Many people think about their weight as a number they see at a single moment, such as during a doctor’s visit. Doctors often use body mass index, or BMI, to decide whether someone is overweight.
While this number is useful, it does not show how a person’s weight has changed over time. A new study suggests that this long-term pattern may be far more important.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham have found that the amount of time a person spends carrying extra weight plays a major role in their risk of heart disease. Their findings, published in PLOS One, show that long-term exposure to excess weight is a better predictor of heart problems than BMI at one specific time.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It often develops slowly over many years, and factors such as high blood pressure, poor diet, and obesity all contribute to the risk. Understanding how weight affects this risk is important for prevention.
In this study, scientists examined data from more than 136,000 people who took part in long-term health studies. All participants were overweight at the beginning of the research.
Instead of looking at a single BMI value, the researchers calculated an average BMI over a 10-year period. This allowed them to measure how long each person had been exposed to excess weight.
The participants were then followed for nearly 17 years to see who developed heart disease. During this time, over 12,000 people experienced events such as heart attacks or strokes.
The findings showed that people who carried extra weight for longer periods had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. This effect was particularly strong in younger individuals. Younger women with long-term exposure to excess weight had a much higher risk compared to those with lower exposure.
The results suggest that the body may be more vulnerable to the effects of excess weight earlier in life. Over time, this prolonged exposure may cause damage to blood vessels and increase the risk of heart problems.
Interestingly, the study found that the link between long-term weight and heart disease was weaker or not present in older adults. This may mean that early life exposure plays a key role in shaping long-term health outcomes.
One encouraging finding is that weight is not a permanent condition. The researchers emphasized that reducing weight over time can improve health and lower risk. This means that people have the ability to change their future health, even if they have been overweight in the past.
The study also highlights the importance of looking beyond simple measurements. Instead of focusing only on a single BMI value, doctors may need to consider how a person’s weight has changed over time to better understand their health risks.
Study analysis: The study benefits from a large sample size and long follow-up period, which strengthens the findings. However, it cannot prove cause and effect, and other factors such as lifestyle and genetics may also influence outcomes. Even so, the research provides valuable insight and supports the idea that long-term habits are critical for heart health.
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Source: Mass General Brigham.
