Individuals with a BMI (weight in Kg/height in metre²) of at least 30 have a 50% to 100% increased risk for death compared with individuals at a BMI of 20 to 25. Mortality rates from many causes are higher, but heart disease is the primary one. People who are obese have almost three times the risk for heart disease as people with normal weights. Being physically unfit adds to the risk. Obesity appears to pose a risk to the heart regardless of its obvious association with other heart risk factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
High Blood Pressure: Hypertension is the health problem most commonly associated with obesity, and the greater the weight, the greater the risk. While hypertension carries its own serious risks for stroke and heart attack, overweight people with high blood pressure are also at increased danger for enlargement of the left heart chamber, a major risk factor for heart failure. The link between obesity and high blood pressure is complex and may reflect interactions of genetic, demographic, and biologic factors. Many studies have reported that modest weight loss is beneficial for reducing existing blood pressure and the risk for heart failure.
Unhealthy Cholesterol Levels. The effect of obesity on cholesterol levels is complex. Although obesity does not appear to be strongly associated with cholesterol levels, among obese individuals triglyceride levels are usually high while HDL (the so-called “good” cholesterol) levels tend to be low, both risk factors for heart disease.Stroke Obesity is also associated with a higher risk for stroke.
