Healthy Weight Loss

Case Report

Patient data

Age: 57 years
Gender: male
Height: 1.54 m
Initial weight: 99.25 kg
Initial BMI: 41.80 kg/m²
Final weight: 67.85 kg
Final BMI: 28.60 kg/m²


Medical history / diagnosis

A 57 year-old man with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome came for nutrition counseling with the aim of losing weight and improving health. In addition to Metformin to regulate blood sugar level, the patient was also having to take Vocado and Bisoprolol to reduce blood pressure. The diet was altered to a reduced-calorie mixed-food diet and combined with a higher level of daily activity following a return to work after extended sick leave (slipped disk).


Graphs of measuring results

Weight
Weight was reduced by 31.00 kg in just over a year. Weight loss was continuous.

 

  • November 7, 2012: 99.25 kg
  • January 9, 2013: 91.85 kg
  • March 13, 2013: 83.90 kg
  • September 11, 2013: 67.85 kg

 

Graphs of measuring results

Fat mass
The percentage fat mass was steadily reduced throughout the entire period. The final measuring point is in the normal range.

  • November 7, 2012: 43.00 %
  • January 9, 2013: 38.00 %
  • March 13, 2013: 33.00 %
  • September 11, 2013: 21.00 %

Graphs of measuring results

Skeletal muscle mass

Skeletal muscle mass also decreased throughout the entire period, but compared to fat mass, only just under 3.00 kg of skeletal muscle mass was lost. However, given a total weight loss of 31.20 kg, this can be virtually discounted.

  • November 7, 2012: 28.75 kg
  • January 9, 2013: 28.85 kg
  • March 13, 2013: 27.70 kg
  • September 11, 2013: 26.60 kg

Graphs of measuring results

Body composition chart (BCC)

The reduction in fat mass is also easy to see in the BCC. The patient starts way outside the normal range in the obese area. The measuring points gradually reach the high muscle mass range. Fat-free mass (skeletal muscle mass, total body water) hardly drops at all, it was virtually maintained.


Summary

Reducing weight made it possible to reduce medication, improve the metabolic situation and thus achieve the therapy objective.

Measurement of body composition using the seca mBCA underlines the positive course of the treatment. The ideal weight reduction becomes especially clear in the body composition chart (BCC). The patient lost 31.00 kg in just over a year. This weight loss was accompanied by a comparatively small loss in skeletal muscle mass (2.80 kg) and a dramatic reduction in relative fat mass (22.30 %). The small loss in skeletal muscle mass and significant loss of fat mass make it possible to speak of healthy weight loss in this instance.

The patient was able to improve his metabolic situation by means of a healthy reduction in weight in terms of fat mass (something which can be assessed using the mBCA).



Unhealthy Weight Loss

Case Report

Patient data

Age: 37 years
Gender: female
Height: 1.76 m
Initial weight: 146.40 kg
Initial BMI: 47.30 kg/m²
Final weight: 125.70 kg
Final BMI: 40.60 kg/m²


Medical history / diagnosis

A 37 year-old woman with type 2 diabetes and severe overweight (BMI 47.30 kg/m²) has elevated glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) values: 9.50 %. In the course of a routine diabetic clinic examination, the patient is advised to increase her physical activity while simultaneously changing her eating habits, with the aim of normalizing her HbA1c value by these means.


Graphs of measuring results

Weight
The patient lost over 20.00 kg in just under 2.5 months.
 

  • December 4, 2012: 146.40 kg
  • January 14, 2013: 131.70 kg
  • February 26, 2013: 125.70 kg

Graphs of measuring results

Fat mass
However, percentage fat mass dropped only slightly overall, even increasing slightly between January and the end of February.
 

  • December 4, 2012: 46.70 %
  • January 14, 2013: 45.50 %
  • February 26, 2013: 45.70 %

 

Graphs of measuring results

Skeletal muscle mass

Muscle mass, on the other hand, dropped considerably. In the course of the weight loss, muscle mass decreased by 6.60 kg, which accounts for just under a third of the total weight loss of 20.70 kg.
 

  • December 4, 2012: 47.50 kg
  • January 14, 2013: 42.10 kg
  • February 26, 2013: 40.90 kg

Graphs of measuring results

Body composition chart (BCC)

The BCC clearly shows that it was not possible to improve body composition over time and that the weight loss has to be considered unhealthy. The measuring points move more to the left (reduction in FFM) in the direction of low muscle mass instead of downwards (reduction in FM).


Summary

The therapy objective was achieved by reducing the HbA1c value.

Measurement of body composition with the seca mBCA, however, shows that weight loss was too quick and must be classified as unhealthy due to the considerable loss in muscle mass. The reduced basal metabolic rate associated with this presents a risk of weight being regained rapidly (yo-yo effect). The seca mBCA is thus the ideal monitoring tool for discovering such irregularities in cases where therapy appears to have been successful.

The information gained from this example is that the focus of the therapy objective has to be extended beyond the HbA1c value. For continued treatment, the issue of maintaining muscle mass, i.e. increased activity, needs to be addressed in addition to changing eating habits.

Measuring body composition over the course of time with the seca mBCA allows an unhealthy weight loss to be discovered; this needs correcting with appropriate measures as treatment continues.