Weight loss may help your immune system. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. I wanted to address this topic because recently, I’ve gotten A LOT of questions about diet and immune health. Normally, when people find out I work in nutrition, I get a myriad of questions, usually about how to eat healthier, how to lose weight, does the latest diet craze actually work, or some combination therein. However, as all things *2022,* this is no longer the case. Here’s my take on the link between weight loss and immune health:

For weight loss to help immune health, it has to be done in a healthful way (no crash diets!) and the weight loss should be mostly excess body fat (not water weight or muscle loss). It is also critical to remember that there is no singular “magic bullet” for your immune system. With this in mind, there’s a lot of research showing that excess body weight exacerbates inflammation while losing weight alleviates it. For example, a 2018 published paper reported on the effect of weight loss, including diet-mediated weight loss, on inflammation. Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of the studies summarized in the paper showed that diet-mediated weight loss significantly lowered whole body inflammation. Why is this important? Because, keeping inflammation low is a critical component for immune health.

In addition, healthy weight loss and healthful food choices go hand in hand. A sound weight loss plan will be full of healthful foods (and physical activity, another cheerleader for your immune system). And, when you eat healthful foods to nourish your body, you give yourself its best fighting chance to, well, fight. I won’t get into details because I am sure you can already guess what these foods might be: spinach, kale, strawberries (berries in general), red peppers, citrus fruits, salmon, nuts, etc., etc., etc. These foods contain many of the critical nutrients your immune system relies on each day to stay in top form, including zinc, vitamin C, essential fatty acids, and protein.

Bottom line? Getting rid of excess body weight isn’t just about fitting into your favorite jeans. Weight loss may help your immune system, and generally speaking, achieving a healthy weight is important for overall wellness and health. Want to learn more about nutrients good for your immune health and your waistline? Read our blog post on omega-3 fatty acids here.