Can losing weight help heart failure?

Absolutely! Losing weight can be beneficial for those experiencing heart failure. According to a 2017 study published in the journal Circulation, even modest weight loss among obese patients with chronic heart failure can reduce mortality and hospitalizations. In addition, another 2019 study conducted by researchers at Boston University's School of Medicine found that losing just 10% of body weight over 6 months improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), reduced insulin resistance and increased peak oxygen uptake.

These findings suggest that if individuals with heart failure are overweight or obese, achieving even modest levels of weight loss is associated with positive improvements in their cardiovascular health outcomes. Furthermore, making healthy lifestyle changes such as eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly may actually help reverse the damage done to the cardiovascular system due to excess body fat and accelerate recovery from existing symptoms.