Heart Health = Weight Loss

Charlyn Fargo
Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:09:58 -0800
Lifestyle

A study by researchers at Ohio State University confirms what most of us know about weight loss — increased exercise and a healthy diet are the keys rather than skipping meals and using prescription diet pills.

The researchers examined adherence to the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 recommendations among people with and without clinically significant weight loss. Researchers concluded that U.S. adults would benefit from adopting the heart-healthy measures to achieve weight loss. The findings were published in the journal of the American Heart Association in April 2023.

The eight recommendations, published by the AHA in June 2022, are considered crucial for heart health and include:
Updated: Fri Jan 16, 2026

A study by researchers at Ohio State University confirms what most of us know about weight loss — increased exercise and a healthy diet are the keys rather than skipping meals and using prescription diet pills.

The researchers examined adherence to the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 recommendations among people with and without clinically significant weight loss. Researchers concluded that U.S. adults would benefit from adopting the heart-healthy measures to achieve weight loss. The findings were published in the journal of the American Heart Association in April 2023.

The eight recommendations, published by the AHA in June 2022, are considered crucial for heart health and include:

— Eat better: Follow a healthy, balanced diet consisting of unprocessed, nutrient-rich foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, plant-based proteins, lean animal proteins, skinless poultry, fish and seafood.

— Be more active: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week.

— Quit tobacco: Smoking cessation is recommended to avoid numerous health problems.

— Get healthy sleep: Get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

— Manage weight: Be at a healthy weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an optimal body mass index (ratio of height and weight) is between 18.5 and 25.

— Control cholesterol: Aim for your LDL (low-density lipoprotein) to be lower and your HDL (high-density lipoprotein) to be higher for overall good cholesterol health.

— Manage blood sugar: A test called hemoglobin A1C provides a picture of blood glucose over the past three months and can be used to keep levels in check.

— Manage blood pressure: Adults should maintain blood pressure levels below 120/80 mm Hg. A lower sodium diet can help achieve this.

What the study found is that those recommendations for heart health also helped with weight loss. Researchers looked at data from 2007 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey questionnaires, clinical measures and 24-hour dietary recalls to determine adherence to the eight recommendations, diet quality and weight loss strategies. Adults who achieved clinically significant weight loss in the past 12 months reported higher overall diet quality, greater levels of physical activity and adoption of evidence-based weight loss strategies when compared with those with weight loss of less than 5%, weight maintenance or weight gain.

The bottom line? If you want to lose weight, skip the fad diets, missing meals and prescription drugs. Focus on tried-and-true recommendations of eating healthy foods and exercising daily. There are no magic pills or shortcuts.

Q and A

Q: What are liquid aminos?

A: I often recommend liquid aminos (seasonings that have a look and flavor similar to soy sauce) to my patients who are trying to lower their sodium intake. Liquid aminos, sold in the health section of most grocery stores, are made by treating soybeans with an acid solution to break them down into free amino acids or by fermenting coconut sap with salt and water. They are a source of amino acids and are gluten free. They also are an umami flavor (one of the five major tastes along with sweet, salty, sour and bitter). Early research has found that umami taste may help reduce feelings of hunger and may additionally minimize the desire to snack.

RECIPE

The Mediterranean diet plan seems to be widely embraced by health professionals and researchers worldwide. It's a way of eating defined by a focus on plant-based foods, fish and shellfish. Here's a recipe for a pan-seared fish (flounder, cod, tilapia or halibut) with a bell pepper and tomato mixture spooned over the fish. The sherry vinegar and paprika add a slightly sweet, smoky flavor to the dish.

PAN-SEARED HALIBUT WITH BELL PEPPER

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Four 6-ounce halibut fillets

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped plum tomato

1 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle halibut evenly with salt and black pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Carefully remove fish from pan and keep warm. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; saute 1 minute. Add bell pepper, tomato, vinegar and paprika; saute 3 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Spoon relish over fish. Sprinkle with additional black pepper.

Per serving: 239 calories, 32 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 1 g fiber, 2 g sugars (0 added), 267 mg sodium.

(Recipe from Cooking Light's Mediterranean Diet)