The Correlations Between Obesity And Heart Health

Posted on: 3 October 2016

Being overweight tends to be very common in today's world, yet it is not a healthy way to live. A recent study concluded that obesity is tied to more chronic illnesses than smoking, and this shows how consequential obesity is. Among all the issues obesity can lead to, heart problems are at the top of the list. Carrying around a lot of extra weight is hard on your heart, and here are a few things you should know about this.

You Are At A Higher Risk For Having High Cholesterol

When you are carrying around extra weight, you will be at a higher risk for developing high cholesterol, which is a dangerous condition to have. This occurs in two different ways. The first is the way obesity tends to raise triglycerides, which is the bad cholesterol in your body. The second way involves the fact that obesity tends to lower the good cholesterol in your body. The result is high cholesterol, and having high cholesterol puts you at a higher risk for developing heart problems.

When a person's cholesterol levels are normal, the person is more likely to have a healthy heart. As soon as the person's cholesterol levels become high, it means that he or she has too much cholesterol in his or her body. This leads to a development of plaque in the arteries, and this can eventually cause clogs in them.

You Are At A Higher Risk For Having High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a condition known as hypertension, and it causes the heart to pump harder than it should be pumping. This extra pressure on the heart is not good and can also lead to heart problems. People who are obese have a much higher chance of developing high blood pressure, and this happens from the pressure caused by the extra body weight people have when they are obese. This pressure makes the heart beat faster and harder

You Are At A Higher Risk For Having A Heart Attack, Heart Disease, Or A Stroke

It is the fact that obesity often leads to high cholesterol and high blood pressure that causes an obese person to have higher risks of developing major heart problems. Heart attacks, for example, occur when the heart does not get enough oxygen, and the main reason this can happen is from a blockage in the arteries. This blockage is generally the result of high cholesterol left unaddressed for too long.

A stroke occurs when there is some type of blockage to the brain, and this is often the result of built-up cholesterol in the arteries too. Finally, heart disease can occur when plaque from cholesterol gets trapped around the heart itself.

As you can see, all of these conditions are a result of high cholesterol, and you might be able to get healthier simply by losing weight.

How Losing Weight Can Help

Many experts believe that people can gain major heart-health benefits just by losing 5% to 10% of their body weight. If you currently weigh 250 pounds and are overweight, losing 25 pounds could make a big difference in your health. In addition to losing weight, you may also want to start eating healthier foods and avoiding foods that are bad for you. Making the decision to stop smoking can also help improve your heart, and limiting the amount of alcohol you drink is another good step.

If you are overweight, you may want to visit a doctor to find out if you are currently suffering from high cholesterol or high blood pressure. This is a great step to take if you want to become healthier and reduce your risks of heart-related problems. For more information, contact a hospital such as Van Wert County Hospital.