Obesity Can Compromise Your Heart’s Ability to FunctionResearch shows that obesity can raise your risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a rapid irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) of the upper chambers (atria) of the heart that can promote the formation of blood clots and lead to stroke, heart failure, or other heart-related complications, according to the American Heart Association. In addition, obesity can lead to enlargement of the heart, which could be from untreated hypertension, Dr. Goldberg says. Show
Those Extra Pounds Force Your Heart to Work HarderYes, the extra weight you’re carrying does put the heart under increased stress, in particular during the relaxation phase of the cardiac cycle — what’s called the diastole. As the heart fills with blood, there’s higher pressure, Goldberg explains. “Over time, that can cause people to have heart failure symptoms.” It’s not just the number on the scale that matters. Where the extra weight is distributed also affects your risk of developing heart disease. Simply put, greater amounts of belly fat — what’s often called
central or abdominal obesity — is associated with greater inflammation, which is damaging to your heart, Goldberg says. Excess belly fat also increases triglyceride levels, which can contribute to plaque rupturing, Stevens notes. That’s why your waist measurement really does matter, in addition to your overall weight. Taking Action to Protect Your HeartThe news isn’t entirely bad, though. If you’re overweight or obese, slimming down can help you reduce your risk of developing heart disease. “When people lose as little as 5 pounds, we can start to see improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and inflammatory factors,” Goldberg says. All of these changes are beneficial for your heart. Indeed, losing excess weight helps with primary prevention of heart disease, as well as secondary prevention (preventing another heart attack or other cardiac event if you’ve already had one), Goldberg says. For secondary prevention, she adds, “you’ll need to take medicine, but maybe less of it if you lose weight.” It’s not an easy process, Goldberg admits, but the best ways to lose weight are to improve your diet and exercise habits with the goal of losing 1 pound per week. Keep in mind: “If your BMI is in the higher range, it’s safer to go into a medically supervised weight loss program than to try to do it on your own,” Goldberg says. If you’re doing it on your own, stick with a diet that’s filled with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fatty fish and skinless poultry, nuts and legumes, and healthy cooking oils, such as olive, walnut, sesame, or grapeseed oils. Avoid added sugars, highly processed foods, and fried foods. On the exercise front, do a combination of “aerobic exercise and weight training to increase your muscle mass and decrease body fat,” Goldberg suggests. There’s proof that taking these steps can make a difference to your heart health. A study found that adults ages 18 to 35 with BMI between 25 and 40 who participated in a weight-loss program lost an average of 17.5 pounds, increased their levels of physical activity, and improved their total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels after six months. “Losing weight will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease significantly — because it makes a difference in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and triglyceride levels,” Stevens says. “The great news is, what you do every day can make a difference.” RELATED: Exercise Plan for Diabetes and Heart Health 1/04/2015 If you’ve ever tried to lose even a few pounds, you know it can be hard, frustrating work. However, losing weight is about so much more than fitting into your favorite pair of jeans again. Being overweight contributes to cardiovascular diseases that cause heart attack and stroke as well as diabetes. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight will increase your odds of a heart-healthy future. How Much Weight Is Too Much?You will often hear two categories described for being above a healthy weight: overweight and obese. These categories are defined based on a number called body mass index (BMI). The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute provides a simple BMI calculator here, where you can input your height and weight and find out your BMI. A BMI of 25–29.9 is classified as overweight, and 30 or above indicates obesity. BMI is an estimating tool-it does not measure your actual percentage of body fat. Therefore, some people with a lot of muscle (which weighs more than fat) may be incorrectly identified as overweight or obese. Other methods of measuring body fat are also available. Overweight Versus Obese: Does It Make a Difference?If your body weight falls within the obese range, you will need to lose weight to reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Losing even 5–10 percent of your body weight can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Your heart and entire cardiovascular system will benefit, as will other systems throughout your body. Obesity isn’t just a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases; it also increases the risk of cancers such as breast, colon, and thyroid cancer, among others. If your BMI puts you in the overweight range, your doctor will evaluate you on an individual basis. Where do you carry most of your weight? A large waist measurement, or “pear-shaped” body, is considered a greater risk factor than carrying weight elsewhere in your body. How are your cholesterol and triglyceride levels? Do you smoke? Do you have high blood pressure? Diabetes? If you are otherwise healthy, being overweight (but not obese) may not put you at significant cardiovascular risk. Your physician can advise you as to whether your weight is a concern for your heart health, based on your other risk factors. When It’s Time to Drop the PoundsIf losing weight and keeping it off were easy, overweight and obesity rates in the United States would be lower. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 out of 10 adults over age 20 are overweight or obese. However, it is possible to lose and maintain weight, and there are many resources and treatment options available.
Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider
Learn MoreLifestyle changes will always be at the heart of a weight-loss plan. The same lifestyle changes that will help you lose weight are good for your heart. Visit SecondsCount’s Nutrition, Diet & Your Heart center for more about a heart-healthy diet. To learn more about building good exercise habits, visit the center on Physical Activity, Exercise & Your Heart. How does obesity cause cardiovascular disease?Obese individuals require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies which causes an increase in blood pressure. Your body will also require more pressure to move this blood around. High blood pressure is also a common cause of heart attack, which are sadly more common for obese individuals.
How does obesity impact heart failure?Obesity-related factors are estimated to cause 11% of heart failure cases in men and 14% in women. Obesity may result in heart failure by inducing hemodynamic and myocardial changes that lead to cardiac dysfunction, or due to an increased predisposition to other heart failure risk factors.
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