How Long Before A Positive Change In Diet Starts To Take Effect?

Eating an unhealthy diet raises the risk of obesity and many chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. However, at any stage of life, eating a healthier diet can lead to positive changes in your health and well-being. Although it is best to not make too many drastic changes all at once, the more positive changes you make, the faster you will see results. Because the goal is to eat healthy for the rest of your life, it is important to balance dietary changes with occasional indulgences so that the plan can be followed long term.

Weight Loss

Eating a healthy diet should include consuming just enough calories to maintain a healthy weight. Gaining just 10 to 20 lbs. increases the risk of death among those age 30 to 64; raises the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; increases the chances of developing diabetes, and makes you more likely to develop certain types of cancer, says the office of the surgeon general. In addition, for every 2-lb. increase in weight, the risk of developing arthritis is increased by 9 to 13 percent.

Losing just 5 to 15 percent of your current body weight starts to lower your risk of all of the above. Unless you are under a doctor's care, a safe amount of weight loss is about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. If you weigh 180 lbs. and need to lose 9 lbs. to reach the 5 percent goal and you lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week; you could begin to see benefits in just five to nine weeks.

Heart Disease

The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which occurs when plaque builds up along the blood vessel walls. As the level of plaque builds, the blood vessels become hard and narrow, which can restrict blood flow to the heart and/or brain. Over time, this can lead to a heart attack or stroke. To lower your risk, you need to restrict your intake of fat and cholesterol as a high intake of either contributes to plaque buildup. Although each case is different, making lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet and exercising may start to lower your cholesterol levels within two to four weeks, but it can take up to three months to see a significant change.

Type 2 Diabetes

There are two main kinds of diabetes. Type 1 occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin, and there is no way to prevent this kind. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not use insulin properly, and this type can be prevented through diet and exercise. The main role that diet plays is in helping you to lose weight. Losing 7 to 10 percent of your current weight can cut your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes in half, reports the Harvard School of Public Health. Aim for a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and choose whole grains over refined grains and sugary foods.

Lifelong Changes

Because everyone responds to changes to diet differently and has varying degrees of risks for certain diseases, there is no one answer as to how long you must follow a healthy diet in order to see benefits. Because high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can all exist without causing symptoms, checking your levels regularly is the only sure way to know whether your dietary changes are working.