Obesity is becoming a common health problem due to sedentary lifestyles and a diet with excess energy. Not only affecting appearance, this condition also causes significant harm to the cardiovascular system.
Obesity is not simply accumulating excess fat but also leading to many disorders in the body. When the BMI is 30 or higher, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases significantly. However, not only weight but also the location of fat accumulation, especially belly fat, is an important factor.
According to Dr. Deebanshu Gupta, a cardiologist at Sarvodaya Hospital (India), obesity causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, which can lead to cardiovascular damage in the long term.
Belly fat increases the risk of heart disease
Visceral fat, which usually accumulates in the abdomen, has strong metabolic activity and directly affects blood vessels. This type of fat increases inflammation, blood pressure and metabolic disorders.
Dr. Gupta said that belly fat is closely related to cardiovascular disease more than subcutaneous fat. Therefore, even people who are not overweight but have a large waist are still at high risk.
How does obesity affect the heart?
When the body is overweight, the heart must pump more blood and bear greater pressure in the vascular system. Over time, this can weaken the heart muscle and increase the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.
Obesity is also often accompanied by other risk factors such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia, which significantly increases cardiovascular risk.
Risk still exists despite normal tests
Some overweight people still have levels such as blood sugar and cholesterol within normal limits. However, this condition still increases the risk of heart disease over time.
According to Dr. Gupta, obesity is still a risk factor for cardiovascular health even when current indicators are normal. Studies also show that this group has a higher risk of heart disease than people with the appropriate weight.
Warning signs early
Heart disease in obese people often progresses silently. Some signs to note include shortness of breath, chest pain, prolonged fatigue, leg swelling and reduced endurance.
Weight loss helps improve heart health
Just by reducing about 5-10% of your body weight, you can significantly improve blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, reduce cholesterol and reduce the burden on the heart.
Dr. Gupta recommends that maintaining small but regular changes in lifestyle can bring long-term benefits to the cardiovascular system.
What to do to protect your cardiovascular health?
To reduce the risk, it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet, increase green vegetables, limit processed foods, exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, get enough sleep and have regular health check-ups.
Notes
Obesity is not only a weight problem but also directly affects the cardiovascular system. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with small, regular changes can help reduce risks and protect long-term health.
