Extra Weight Means Extra Risks for Your Heart

Source: Tufts University
November 14, 2002 (Reviewed: November 13, 2004)

Is the number when you step on the scales putting your heart at risk? According to a recent study, it could be.

Health organizations have long been advising us that being overweight can increase the risk for cardiovascular conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Now a recently published study on the relationship between long-term weight status and cardiovascular disease risk adds more evidence to underscore that advice. The results are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Using data from the Framingham Heart Study

To study the relationship between cardiovascular disease risk and weight status, researchers from Boston University used data from the landmark Framingham Heart Study, which began recruiting subjects in the late 1940s. The study (which took place in Framingham, Massachusetts) included men and women whose health status, physical measurements (including height and weight), and lifestyle habits were monitored regularly over a long-time - up to 44 years.

The researchers used the subjects' height and weight measurements to calculate their body mass index (BMI), a measure now commonly used in research and clinical practice to classify people's weight status. For this study, participants were classified as normal weight (BMI = 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI = 25.0-29.9), and obese (BMI 30 and above).

The researchers also observed whether the study participants developed diabetes as well as several specific conditions that affect cardiovascular health, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They also tallied the cases of stroke, angina, heart attack, and coronary death.

The weight/risk link

The results showed that excess weight was indeed associated with greater risk. For instance, overweight men had a 46% greater risk for high blood pressure than men classified as normal weight, and obese men were more than twice as likely to develop high blood pressure than normal-weight men.

Among both men and women, the researchers found excess weight of any amount (BMI 25 or above) to be associated with increased risks for several cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure, angina, and coronary heart disease.

The impact of this study

The question of how excess weight increases risk cannot be answered simply, because the causes and effects of excess weight are complex and vary among individuals. But the results do give scientists further evidence that obesity is intricately linked with cardiovascular risk factors and disease, which is important, because heart disease is the leading killer of Americans - for both men and women.

Lowering your own cardiovascular risk

The good news here is that many lifestyle factors that contribute to heart disease risk - like smoking, diet, and exercise - can be controlled. If you're concerned about your cardiovascular risk, talk to your doctor about how to bring your individual risk factors, including your weight, under better control. For help with diet and weight loss, your doctor can refer you to a registered dietitian, who can work with you to devise an eating plan tailored to your needs.

Source

• Overweight and obesity as determinants of cardiovascular risk: the Framingham experience. PWF. Wilson, RB. D'Agostino, L. Sullivan,  et al., Arch Int Med, 2002, vol. 162, pp. 1867--1872

Related Links
Being Overweight Increases Your Risk of Heart Failure
Excess Weight Adds Health Problems, Too
Weighing Your Longevity Series
Tool: Find Out Your BMI
Tool: What's Your Ideal Weight?
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