Khaberni - Those who have managed to lose weight and eradicate their obesity believe they are safe from the risk of diseases related to obesity.
Many believe that losing weight and eradicating obesity means an end to the risk of associated diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. However, a recent study revealed that the body may retain what is known as "obesity memory," causing some health risks to persist even after reaching a normal weight.
The study showed that this "memory" may remain in immune cells for up to 10 years after weight loss, which could explain why some people still have a tendency to develop obesity-related diseases despite their successful weight loss.
The study, published in the "Springer Nature" journal at the end of last April, was led by a European research team headed by Professor Claudio Mauro from the University of Birmingham. The researchers concluded that immune cells known as helper T cells or lymphocytes retain long-term memory of obesity.
How does obesity affect the immune system?
The study clarified that the immune effect of obesity begins from adipose tissue in the abdomen, where the accumulation of fat leads to the restructuring of immune cells found there. As weight increases, some types of immune cells are replaced with type one inflammatory T cells, enhancing chronic inflammations associated with obesity.
The researchers also found that "DNA methylation," a mechanism playing an important role in regulating gene function and natural aging, is linked with long-term changes in immune cells. These changes are believed to persist between 5 and 10 years even after weight loss.
The research team believes that the effect of "obesity memory" may lead to disruption of certain natural functions of the immune system, such as the disposal of cellular waste and regulating the aging of the immune system, making individuals who have lost weight more susceptible to obesity-associated diseases over a long period.
How was the study conducted?
The study relied on several groups of human and animal samples, including:
Patients suffering from severe obesity and receiving weight loss injections.
Patients with Alstrom syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes early obesity in childhood.
Healthy identical twins.
Participants who underwent a training program for 10 weeks, from whom blood and adipose tissue samples were collected.
Patients who are normal weight or obese and suffer from arthritis undergoing joint replacement surgeries.
Additionally, the researchers used mouse models on a high-fat diet, along with blood samples from healthy volunteers, to understand the cellular mechanisms associated with immune system disorders in obesity.
Professor Claudio Mauro stated that the results indicate that short-term weight loss "may not immediately reduce the risk of some diseases associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer."
Long-term effects
According to the study, "obesity memory" also affects the process of "autophagy," a mechanism by which cells dispose of waste and damaged parts within themselves. It can also impact the aging of the immune system itself.
The researchers believe that understanding these changes may help in the future development of adjunctive treatments used alongside weight loss medications to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases and cancer associated with obesity.
Dr. Belinda Nedjai from the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University in London, one of the researchers involved in the study, stated that the results show that obesity leaves "permanent genetic modifications" that affect the behavior of immune cells, meaning the immune system retains what resembles a "molecular record" of the body's previous metabolic state.
Is it possible to eliminate "obesity memory?"
Researchers believe that maintaining weight loss over time may gradually help fade the "obesity memory," but this may require a period ranging between 5 and 10 years of stabilization at a healthy weight.
Despite the significant results, the research team emphasized the need for more studies to fully understand how to reverse the effects of obesity on immune cells.
Claudio Mauro mentioned that there are promising treatment options that could help accelerate the fading of "obesity memory," including repurposing some known diabetes medications like SGLT2 inhibitors, which have shown encouraging results in reducing inflammation and improving the elimination of immune cells associated with obesity.
SGLT2 inhibitors are used to treat type 2 diabetes, helping the kidneys eliminate excess sugar through urine, as well as having capabilities to protect the heart and kidneys, lower blood pressure, and aid in weight loss.
Weight loss requires a permanent lifestyle change
Amira Habib, a clinical nutritionist and certified health coach, stressed that the journey of weight loss must be conducted in a healthy and safe manner to preserve muscle mass and important levels of vitamins and minerals in the body.
She explained that losing between 10 to 15% of body weight often reflects positively on lab test results and overall health indicators.
She added that between 80 to 95% of people who lose weight regain it over a period ranging from two to five years, which is partly linked with what is known as "obesity memory." Therefore, these individuals need ongoing monitoring and long-term support to maintain the results of weight loss and reduce the risk of diseases associated with obesity.
She emphasized that the real solution to avoiding returning to obesity lies in adopting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, rather than relying on temporary solutions only.
She also called for not stigmatizing people who regain weight after losing it as "weak-willed," as the issue also relates to biological and immune changes within the body, not willpower alone.
She highlighted the importance of early prevention of obesity, starting from the stage of pregnancy and the mother's nutrition, leading up to healthy child feeding, as early obesity can leave long-term effects on the body and life quality.
