Health & Science

What the scientists are saying...

“Fat but fit” still more at risk

The idea that you can be “fat but fit” has been undermined by new research suggesting that people who are obese have an increased risk of heart failure and stroke, even if they have none of the standard complications of obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and abnormal blood fats. Researchers analysed the health records of 3.5 million people from 1995 to 2015, all of whom were free of heart disease at the starting point of the study. They found that people deemed “metabolically healthy”, despite having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, were 50% more likely to go on to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease than people of a healthy weight, and had a 7% increased risk of cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow and can lead to stroke; they also had almost double the risk of heart failure. Dr Rishi Caleyachetty, who led the research at the University of Birmingham, acknowledged that BMI is an imperfect measure, in that it can lead to athletes and bodybuilders being classed as obese on account of the weight of their muscles. He said that at a population level, however, the findings imply that many obese people who seem healthy are not – and should be encouraged to lose weight.

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