Obesity has long been known as a major risk factor for heart disease, which includes conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.
Doctors often use a simple measure called body mass index, or BMI, to assess whether a person is overweight. BMI is calculated using height and weight, and it gives a quick snapshot of a person’s body size.
However, this measure only reflects one moment in time and does not show how a person’s weight has changed over the years.
A new study from Mass General Brigham suggests that this snapshot approach may not tell the full story. The research, published in the journal PLOS One, found that long-term exposure to excess weight is a stronger predictor of heart disease than BMI measured at a single point.
This means that how long a person carries extra weight may be more important than how much they weigh at any one time.
The study was led by Dr. Alexander Turchin and his team. They analyzed data from more than 136,000 participants who were part of two large and well-known studies: the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. These studies have followed participants for many years to better understand health and disease.
At the start of the study in 1990, all participants had a BMI above 25, which means they were considered overweight or obese. The researchers then tracked changes in their weight over a period of 10 years. Instead of focusing on a single BMI value, they calculated an average BMI over time to estimate how long each person was exposed to excess weight.
After this initial period, the researchers followed the participants’ health for an average of nearly 17 years. During this time, more than 12,000 people experienced cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes. This allowed the researchers to examine how long-term weight patterns were linked to heart disease risk.
The results showed a clear pattern. People who had higher long-term exposure to excess weight were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. This relationship was especially strong in younger individuals.
For example, women under the age of 35 who had high exposure to excess weight had a 60 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to those with lower exposure.
The effect was still present but less strong in middle-aged groups. Interestingly, the researchers did not find a significant link in older participants. This suggests that carrying extra weight earlier in life may have a greater impact on long-term heart health.
One important message from the study is that weight is not fixed. Even if someone has been overweight in the past, reducing weight over time can improve health outcomes. The researchers emphasized that changes in weight can make a real difference and are not too late to have an effect.
This study adds to growing evidence that long-term lifestyle patterns matter more than short-term measurements. It also highlights the importance of early action. Managing weight earlier in life may help reduce the risk of serious health problems later on.
Study analysis: This study is strong because it includes a very large number of participants and follows them over many years, which increases reliability. However, it is observational, meaning it shows associations rather than direct cause.
Other factors, such as diet and lifestyle, may also influence the results. Despite this, the findings provide important insight into how long-term weight patterns affect heart health and support early prevention efforts.
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Source: Mass General Brigham
