Obesity epidemic is strongly linked to high blood pressure

Obesity, defined as an excessive amount of body fat, has been named an epidemic by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 72 million people, comprising over a third of American adults, are obese and the CDC reports that the rate of obesity has doubled since 1980.

Although the condition may be caused by age and genetics, it most commonly arises from excessive caloric intake and lack of physical activity.

Many serious health complications can stem from excess body fat, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Studies have shown that people who are overweight are at a much higher risk for developing not only heart disease and stroke, but also hypertension. High blood pressure has adverse effects in the long term and can decrease the quality of life.

According to a study conducted by Dr Vineet Bhan of the University of Toronto, obese patients have greater difficulty in achieving medically recommended targets for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Dr. Charles Kerr, president of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, affirms the importance of this study. "You can't as effectively lower your cholesterol or blood pressure without losing the weight," he says.

Hypertension is a growing health problem, and the Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation (NDS) Journal predicts it will increase by 60 percent by the year 2025. Obesity is becoming recognized as one of the leading risk factors for the development of high blood pressure. Excess body fat causes metabolic abnormalities that may even be present at a young age, facilitating hypertension development independently of other risk factors. The NDS suggests that underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms may play an important role. There are a great number of pathways that lead from obesity to high blood pressure, including the development of insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and endothelial dysfunction.

Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia have also found a strong link between obesity and high blood pressure. Dr Yanbin Dong, a geneticist and cardiologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute, states that obesity causes inflammation and salt sensitivity as well as hypertension. The researchers have found evidence that excess inflammatory factors resulting from fat cause the body to retain more sodium. This, in turn, leads to more circulating fluid and high blood pressure.

Blood pressure needs to be checked regularly by a doctor, a habit that should begin even when a person is young, advises the Healthcare Information Directory. Controlling blood pressure and detecting warning signs early may be an excellent way to derail more serious complications in the future.

But the most logical way of controlling obesity-related hypertension is to attack obesity itself. The CDC cites caloric intake as an extremely important factor in maintaining a healthy weight for a lifetime.

Successful weight management comes from a balance between the number of calories a person consumes relative to the number of calories a person uses or burns. While physical activity is quintessential to a healthy lifestyle, making smart food choices will also help to keep off weight. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day are recommended, as well as reducing or eliminating any foods that are high in sugars and calories.

Drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages will not only help maintain a healthy weight but may also lower blood pressure, reports the American Heart Association. Increased consumption of sugary beverages has been strongly linked to obesity. Scientists are optimistic that this study will have a great impact on public health, since small reductions in blood pressure have been shown to have substantial benefits on the population as a whole.