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Published on: February 25, 2016
Obesity and coronary heart disease
1Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|April 20, 2001
Summary
Obesity, especially central obesity, is linked to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors like hypertension and diabetes. However, weight loss has not definitively proven to reduce CHD risk independently.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Metabolic Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Obesity is a widely recognized risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD).
- Central obesity, in particular, shows a strong association with traditional CHD risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between obesity and coronary heart disease (CHD).
- To evaluate the impact of obesity on traditional and non-traditional CHD risk factors.
- To assess the effect of weight loss on CHD risk.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiologic, angiographic, and post-mortem studies.
- Analysis of associations between obesity, central obesity, and various risk factors.
- Evaluation of evidence regarding weight loss and CHD risk reduction.
Main Results:
- Epidemiologic studies support obesity as a CHD risk factor, especially central obesity.
- Angiographic and post-mortem studies show limited correlation of total fat mass with atherosclerosis, except in abdominal obesity.
- Obesity strongly associates with hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and potentially non-traditional risk factors like hyperhomocysteinemia and elevated Lp(a).
- Weight loss favorably modifies multiple CHD risk factors but has not been definitively shown to independently reduce CHD risk.
Conclusions:
- Central obesity is strongly linked to traditional CHD risk factors.
- While weight loss improves risk factors, its independent effect on reducing CHD risk requires further definitive evidence.
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