Does Being Overweight Affect Your Heart Health?

It’s no secret that obesity has been on the rise in the United States for decades, but did you know that being overweight often comes with more serious health issues? Being obese can greatly affect your heart health, putting you at higher risk for developing serious health problems including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, stroke and heart disease.

Obesity and Heart Disease

According to the CDC, one in every four deaths each year in the U.S. is due to heart disease. Here are three ways that being overweight can contribute to heart disease, and what you can do to take control of your heart health.

1. Being overweight can change your cholesterol levels, raising your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. Obesity can also cause a spike in triglyceride levels.

1. Obesity can cause your blood pressure to rise. Overweight individuals require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies, which in turn causes an increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure is also a common cause of heart attack, which tends to be more common in people who are significantly overweight.

1. Lastly, being overweight can lead to diabetes. In fact, according to VitaGene, almost 90 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Why? Because obesity causes increased levels of fatty acids and inflammation, which lead to insulin resistance that can cause Type 2 diabetes.

Common Obstacles to Weight Loss

Obstacles to losing weight can vary from person to person, but there are definitely some common denominators when it comes to barriers in the weight loss process.

Not eating healthy

One of the biggest obstacles to weight loss is the thought that it’s too expensive to eat healthy foods. While this can be true in the short term, the cost of medications, supplies and doctor visits for treatments can add up and be more expensive in the long run.

Poor motivation

We’ve all used the excuse of being too tired and too busy to exercise. Finding the motivation to work out can be tough, especially if you don’t have a goal to work toward. Give yourself a reason to work out by setting small goals for yourself. For example, let yourself buy that new pair of tennis shoes after you’ve hit the gym for a week straight.

Perceived lack of time

Life gets busy and grabbing fast food from the drive-thru is often easier than cooking a nutritious meal at home. Keeping your fridge stocked with fresh, cut-up fruits and vegetables is a great way to save time on snacking while nourishing your body with healthy foods. 

Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Reduce Your Risk

Fortunately, there are many different things you can do to lose weight, get healthy and reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Talk with your doctor about creating a diet and exercise plan that works best for your lifestyle based on your current goals and health status. You’ll be surprised by how much your body changes when you focus on eating a healthy diet and taking physical exercise more seriously.