Washington: A new research has revealed that blood pressure may increase with small weight gains in healthy adults.
Lead author Naima Covassin said that for the first time, they showed that the blood pressure increase was specifically related to increases in abdominal visceral fat, which is the fat inside the abdomen.
Covassin added that the research suggested that healthy people who were likelier to gain weight in the stomach area were also likelier to have their blood pressure increased.
Researchers from American Heart Association found that those who gained weight had a systolic blood pressure increase, those who gained more weight inside their abdomen had a greater blood pressure increase, while a five to 11 pound weight gain didn't change cholesterol, insulin or blood sugar levels.
Covassin continued that though the public awareness of the adverse health effects of obesity was increasing, it seemed most people were not aware of the risks of a few extra pounds.
Covassin concluded that the study, which was conducted in healthy people aged 18-48, was important because a five to seven pound weight gain might be normal for many during the holiday season, the first year of college or even while on vacation.
