There are no reproductive benefits to decreasing weight, according to a new clinical study.
The findings of the study were published in the peer-reviewed journal ‘PLOS Medicine.’ In a randomised study of 379 obese women with unexplained infertility, researchers revealed that drastic lifestyle changes that resulted in weight loss had no more likelihood of conception and healthy kids than just increasing physical activity without losing weight.
“We’ve known for decades that obese women have a hard time getting pregnant,” said Daniel J. Haisenleder, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Center for Research in Reproduction. “As a result, many doctors recommend losing weight before getting pregnant.”
However, there have been few studies that compare a healthy lifestyle — i.e., exercise — vs. exercise plus weight loss.”
The FIT-PLESE research separated participants into two groups, which were carried out at nine academic medical centres around the country: Diets, medicines, and increased physical exercise were used by half of the women.
The other half increased their physical activity without attempting to reduce weight. Both groups got three rounds of conventional infertility treatments after finishing the programmes.
Women in the weight-loss programme lost an average of 7% of their body weight, but those in the exercise-only group frequently maintained their weights. However, there were no significant variations in the frequency of healthy deliveries between the two groups.
The severe dietary regimen did, however, provide health advantages to the women who finished it. In addition to losing weight, they found a significant reduction in metabolic syndrome, a group of illnesses that increases the risk of serious health issues like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
According to their data, Haisenleder and his colleagues conclude that the weight-loss programme did not increase fertility or enhance birth outcomes when compared to merely exercising. They also out that the health benefits of losing weight may not transfer into increased chances of getting pregnant.
“In these participants, losing weight improved their metabolic health. Unfortunately, the observed modifications did not increase fertility.“ According to Haisenleder, “Infertility in this demographic is a significant health concern that will necessitate further research in the future.”
