"Full but healthy" is a myth
Overweight is associated with health risks – even if the threat does not arise immediately
Anna Kerman, XX2 century, based on NYPost: Sorry, being ‘fat but fit’ is a myth
According to new research, the "overweight but healthy" theory that overweight people can still be healthy is nothing but a myth.
Scientists have found that the need to "carry on" excess weight can increase the risk of heart disease by more than a quarter – even in people who seem to be healthy by all indicators except weight. Researchers say that extra pounds are a risk factor and people should try to maintain body weight in a healthy range.
This cancels the myth that overweight people with normal blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels can be considered "full, but healthy."
The team, led by experts from Imperial College London and scientists from Cambridge University, looked at the data of more than half a million people from 10 European countries. The study was the largest of its kind.
The results of the analysis showed that overweight is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, even in people with a healthy metabolic profile.
Lead author Dr. Camille Lassale said:
"Our results show that if a patient is overweight or obese, every effort should be made to help him return to a healthy weight, regardless of other factors. Even if blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels are in the normal range, being overweight is still a risk factor."
Being overweight can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 28% even in people with healthy blood pressure and blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The accumulation of too much fat in the body is associated with diseases and poor health.
Previous studies have shown that some overweight people appear to have no adverse health effects, leading to them being classified as "metabolically healthy obese" patients among experts - or, more commonly, "overweight but healthy."
Dr. Ioanna Tzoulaki from the School of Public Health of the Imperial University commented on this as follows:
"I think this concept of healthy obesity no longer exists. Anyway, our study shows that overweight people who can be classified as “healthy” simply haven't developed an unhealthy metabolic profile yet.
It happens later, and then events like a heart attack happen."
The new work was carried out using data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), the results were published in the European Heart Journal. In particular, the researchers examined the relationship between overweight and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
In total, during the twelve-year study period, cardiovascular events (including death as a result of myocardial infarction) were registered in 7637 patients.
The researchers then selected a control group of more than 10,000 patients.
Body weight was classified according to the definitions of the World Health Organization (WHO). A body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 was marked as obese, a BMI of 25-30 as overweight, and 18.5–25 as normal weight.
More than half of the control group (63%) were women with an average age of 53.6 and an average BMI of 26.1.
Participants were described as "unhealthy" if they had three or more metabolic markers, including high blood pressure, high blood glucose or triglycerides, low "good cholesterol" (HDL), or a waist size greater than 37 inches (94 cm) for men and 31 inches (80 cm) for women.
The authors of the work took into account lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, exercise and socio-economic status, and then found that, compared with a healthy normal weight group, those who are considered unhealthy have more than twice the risk of coronary heart disease, whether they are normal or overweight or suffering obesity.
The analysis also showed that within a clearly healthy group there was a significant difference in the results of people depending on their weight. Compared to patients with normal weight, patients who were classified as healthy but overweight had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease equal to 26%, while those who were healthy but obese had an increased risk of 28%.
Lasalle added:
"Overall, our findings challenge the concept of 'healthy obesity'. The study shows that those overweight people who look healthy are still at increased risk of heart disease."
According to scientists, overweight may not increase the risk of heart disease directly, but indirectly affect through related mechanisms, such as high blood pressure and high glucose levels.
The researchers noted that since no follow-up measurements have been taken, they cannot show how the health status of the group has changed over time, and added that it is obvious from the study: universal prevention and treatment of obesity is necessary to ensure public health.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru
01.09.2017