, or COPD—or who died. All information came from official health registers.
Additionally, factors that can influence health were considered—such as age, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol, and whether someone smoked.
Losing Weight in Middle Age Leads to Healthier and Longer Life
The study’s results provide remarkable insights: People who manage to lose their excess weight between the ages of 40 and 50 are less likely to develop chronic diseases later—and live longer.
Whitehall II Study
In the Whitehall II Study, 45 percent of participants with persistent overweight developed at least one chronic disease such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, or COPD over the years. In the group that transitioned from overweight to normal weight in middle age, this figure was only 27 percent.
Finnish Public Sector Study
The Finnish Public Sector Study also confirmed these results: People with persistent overweight were about twice as likely to develop a chronic disease as those who lost weight in middle age.
Helsinki Businessmen Study
The Helsinki Businessmen Study focused primarily on life expectancy: It showed that men who lost weight in middle age lived longer on average than men who remained overweight.
Importantly, the positive effect was already evident with moderate weight loss—on average, participants who lost weight reduced their body weight by about 6.5 percent. The results strongly suggest that even moderate weight loss between the ages of 40 and 50 can significantly improve health and increase life expectancy.
Limitations of the Study
Despite the impressive results, the study has some limitations:
- These are observational data, meaning the study can show that people who lose weight remain healthier, but it cannot definitively prove that weight loss is the direct cause.
- It was not precisely recorded whether the weight loss was voluntary or unintentional. Especially in older age, unintentional weight loss can be a sign of illness—this factor was not explicitly excluded.
- Almost all participants were white Europeans—whether the results apply to other populations is unclear.
- In some studies, BMI data were self-measured, while in others, they were only self-reported—this could have led to errors and distortions.
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Conclusion
The study suggests that moderate weight loss in middle age can improve long-term health. And this without the help of surgery or medication. Those who manage to lose a few pounds between the ages of 40 and 50 can help reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, COPD, and other chronic diseases—and live longer.
Particularly noteworthy: An average weight loss of just 6.5 percent of body weight was enough to achieve these effects. It doesn’t always have to be a radical diet—even small steps can have a significant long-term impact.
The results are a strong argument for taking action in middle age. Especially at this age—before chronic diseases develop—it seems particularly important to reduce overweight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Important Remains
The study shows correlations, not direct causes. And not all population groups were equally considered. Nevertheless, the results provide important insights: Weight loss in middle age can give health a decisive advantage—and it’s worth it in any case.