Washington: Large weight loss can reverse most of the cardiovascular risks associated with obesity, according to a new study. The cross-sectional study of the US adult population was presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), which is being held online from 27 September to 1 October this year.
The findings suggest that the risk of high blood pressure and dyslipidemia (unhealthy levels of cholesterol or other fats in the blood) was similar among Americans who were previously obese (but now at a healthy weight) and those who had always maintained a healthy weight.
However, although the risk of current type 2 diabetes decreased with weight loss, it remained elevated in people who had previously been obese, compared with those who had never been obese. More than 40 percent of adult Americans are obese (BMI of more than 30 kg/m2) and one in 10 is classified as severely obese.
Bodyweight is directly linked to almost all cardiovascular risk factors. As BMI increases, so do increases in blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol), other abnormal blood fats, blood sugar, and inflammation. These changes increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death from heart disease.
However, little is known about whether the effects of obesity persist on people who later achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
To learn more, researchers analyzed cardiovascular risk factors in 20,271-non-elderly American adults (ages 20-69), comparing those who were obese but had been obese for at least one year ( 326) were at a healthy weight. Those who were always at a healthy weight (6,235) and those who were currently obese (13,710).
They used data from a series of cross-sections collected biennially from the 1999–2013 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to compare the prevalence of high blood pressure, dyslipidemia. made use of. and type 2 diabetes among the groups.
Adults who previously had obesity were older on average than those who never, or currently had obesity, and were more likely to smoke cigarettes (36 percent versus 24 percent versus 19 percent).
After adjusting for age, sex, smoking and ethnicity, the researchers found that the risk of hypertension and dyslipidemia was similar among those who had previously been obese and who always maintained a healthy weight.
Compared with people who were always at a healthy weight, people who were obese were three times more likely to have diabetes than those who never had obesity; Whereas existing obese people were seven times more likely to have diabetes. Those who currently had obesity were also three times more likely to have current hypertension and dyslipidemia.
“The key point of this study is that losing weight is difficult, but important for heart health,” said lead author Professor Maya Smith, from St George’s University in Granada.
“First of all, it’s no surprise that it’s hard to lose weight and keep it off. Almost everyone in our original sample who was once obese remained the same. But don’t despair: If you manage to lose weight, When we do, it can not only prevent but even reverse significant health problems. The best time to recover is 20 years ago, the second best time is now,” Smith said.
The authors acknowledge that their findings show observational associations rather than cause and effect, and they cannot rule out the possibility that other non-measurable factors (including socioeconomic status) or missing data (eg, dietary habits, physical activity behavior) may have influenced the results. Ultimately, the study relies on self-report of prognosis and medication, as well as highest body weight, which may not be accurate.
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