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Obesity Itself Increases Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease
Obesity per se is associated with an increased risk of developing both type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), say US researchers in a large-scale meta-analysis combining genetic and epidemiological data, thus underlining the importance of weight loss.
Haris Riaz, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, and colleagues, examined data on almost 900,000 individuals from five non-overlapping studies and used Mendelian randomization to reduce the impact of potential confounding factors.
They found that, for each unit increase in body mass index (BMI), the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 67%, while the risk of CAD increased by 20%. There was no association between obesity and stroke risk.
“This study is important because we can conclude that it is not solely factors [associated with obesity] like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or lack of exercise that tend to come with obesity that are harmful — the excess fat itself is harmful,” commented senior author Haitham Ahmed, MD, also from the Cleveland Clinic, in a press release from the institution.
He warned, “Patients may think their cardiovascular risk is mitigated if their other risk factors are normal or being treated, but this study suggests you cannot ignore the extra weight.”
“Physicians should take heed and make sure they are counseling their patients about weight loss in a comprehensive and collaborative manner.”
Ahmed added that it’s “very important to recognize” that obesity is “not simply a lifestyle choice,” despite the contribution of lifestyle factors.
He continued, “It is a disease, and there is a large genetic influence on your weight,” noting that “nearly 100 genetic variations” are associated with the development of obesity and subsequent heart disease risk.
The study was published online on November 16 in JAMA Network Open.
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