Modest weight loss over a 2-year period in overweight or obese, middle-aged women may reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. In a study of 417 women participating in weight loss programs for up to 24 months, those who sustained a 10 percent or more loss of their body weight for two years reduced their total cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol, HDL “good” cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, glucose, and inflammation markers. Women who had the highest levels of risk at the start of the study benefitted the most from modest weight loss.