Study proves healthy and obese do not go together

A recent research has finally ended the longstanding argument over the state of being ‘obese yet healthy’. According to the findings, if a man is obese then he cannot be truly healthy over a longer period in time.

The research which seems to have silenced many who held dearly to the argument that a healthy metabolism is possible despite obesity was published online in the journal – Circulation.

As per Dr. Johan Arnlov, the lead author of the study and an associate professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Uppsala University:

 "There appears to be no such thing as metabolically healthy obesity."

The research involved around 1,800 Swedish men, who were 50 years or more of age. The study of these men was conducted for an overly long period of 30 years. A record was maintained of the number of people who died during the course and those who had cardiovascular ailments like - high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides (fats), low HDL ("good") cholesterol etc; coupled with a broad waist size.

Men who showed any three of the above symptoms were categorised as having metabolic syndrome. While many previous studies were unable to find a co-relation between an increased cardiovascular risk and obesity; this latest research due to its extremely long period of study was able to detect the onset of problems but, only after the first 15 years.

According to the findings of the study - over a period of 30-years, the risk of cardiovascular disease became 63 percent higher in men with normal weight, but with metabolic syndrome, as compared to the men with normal-weight, minus the metabolic syndrome. Overweight men without metabolic syndrome were at a 52 percent higher risk while overweight men with metabolic syndrome had a 74 percent higher risk. The risk of cardiovascular diseases was 95 percent higher in obese men who did not have metabolic syndrome, while it was a whopping 155 percent higher in obese men with metabolic syndrome.

Barry Franklin, director of cardiovascular rehabilitation and exercise laboratories at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., and chairman of the American Heart Association council on nutrition, physical activity and metabolism said:

"...the take-home message is that overweight and obese men are at higher risk of cardiovascular risk even if they don't have metabolic syndrome."

The researchers however, did not take the levels of physical activity into account while conducting the study and this became one of the short comings of the research.