From a physician perspective, weight loss isn’t about appearance—it’s about changing the biology behind disease. Cardiologist Dr. Kim Connelly is passionate about how obesity leads to chronic inflammation and why losing weight can dramatically improve long-term health.
Why Weight Gain Triggers Inflammation
Gaining weight around our middle (also known as visceral fat) often leads to fat being stored around our internal organs and that can trigger an inflammatory response. “That is the sort of fat that gets really angry. It becomes inflamed,” Dr. Connelly explains.
The proteins released by these angry fat cells can damage the body, especially the arteries. “That can then enable things like… cholesterol to get into the artery. And that’s what starts this process of heart disease and stroke.”
The Body’s Response to Weight Loss
Fat cells are designed to store energy for tough times. When they grow and then shrink, they send signals to your brain that you’re losing weight—and that you need to eat more.
This biological urge to regain weight makes long-term weight loss difficult. “The old thoughts about how we put on weight are just completely wrong,” says Dr. Connelly, echoing what many weight loss experts emphasize.
Why It’s Hard to Lose Weight—and How to Make It Easier
Our biology is built for survival in times of food shortage—not for today’s world of constant access to food. Our brains kept us alive by making sure that we were super-motivated to look for food during times when we were losing weight (which it assumed was caused by a famine).“Your body has a whole lot of signals to make certain that I’m always going out, and I’ve got enough food for a rainy day,” says Dr. Connelly.
That’s why many people benefit from additional support when trying to reach a healthier weight, including medications. “Often for many people, diet and exercise alone won’t be enough,” he explains.
Measurable Gains from Weight Loss
Dr. Connelly points to a range of benefits that come with reducing inflammation through weight loss:
- Prevention of heart attacks and stroke
- Prevention of heart failure
- “Reducing inflammation can protect against cancer.”
Even the liver and brain benefit. “It is now the number one cause… of liver failure, which is a condition called cirrhosis,” he says of obesity-related liver disease. Neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and arthritis are also linked to this inflammatory process.
The Magic Number: Losing 15% of Our Body Weight
“To really hit that sort of home run… what we’re aiming for is around that 15% of whatever weight you started out with,” Dr. Connelly explains. “That seems to be the sort of magic number to say you’re going to live better and you’re going to live longer.”
Final Thoughts
Inflammation from excess weight is a major—but preventable—threat to our health. As Dr. Connelly says, “It is also a treatable and preventable problem.” The first step might be as simple as starting a conversation with your doctor.
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Diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to help many people reach a healthier weight. Medical treatments are needed to address the biological changes happening in our bodies that can drive weight regain. To find a physician near you who specializes in weight management, click here.
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This article was sponsored by Novo Nordisk Canada. All content is created independently by My Weight – What To Know with no influence from Novo Nordisk.
