Is obesity always a risk factor for heart disease?
Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are all major risk factors for heart disease. Ask the Experts cardiologist Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, explains why obesity is a risk factor for heart disease.
Transcript
When we think about the 70% increase in obesity in this country, we have to understand that as a nation
we're getting sicker and sicker. Obesity is associated with diabetes and high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and those risk factors
lead to heart disease. Now, there's the argument, is it better to be fat or fit. And at the end of the day, if your cardiovascular status
and your ability to exercise is there, then if you're a little overweight, that might not be as bad.
But at the end of the day, obesity is a huge risk factor for heart disease. And if you look down and see some belly fat,
you're at an increased risk. So please, as part of taking care of your heart
and paying attention to your health, you need to watch your weight. An increase in belly fat is actually
associated with a pre-diabetic condition. This is almost an epidemic of women in this country.
Between 30% and 60% of women have the metabolic syndrome. So that belly fat leads to a pre-diabetic condition
and elevated sugars; borderline high blood pressure; low HDL, the good cholesterol; high triglycerides,
which is associated with carbohydrates and sugars in the diet; and this syndrome can lead to not only heart
disease, but also diabetes. So belly fat alone is a risk factor for not only the metabolic syndrome and diabetes,
heart disease
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