Health risks begin in overweight range, BMI doesn't tell whole storyJune 09, 2009Advisory highlights: * Being overweight increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other health conditions. * Excess weight is progressive; thus, everyone above normal weight - including children - should avoid weight increases and reduce weight through healthy diet choices and regular physical activity. * The statement recommends doing research on overweight and health, beyond studies that focus solely on the relationship between total body mass index and risk of death. DALLAS, June 8, 2009 - Being overweight is a health concern, and using only body mass index (BMI) to determine weight classification may not give an accurate picture of a person's health, according to an advisory published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. About one-third of the U.S. population is overweight - the middle range between normal weight and obesity. Overweight in adults is a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9. BMI is a numerical value of weight in relation to height. Studies that examined the relationship between overweight (as measured by BMI) and risk of death from all causes (often referred to as total mortality) have had contradictory results. However, considering death from all causes overlooks the role that overweight may play in the development of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Even among the young, overweight is related to the development of serious risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity, elevated levels of cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Part of the problem with quantifying the true impact of overweight lies in the way it's commonly measured, say the experts. The widely-used body mass index doesn't distinguish between fat mass which is related to important health concerns - such as type 2 diabetes - and lean mass, including muscle, which reduces health risks. Also, BMI does not directly measure the distribution of fat, such as whether there is greater fat at the waist than at the hips, which may be more detrimental to health. Focusing on the relationship between total mortality and BMI misses the "larger picture," the statement said. "This larger picture includes important relationships between BMI and other health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and its risk factors," said Cora E. Lewis, M.D., M.S.P.H., lead author of the advisory and professor of medicine and public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Arguably, the most important relationship among the cardiovascular disease risk factors is diabetes, which is significantly more common in overweight than in normal-weight people." The advisory recommends doing research on overweight and health, beyond studies that focus solely on the relationship between total body mass index and risk of death. "Meanwhile, we cannot afford to wait for this research to begin addressing the problem of overweight in our patients and in our society," write the advisory authors. An increasing number of children are overweight, which puts them at risk for developing higher than normal blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar. "Weight gain is progressive and weight loss difficult. Although a young child is unlikely to have a heart attack, overweight children are likely to become overweight or obese adults, which puts them at risk for cardiovascular events as they mature. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is of high importance for all Americans," said Lewis. Physical inactivity and excess weight increase risk of death and other adverse health outcomes; so overweight and obese persons in particular would benefit from adopting a physically active lifestyle and healthy eating habits. Advisory co-authors include Kathleen M. McTigue, M.D., M.P.H.; Lora E. Burke, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Paul Poirier, M.D., Ph.D.; Robert H. Eckel, M.D.; Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D.; David B. Allison, Ph.D.; Shiriki Kumanyika, Ph.D., M.P.H.; and F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D. Author disclosures are available on the manuscript. American Heart Association |
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| Related Overweight Current Events and Overweight News Articles Physical education key to improving health in low-income adolescents School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley. Health-centered weight control method shows promise Most weight-control strategies emphasize energy-restricted diets and increased physical activity - and most are not effective over the long term. Addressing obesity via the 'energy gap' The November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association features a commentary by James O. Hill, an honorary ADA member, professor of pediatrics and medicine and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado-Denver. MSU researcher: Obesity significantly cuts odds of successful pregnancy Obese women are as much as 28 percent less likely to become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy, according to research that earned a Michigan State University professor a national award. Pitt study shows linkage between teen girls' weight and sexual behavior A University of Pittsburgh study sheds new light on the relationship between race, body weight and sexual behavior among adolescent girls. A decade later, lifestyle changes or metformin still lower type 2 diabetes risk Intensive lifestyle changes aimed at modest weight loss reduced the rate of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent compared with placebo in people at high risk for the disease, researchers conclude based on 10 years of data. Losing while cruising to the store Contrary to what you might believe, living near a variety of restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and even fast food outlets actually lowers your risk for obesity, according to a new study from the University of Utah. Puberty a gateway to heart disease for Canada's teens A seven-year ongoing study examining over 20,000 Canadian grade 9 students shows most already have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, Dr. Brian McCrindle told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Learning the risks for stroke - and taking action With this theme in mind, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) emphasises that most of the risks for stroke are also the major risks for coronary heart disease - and thus the object of the ESC's far-reaching prevention programme. Obesity may hinder optimal control of blood pressure and cholesterol Obese patients taking medications to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels are less likely to reach recommended targets for these cardiovascular disease risk factors than their normal weight counterparts, according to new research presented at the 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. More Overweight Current Events and Overweight News Articles |
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