If you’re trying to lose a lot of weight, and progress is slow, take heart. Losing just 5 percent to 10 percent of your body weight can have long-lasting health benefits.

Moderate weight loss has received increasing attention as a strategy for those who are overweight or obese. And unlike many weight-loss programs in which most people regain the majority of the weight they initially lost, this type of weight loss is more likely to be maintained over a longer time.

 

Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers potential benefits from moderate, sustained weight loss:

Hypertension
Several studies have shown that moderate weight loss -- around 5 percent -- can reduce or eliminate the need for medications that lower blood pressure.

Diabetes
Studies of people at high risk of diabetes showed that moderate weight loss from dietary changes and moderate exercise can delay and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes. A weight loss of 5percent to 7 percent was linked to a 58 percent reduced risk of diabetes.

Heart disease
Ten percent weight reduction may reduce your lifetime risk of developing heart disease by up to 4 percent.

Stroke
Sustained moderate weight loss may reduce the risk of stroke.

Sleep apnea
One study compared the prevalence of this sleep disorder in overweight participants before and after weight loss. Those who lost a moderate amount of weight experienced a 14 percent to 26 percent decline in the number of occurrences of abnormal overnight breathing.

Life expectancy
Depending on your age and body mass, a sustained 10 percent weight loss can increase life expectancy. 

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