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The main reason to lose weight is for health, not appearance. Some health-related reasons why people choose to lose weight include doctor recommendations, disease prevention, and quality of life. There are many statistics that link weight-loss to a better quality of life and better overall health. Some facts about weight loss include the following:

• The risk of death rises with increasing weight
• Even moderate weight excess (10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height) increases the risk of death, particularly among adults ages 30 to 64.
• A weight gain of 11 to 18 pounds increases a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes to twice that of people who have not gained weight.
• Over 80 percent of people with diabetes are overweight or obese
• Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk for some types of cancer including endometrial (cancer of the lining of the uterus), colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney and postmenopausal breast cancer.
• Women gaining more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remains stable.
• For every 2-pound increase in weight, the risk of developing arthritis increases by 9 to 13 percent

Diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are all part of disease prevention and can help you live a healthier life. To learn more, go to AmericanHeart.org.

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