World Heart Day: Major weight loss may reverse heart disease risks linked to obesity, says study

Bodyweight is directly associated with almost all cardiovascular risk factors. As BMI increases, so do the blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol), other abnormal blood fats, blood sugar, and inflammation. These changes increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease.

Washington: According to a new study, major weight loss may reverse most of the cardiovascular risks associated with obesity. The cross-sectional study of the US adult population was presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), which is being held online this year from September 27 to October 1.

The findings indicate that the risk of high blood pressure and dyslipidemia (unhealthy levels of cholesterol or other fats in the blood) were similar in Americans who used to have obesity (but were now a healthy weight) and those who had always maintained a healthy weight.

However, although the risk of current type 2 diabetes lessened with weight loss, it remained elevated in people who formerly had obesity compared to those who had never had obesity. More than 40 percent of adult Americans have obesity (BMI of more than 30kg/m2) and close to one in 10 is classed as having severe obesity.