Your weight isn’t just a number on the scale — it has significant implications for your health, especially where your heart is concerned.
Dr. Fahmi Farah and our team at Bentley Heart in Fort Worth, Texas, specialize in helping patients better understand their heart health with our advanced, comprehensive services. We also want to support our patients with pertinent information about how body weight, lifestyle, and other factors can negatively impact their hearts.
Here’s an in-depth look at the link between obesity and heart problems.
Until recently, the best way to know if you’re obese is to calculate your body mass index (BMI) by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. BMI ranges are as follows:
BMI was the primary yardstick most healthcare providers used to assess a patient's health status. While there’s still a great deal we can tell from your BMI, it’s certainly not the only or best measurement.
BMI doesn’t take into account factors like body composition. For instance, muscle is heavier than fat, so that many athletes may have a high BMI because of their muscle mass.
Some consider the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) a more accurate measurement and can better predict your risk for cardiovascular disease. All you need is a tape measure to measure your waist circumference and the widest parts of your hips and divide the two numbers.
Men are considered low risk if their WHR is 0.95 or lower, moderate risk at 0.96-1, and high risk at 1.0 or higher. Women are considered low risk if their WHR is 0.80 or lower, moderate risk at 0.81-0.85, and high risk at 0.86 or higher.
If you and your primary care provider have determined that you’re obese, you must consider the potential impact on your heart health.
The numbers don’t lie: Obesity increases your risk for heart problems, as well as your chances of dying from heart disease. Let’s take a closer look at how obesity damages your heart health.
High levels of excess fat (namely abdominal fat) can increase inflammation and trigger insulin resistance in the body, both contributing to blood vessel narrowing (atherosclerosis).
Atherosclerosis develops when a sticky substance called plaque builds up along the walls of your arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow. Atherosclerosis can lead to coronary artery disease, which can lead to angina, heart attacks, and stroke.
In response to excess body fat, your body increases blood volume. This stresses your heart, working much harder to pump and circulate blood. Over time, all that extra work can lead to heart failure.
Obesity can also raise your blood pressure — around 65-75% of obese people have high blood pressure. And high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for virtually every heart problem.
Researchers have made a connection between obesity and a type of irregular heart rate (arrhythmia) called AFib, which leads to dangerous blood clots. AFib can develop due to structural changes in the heart that impact the electrical signals responsible for regulating the heartbeat.
Other contributing factors include fat deposits around the heart, high levels of inflammation, increased blood volume, and other obesity-related conditions, such as sleep apnea and high blood pressure.
The best thing you can do for your heart and overall health is to get serious about losing weight. Research has shown that even modest weight loss (5-10%) can have a huge impact. You should talk to your primary care provider about your best path forward. Often, weight loss begins with the following:
From the start to the end of your weight loss journey, Dr. Farah and our team support you with advanced cardiovascular testing.
Are you looking for more cardiovascular health insights? We’d love to talk with you. Call our friendly staff at 817-720-5185 or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation today.