Should You Lose Weight When You're Young? "If You Push It in Middle Age, You Might Get 'This'"

As one ages, losing weight becomes increasingly difficult. Many people in their 40s and 50s say, "Even if I move the same amount as when I was young, the speed of weight loss is not the same as before." There are also many cases where individuals lose weight rapidly after aging, only to see health warning signs emerge.

In fact, research has shown that attempting to diet in middle age results in a slower weight loss rate compared to when one is young, and it can also negatively impact brain health.

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel observed changes in the brain when attempting to lose weight in obese mice of different ages. The results showed that mice that are one year old, which corresponds to humans in their 40s, lost weight 14 percentage points slower than younger mice that are seven weeks old, corresponding to late teens to early twenties. Additionally, inflammation in the hypothalamus of middle-aged mice increased after weight loss. This research was recently published in the international academic journal 《GeroScience》.

For the experiment, the researchers fed high-fat diets to both young and middle-aged mouse groups. After the mice became obese, they were switched back to a regular diet two weeks later to induce weight loss. The results showed that while young mice lost 68% of their weight during the same period, middle-aged mice only lost 54%.

After weight loss, the experimental mice had normal blood sugar levels regardless of age, but in middle-aged mice, the inflammation of microglia in the hypothalamus worsened. Microglia are immune cells that regulate appetite, weight, energy balance, and stress. The researchers explained, "While the inflammatory response of microglia may help with metabolic regulation in the short term, if the inflammatory response persists for a long time or becomes excessively activated, it could lead to memory decline or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease."

Previously, research in South Korea also indicated that attempting to lose weight excessively in middle age could be risky. At the end of last year, a research team from Bundang Seoul National University Hospital announced that "for those in their 40s to 60s, if weight fluctuation exceeds 10%, the risk of developing dementia can double."

Nevertheless, managing weight becomes essential as one ages. Middle-aged obesity can lead to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer and dementia. The research team at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev advised, "While it is still important for obese individuals to attempt weight loss for health reasons, in middle age, it is crucial to understand the impact of dieting on the brain and to ensure that brain health is not compromised." In other words, as one ages, attempting to lose weight rapidly in a short period or trying extreme methods like one meal a day or one food diets can put a burden on the brain, so caution is needed.