Is Losing Weight Worth All The Trouble?

If you’ve been through the down-and-up weight cycle, you may wonder if dieting is worth the effort even though it could improve your health.

The answer is yes, according to a prominent researcher. In a national study of 3,000 overweight adults with impaired glucose tolerance, losing even a modest amount of weight—14 pounds—reduced people’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent, reports Rena Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School.

What’s more, the health benefits of the weight loss lasted up to 10 years, even if people gradually gained back the weight during that time, according to Wing, who presented her findings at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention.