For a long time a majority of heart health professionals considered that obesity had only an indirect link to heart disease. They attributed the major risk factors for heart disease (such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and even arteriosclerosis) to the degree of the obesity of the person involved. While obesity is a contributing factor for many of these conditions, studies are now indicating a more direct link between obesity and heart disease.



A Direct link between Obesity and Heart Disease

A spate of recent studies has demonstrated that while obesity can affect a number of risk factors for heart disease, they are also directly related in that obesity can be a predictive indicator of heart disease. In the most recent fourteen year study, middle-aged women with a BMI index of between twenty-three and twenty-five, were found to be 50% more likely to be at risk of both fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease. This is clear evidence of a correlation between obesity and heart disease.

There are other results which also highlight the link, in particular, abnormalities in the left ventricular mass and function of the heart. In sufferers of hypertension, this is quite a normal occurrence, but there is now sufficient evidence that obese subjects in the same studies also show a correlation when hypertension is not present at heightened levels. In such cases, the only condition that appears to affect the condition of the heart is severe obesity. This information therefore indicates that obesity and heart disease are intricately linked and can definitely lead to congestive heart failure.

What you can do to Treat Obesity and Heart Disease

Now that there is a clear correlation between obesity and heart disease, there are a number of preventative steps available to obese patients who are clearly at risk of developing heart disease.

Naturally diet and weight loss are at the core of most treatment strategies to restore a healthy heart condition. Salt intake particularly Sodium salts need to be avoided in any healthy diet, but the main issue is weight loss. An exercise regime developed under the direction of a doctor or cardiac exercise specialist is by far superior than a visit to the gym. A lot of gyms offer what the see as specialist assistance to determine an appropriate program for you, but they should always be vetted by your doctor or cardiac treating specialist first.

Also it is interesting to note that a number of studies have indicated that a drastic weight loss, such as after gastro-intestinal surgery, greatly decreases the occurrence of both heart disease and insulin based diabetes.

You will probably be aware of many treatment programmes designed to reduce weight and modify diet. Surgery or medications are also alternatives but most commentators today agree that a lifestyle change oriented program is the best, as long as your doctor agrees.

In this way you can avoid the ink between obesity and heart disease and look forward to a healthy heart and a healthy life.