besity is is a major independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke because it leads to increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides. Nearly 70 per cent of the diagnosed cases of heart disease in America are related to obesity, while elevated body mass index (BMI) is reported to increase the risk of ischemic stroke independent of other risk factors including age and systolic blood pressure.
Obesity Leads to Atherosclerosis – Precursor of Heart Attack and Stroke
Atherosclerosis or “narrowing of the arteries” is 10 times more common in obese people compared to people of normal weight. Narrowed coronary arteries can cause chest pain (angina) or heart attack. Blood clots can also form in narrowed arteries in the brain and cause a stroke. Coronary heart disease is more than twice as common in obese men under 45, than in men of normal weight. A weight gain of 20 pounds doubles the risk of heart disease, while strokes are twice as common in obese people than in those of normal weight.
Weight Loss Reduces Risk of Circulatory Problems
Evidence from the Framingham study indicates that a 10 percent reduction in body weight leads to a 20 percent reduction in the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Weight loss also reduces the risk of stroke.
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