Why Losing Weight Is One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Heart

Do you know your BMI? If you are among the more than 70 million Americans whose BMI is greater than 30, you are at a significantly increased risk for developing heart disease. In fact, being overweight may be a bigger factor in the development of heart disease than smoking or family history. Why? Well, imagine carrying around a 30-pound backpack all day—every day! This can add stress on your heart, trigger high blood pressure, damage your arteries, or even enlarge or weaken your heart muscle.

In my 16 years of medical practice, I saw patients every day who were on their way to a heart attack. But there’s good news: If you lose weight, you’ll directly decrease your risk of heart disease.

How Weight Loss Supports Heart Health

1. Lowers “Bad” Cholesterol

The evidence is clear that weight loss helps to both lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is harmful because it triggers the development of arterial plaque, which over time can narrow blood vessels and lead to a heart attack or stroke.

2. Reduces the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

I am incredibly worried about the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes in the U.S.—it clearly parallels the rise in obesity, and we know that having type 2 diabetes can quadruple your risk of dying from heart disease. Modest weight loss can help. Research from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that for every kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight loss, participants experienced about a 16% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes when adjusted for changes in diet and activity.

3. Curbs Inflammation

The swelling, redness, and heat that follow an acute injury are part of the body’s natural immune response and an example of “good” inflammation. But we know that eating fast foods, as well as being overweight, leads to chronic or “bad” inflammation. This type of inflammation not only contributes to heart disease, but also arthritis, autoimmunity, cancer, and other diseases. Studies suggest weight loss may be a good way to reduce markers of inflammation in the body.

4. Improves Your Mood

Weight loss can improve your mood, and it is well known that chronic stress and depression can both lead to heart disease. So lose weight to help you feel happier in your life—it’s good for your marriage and for your heart!

5. Helps You Be More Active

I’ve never had any problems with my weight—and I attribute that to my commitment to being as active as possible each and every day. I go to the gym or go running only a couple of days per week, but I take the stairs, park my car farther from my destination, and try to go for a brisk walk every day I can. And it works the other way around—when you lose weight, you’ll find yourself being more active. Weight loss brings better energy and a greater tendency to move more.

Be Well!