Ensure fat loss preserves muscle

The Star published an article on May 17 urging readers to focus on fat loss while preserving muscle, rather than treating a lower number on the scale as the main goal. The piece, written by Dr Yong Heng Yaw and Dr Nor Baizura Md Yusop, said body composition offers a better picture of health than weight alone. It argued that muscle supports resting calorie burn, bone health and daily function, and warned that losing muscle while dieting can leave metabolic health worse even if total weight falls. The article landed against a backdrop of high obesity rates in England, where the House of Commons Library said 28% of adults were obese and a further 36% overweight in 2022. ### Why did the article say the scale can mislead? The Star said a person could lose five kilograms of muscle and gain three kilograms of fat and still show an apparent weight loss on the scale. In that example, total body weight would fall, but metabolic health would worsen, the article said. Body composition was the article’s main measure. (thestar.com.my) The authors wrote that health depends on the proportion of fat mass to lean mass, including muscle and bone, and said the aim should be to carry less excess fat while keeping functional muscle. ### Why does muscle matter during dieting? The Star described muscle as “your body’s metabolic engine,” saying it burns calories even at rest, supports bones and helps people stay active and independent. (thestar.com.my) That framing matches separate guidance from Harvard Health, which said muscle loss is a common part of weight loss and can rise when people lose weight quickly, including on very low-calorie diets or GLP-1 drugs. Harvard Health cited Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as saying that about 25% of lost weight can come from muscle. Harvard Health said the body can turn to muscle protein for energy once glycogen stores are depleted in a calorie deficit. That is why the publication advised resistance training, adequate protein intake and a slower pace of weight loss to limit muscle loss. ### Which measurements did the article tell readers to watch? (thestar.com.my) The Star said body mass index, or BMI, remains widely used but has “significant limitations” because it compares weight with height and does not distinguish fat from muscle. The article said that can classify muscular people as overweight while missing people with low muscle mass and high body fat. (health.harvard.edu) Waist circumference and body fat percentage were presented as more useful indicators. The article said excess fat around the waist reflects visceral fat around internal organs, which is linked to higher health risks, and gave waist measurements of under 94 centimeters for men and under 80 centimeters for women as healthy thresholds. For Asian populations, it listed BMI ranges of 18.5 to 22.9 as normal, 23.0 to 24.9 as overweight and 25.0 and above as obesity. (thestar.com.my) ### How big is the broader obesity picture in England? The House of Commons Library said in a briefing published on February 10, 2025, that 28% of adults in England were obese and a further 36% were overweight, based on the 2022 Health Survey for England. The briefing said 64.3% of adults in England were overweight or obese, up from 52.9% in 1993. (thestar.com.my) NHS England Digital later reported that in 2024, 30% of adults aged 16 and over in England were living with obesity and 66% were either overweight or living with obesity. The same release said 70% of adults had a waist-to-height ratio above the recommended 0.5 level. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) ### What practical advice did the reporting point to? Harvard Health said three steps can help preserve muscle during weight loss: resistance training, enough protein and slower weight reduction. The Star’s article made the same broad case by telling readers to look past scale weight and focus on fat loss while maintaining muscle. (digital.nhs.uk) The latest official benchmark in England now comes from NHS England Digital’s 2024 Health Survey release, published on January 27, 2026, while The Star’s May 17 article remains available online with guidance from Dr Yong Heng Yaw and Dr Nor Baizura Md Yusop. (digital.nhs.uk) (health.harvard.edu)