Losing weight doesn't mean getting healthy: here's why

Can your weight really tell you about the state of your health? Contrary to popular belief, much less than is commonly thought, reports The Conversation.

You can eat your vegetables, go to the gym regularly, and have perfect blood pressure and cholesterol numbers - and still be considered "unhealthy" because of the number on the scale. At the same time, a person with an "ideal" weight can skip meals, eat on the run, and move very little while still being considered healthy in the eyes of society.

We are used to considering slimness as a synonym of good health, and excessive weight as a disease. However, science proves that weight is only one of many components of health. If weight does not reflect the full picture, what should we pay attention to?

In fact, weight shows only the total amount of body mass. Its changes usually only tell us about the ratio of calories in and calories out: if weight increases, a person eats more than he or she expends, and vice versa. But much more important is the information that weight cannot provide. Important indicators such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure or heart rate are not reflected on the scale.

Weight does not tell us anything about the quality of our diet either. A person may eat enough vegetables, fruits and whole foods, getting the vitamins and minerals important for energy, strong bones and immunity. Or, conversely, his diet may be poor in essential nutrients despite being at the "right" weight. He may consume heart-healthy fats (e.g. from olive oil, nuts and fish) that help strengthen his heart, or he may get fat from processed foods loaded with harmful trans fats. Fibre levels, which are essential for digestion and cholesterol control, also have nothing to do with the number on the scale.

In addition, the weight does not reflect exactly how much fat is in the body or where it is located. Visceral fat (around internal organs) is particularly dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, carries fewer risks.

Physical activity is also not seen in weight, although it significantly improves health even without weight loss. Important aspects such as sleep quality and stress levels are also not taken into account.

All of these factors are more difficult to measure than weight, but they are the ones that give the most complete picture of health. Of course, there is a link between body weight and certain disease risks: overweight and obese people have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

However, among overweight people there are those who have all their tests normal - this is called "metabolically healthy obesity". At the same time, a person with the "right" weight may have poor analyses due to an unhealthy lifestyle. There is even a term in medicine called "skinny-fat" (skinny on the outside, full on the inside).

So why is weight still perceived as the main criterion for health?

The answer is simple: it's easy to measure and easy to see. Unlike blood tests, nutritional assessments or MRIs, weighing doesn't require expensive procedures. Weight is visible to those around you, so it's convenient to judge by it. However, this visibility does not always reflect the essence.

Social stereotypes about what a "healthy" person should look like are often not scientifically based.