Obesity is a recognized risk factor for metabolic disorders, including heart attacks and strokes. But does the length of time a person remains overweight influence this risk? Researchers have now discovered that being obese for 10 or more years significantly increases the risk for individuals under the age of 50.
"It is well established that people who have excess weight at any point in time have a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes. What was not known was whether it matters for how long someone has been exposed to excess weight," said Dr. Alexander Turchin, lead researcher of the latest study in a news release.
The researchers analyzed data from 109,259 women and 27,239 men who were part of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The participants had an average age of 48.6 years and a BMI of 27.2 kg/m2 in 1990 when the study began.
Among the participants, there were 6,862 participants with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and 3,587 cases of type 2 diabetes. During the follow-up after 20 years, there were 12,048 cardiovascular events.
According to the results of the study presented at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, having obesity for 10 or more years is associated with a 25%-60% increase in the risk of heart attack and strokes in men younger than age 65 and women under age 50.
The study also noted that obesity in women older than 50 and men older than 65 was not associated with an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
The researchers emphasized that the study offers hope for individuals who are obese, as it suggests that being overweight at some point in life does not necessarily seal their fate. They noted that addressing obesity promptly can prevent its associated complications.
"Excess weight brings about its harmful effects when it's present for a long time. Preventing that – by treating obesity early on – could prevent complications and improve patient outcomes. This information shows medical professionals that timely intervention is key to the prevention of complications of obesity. Now that there are more and more options to help individuals with overweight and obesity lose weight, medical professionals should lose no time making these treatments available to their patients," Dr. Turchin said.
