Obese people ‘can and do lose weight’

Even people who are genetically predisposed to being overweight can lose weight and keep it off, and there are several examples of this happening, one expert has pointed out.

Dr Jacinda Nicklas, a clinical research fellow at Harvard Medical School, said that although many people who are overweight may be under the impression that they can never trim down, this is not the case.

A recent study carried out at the facility, which she authored, demonstrated that an intense regimen of exercise and a healthy eating plan enabled even people who had been overweight their whole lives to slim down.

"Despite popular perception that obese people are unable to lose weight, a substantial number of obese participants in our study did report successful weight loss, suggesting that some obese adults can and do lose weight," Dr Nicklas added.

Commenting on the study, Professor Colin Palmer, from the Medical Research Institute at the University of Dundee, told the Scotsman that will power is "the absolute king" when it comes to losing weight.

Many people may not be aware of what they are consuming, while the amount of exercise people would need to do is often far greater than most people would appreciate, he added.

Do you find it difficult to lose even a little weight?