Heart Health: How Is Obesity Associated With Early Heart Disease - Expert Explains

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In an era where sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary choices are increasingly prevalent, the global health crisis of obesity has reached alarming proportions. While the physical and emotional toll of obesity is widely acknowledged, its insidious connection to another global health menace, early heart disease, has garnered significant attention from medical researchers and professionals.

Obesity, characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, affects millions of individuals worldwide, posing a multifaceted threat to their overall health and well-being. It's no secret that obesity contributes to a heightened risk of numerous health complications, with early heart disease topping the list. But how exactly are these two seemingly unrelated conditions intertwined?

As we delve deeper into this critical health issue, it becomes evident that the link between obesity and early heart disease is far from coincidental. 

Dr Parneesh Arora, Senior Director, Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Sciences, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj explains how obesity is associated with early heart disease. 

How Is Obesity Associated With Early Heart Disease?

Dr Arora explains, “Obesity is directly a risk factor for coronary disease as well as indirectly through potentiating other risks like diabetes, hypertension, lipids, and metabolic syndrome. Obesity increases the risk by about 25 percent for CAD in obese compared to non obese individuals.”

How Does Excess Body Weight Contribute To The Development Of Cardiovascular Problems At A Young Age?

Dr Arora says, “Obesity, especially abdominal obesity as measured by waist-hip ratio, Is associated with insulin resistance. This causes alteration in metabolic profile leading to atherogenic dyslipidemia and also increases blood pressure and blood sugar.”

Primary Risk Factors For Heart Disease

Dr Arora shares, “Obesity increases the risk for the development of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia which are risk factors for coronary disease by themselves. The link is complex but the simplest explanation is insulin resistance as a result of obesity.”

Some other risk factors not associated with obesity are smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, lack of consumption of fruit and vegetables, and psychosocial stress as per inter heart study, he further explained.