La Dolce Vita is not just the name of a Federico Fellini film. The expression has come to symbolize something the Italians know well: living the good life.

Here’s something else the Italians know: If you’re overweight and have high blood pressure, modest weight loss (a five percent or greater reduction in weight) can help bring your blood pressure down to normal. 

Italian researchers reported that finding recently at the 61st Annual Fall Conference of the American Heart Association's Council for High Blood Pressure Research.

Dr. Roberto Fogari and his colleagues at the University of Pavia asked 220 overweight men and women with stage 1 hypertension (140 - 159 systolic blood pressure; 90 - 99 diastolic) to lose at least five percent of their body weight in six months.

His team gave the patients diet advice. Some also received Xenical (120 mg orlistat), the prescription version of alli (60 mg orlistat). More than half (52 percent) of those who met their weight-loss goal saw their blood pressure return to the normal range.

Food for thought, as they say. And of course you should seek medical advice from your doctor if you have hypertension (aka high blood pressure).

[via WebMD]

P.S. See our earlier post on how to set realistic weight loss goals.