Heart, weight and health: Take steps to reduce risks | Mark Mahoney

Mark A. Mahoney
·3 min read
Eating a heart healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
Eating a heart healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.

As we come to the conclusion of American Heart Month the ongoing importance of excess weight continues to be an issue of significance for many individuals across the country.

According to Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, Maria Daniela Hurtado, M.D., Ph.D., the issue of obesity presents a number of potential problems related to living a healthy lifestyle.

Over 42% of Americans live with obesity, a complex disease that involves having too much body fat. And within this group are many different lifestyles so it’s a complicated problem.

The ongoing risks of obesity

  • In reality, excess body fat puts you at a higher risk for developing certain diseases. Some of the obesity related complications include the following:

  • Diabetes.

  • High blood pressure.

  • High cholesterol.

  • Joint problems.

  • Osteoarthritis.

  • Acid reflux.

  • Obstructive sleep apnea.

  • Certain kidney diseases.

  • Some cancers.

An individual presently carrying excess weight who feels in good health needs to look toward the future in terms of potential complications.

"Some people may live with obesity, but they don't have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol," says Dr. Hurtado. "That doesn’t mean that with time they won't develop those complications."

Seeking treatment for obesity and achieving a healthier weight (and remaining at that weight) will reduce risks and can lead to an improvement in overall health.

Location and type of fat matters

According to Dr. Hurtado, the problem is too much fat and its location in the body. Carrying weight in one’s hips and legs is a healthier type of fat whereas fat in one’s belly is the unhealthy type (i.e., inflammatory).So, a larger waist size puts people at t higher risk for obesity-related health conditions.

The example of an individual who doesn’t have a lot of overall fat but has an accumulation of fat primarily in the belly area presents a higher risk for heart disease, certain liver diseases, high blood pressure and other health conditions.

Obesity is multi-factorial and willpower alone isn’t usually enough to achieve significant weight loss.

A qualified health care professional who specializes in weight loss can help you understand the factors that may have led to weight problems and provide an individualized treatment plan that may work for you. Your Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN) is one such professional.

Thanks to the Mayo Clinic for their information in this column.

As we close out American Heart Month consider becoming more knowledgeable about the issue of excess weight and obesity and take proactive actions toward achieving a healthier lifestyle and better quality of for you, your family and the community at-large.

Additional Information/Resources

The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides a good resource for a more detailed explanation on the causes and risk factors for excess weight accumulation as well as obesity including behavior or lifestyle habits, environment, economic factors, family history (including genetics) and metabolism. Access this resource at nhlbi.nih.gov

Two good resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on healthy eating for a healthy weight and physical activity for a health weight are available at cdc.gov.

Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for over 35 years and completed graduate studies in Nutrition & Public Health at Columbia University. He can be reached at marqos69@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Help your heart by maintaining a healthy weight