Heart Disease

Obesity is now recognized as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. Some reasons for this higher risk are known, but others are not. For example, obesity

• raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• lowers HDL "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is linked with lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing it tends to raise the risk.
• raises blood pressure levels.
• can induce diabetes. In some people, diabetes makes these other risk factors much worse. The danger of heart attack is especially high for these people.