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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : May 22, 2014 1:28 AM IST
Obese people, irrespective of whether they suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar, are always at a risk of suffering from a heart attack and ischemic heart disease.
Borge G. Nordestgaard, M.D., D. M.Sc., and Mette Thomsen, M.D., from Herlev Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, investigated the associations by examining data from 71,527 participants in a general population study. During nearly four years of follow-up, researchers identified 634 cases of MIs and 1,781 cases of IHDs. Relative to people with normal weight, the hazards of MI were increased with overweight and obesity and were statistically equivalent whether or not patients had metabolic syndrome.
There were also increasing cumulative incidences of MI and IHD among individuals both with and without metabolic syndrome from normal weight through overweight to obese individuals, according to the study results.
The study is published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
What obesity does to your body?
Causes your heart to malfunction
We all know that the heart is susceptible to blockages and arthrosclerosis. But do you know that fat has a huge role to play in the way your heart functions, the thickness of the muscles and its overall efficiency? When a person is obese, the fat present in the body, especially the fat around the belly, puts great pressure on the internal organs of a person. This fat pushes on the organs and pushes the diaphragm (a sheath that is present at the bottom on the lungs) upwards into the chest. This in turn puts pressure on the heart, literally pressing down on it.
Makes the muscles of your heart thicker and less efficient
Fat makes the heart work harder. It has to now pump blood through sclerotic arteries (accumulation of fat that makes the inside of blood vessels rough and pitted), a larger body and to failing organs that usually need more blood supply to function. All this extra work makes the muscles of the heart become thicker and tougher which can lead to severe complications like congestive heart failure, fatal heart attacks (due to arterial blocks), malfunctioning of one part of the heart muscle and perforations in the heart. (Read: Mega guide for losing weight the right way)
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Crushes your lungs
If you are overweight you probably know what it means to be breathless while doing the most trivial of activities. What obesity does to your lungs is a phenomenal amount of damage. For one, the abdominal fat presses on the diaphragm, leaving lesser space for the lungs to expand. Literally crushing your lungs.
Makes your lungs overwork and can make you dizzy
The excess weight that the body has to carry makes your heart beat faster and your lungs overwork. With less space to expand it is no wonder that some obese people feel dizzy after working their body does not get enough oxygen.
Won't let you sleep
Another severe side-effect is obstructive sleep apnoea. This condition is brought about by the presence of excessive belly fat as well as the fat in and around the soft tissue of the neck. The fat in the belly presses down on the diaphragm, compressing the lungs and the fat around the neck presses down on the airway (windpipe) making it difficult to breath in a lying position. (Read: Sleep apnoea don't laugh away snoring problems)
Can make you dumber
We all value a sharp and smart person, but did you know that obesity can reduce your ability to think clearly and make good decisions? A study conducted by the Carnegie Mellon University, found that the brain of obese people works harder than people of a normal weight. It also found that the parts of the brain that were responsible for decision making and memory were hyperactive in obese people as compared to those of a person of normal weight. Moreover, because these people were more prone to inflammation and high blood pressure, it affects the communication system of the brain. This lack of communication is worse in areas that control impulsive behaviour. Read on find out more...
With inputs from Pavitra Sampath
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