5% of Body Weight: A Realistic First Goal for Metabolic Health

The most common mistake when starting weight management is setting the goal too high. Official recommendations are more realistic than you might expect.

5–10% in 6 months

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) sets, as the first goal of obesity management, a 5–10% loss of your current body weight over 6 months. For someone who weighs 80 kg, that is 4–8 kg.

Why 5%?

Korea's KDCA also recommends that people with prediabetes and a BMI of 23 or higher lose and maintain 5–10% of their body weight. For metabolic health management, keeping the weight you have lost matters more than a large loss.

Practical points

• Rather than suddenly cutting how much you eat, eat regularly and don’t skip meals.
• Fill your plate mainly with vegetables, whole grains and protein, and cut back on sweet drinks and refined carbohydrates.
• Do 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week along with muscle-strengthening exercise 2–3 times a week.