When you are overweight, it can limit many activities in your life. It can restrict how much exercise you get, and you may find yourself shying away from social activities as a whole. Let’s look at how obesity negatively affects your life in general, including how obesity can impact your heart health.
The Obesity Epidemic
You may think, yes I’m a few pounds overweight, but certainly not obese. Not so fast.
Obesity can sneak up on us if we’re not paying attention. When we frequently rely on fast food, when we stop exercising on a regular basis, drink too much alcohol, and when depression slowly invades our psyche, we can get on the scale one day and discover we have put on too many pounds. Maybe it took years or even months, but there it is, you are obese, and it will lower your quality of life.
According to the latest CDC statistics, the prevalence of obesity in the US is 40% among young adults ages 20 – 39, 44.8% among middle age adults 40 – 59, and 42.8% among adults 60 years and older. You may take comfort in not being alone, but obesity impacts your heart health.
Your body mass index or BMI determines if you are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. You can calculate your own body mass index here. 
Three Main Ways Obesity Impacts Your Heart Health
Cholesterol Levels Increase
When you are obese, the bad cholesterol rises and the triglycerides also lower the good HDL which is essential for removing the bad cholesterol and helping to reduce the risk for heart disease.
Development Of Diabetes
When you are obese, you have a higher risk of developing diabetes. 68% of adults 65 and older have heart disease and are at a much higher risk for a heart attack.
High Blood Pressure
With obesity comes higher blood pressure since the body needs more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to our bodies. It causes an increase in blood pressure to help move blood through our bodies. High blood pressure is a common risk for heart attacks.
You clearly see the dangers, now make a game plan.
A Practical Game Plan
Losing weight seems to be the best way to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. Eat healthy nutritious meals and stick with a balanced diet. New Jersey Cardiology Associates can suggest a plan for both diet and exercise.
If your BMI is greater than 35, you might consider bariatric surgery which will help lower cholesterol, your blood pressure and even diabetes. Your cardiologist can make sure these are in check and give you a cardiac clearance for surgery to prevent any complications.
Request an Appointment
Contact New Jersey Cardiology Associates for practical ways to reduce weight and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack.