Have you ever heard of the term “obesity”?
It’s when someone is carrying too much weight on their body, and it can be caused by many different things.
Some people are overweight or obese because of their genetics, which means it runs in their family, while others might be carrying extra weight because of their lifestyle and the choices they make about food and exercise.
A new study from Karolinska Institutet, a research institute in Sweden, has found that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (heart disease and other conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels) is lower in people with obesity who have a genetic predisposition for high body mass index (BMI) than people with obesity influenced mainly by environmental factors such as lifestyle.
The researchers used data from over 15,000 twins to study how genetics and environmental factors influenced the risk of cardiovascular disease.
They found that people with a genetic predisposition to a high BMI had a lower risk of developing heart disease than people with obesity driven by environmental and lifestyle factors.
However, it’s important to remember that having a healthy lifestyle is always important for everyone.
The risk of cardiovascular disease was still higher in all people with overweight or obesity compared to people with a healthy weight.
This means that even if someone has a lower risk of cardiovascular disease because of their genetics, they should still make healthy choices about food and exercise.
Dr. Ida Karlsson, an assistant professor at the Karolinska Institutet who worked on the study, says that obesity is a complex disease that can have many different causes.
She emphasizes that it’s important to focus on each individual’s unique situation and to work on reducing the risk of health problems, rather than just focusing on their BMI or weight.
Dr. Karlsson’s research is ongoing, and she plans to study how individuals with overweight and obesity, caused respectively by genetic and lifestyle factors, differ with regard to blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and inflammation markers.
This could help us better understand the impact of genetics and lifestyle on our health and how to prevent and treat obesity-related health problems.Top of Form
How to prevent heart disease
Heart disease is a serious condition that affects the heart and blood vessels. It can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and other health problems.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to prevent heart disease. Here are some tips:
Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet can help lower your risk of heart disease. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit your intake of processed and high-calorie foods.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise is important for maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress, and keeping your heart healthy. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like brisk walking or cycling, most days of the week.
Quit smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible. Talk to your doctor about resources to help you quit.
Manage stress: Chronic stress can increase your risk of heart disease. Find healthy ways to manage stress, like exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones.
Control your blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage your heart and blood vessels over time. Work with your doctor to monitor and control your blood pressure.
Control your cholesterol levels: High cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, which can increase your risk of heart disease. Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your cholesterol levels, like medication or lifestyle changes.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of heart disease. Aim to maintain a healthy weight through a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Limit alcohol consumption: Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure and lead to other health problems. If you drink, limit your intake to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how to remove plaques that cause heart attacks, and results showing a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
The study was published in eClinicalMedicine.
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