Study: A Few Extra Pounds = Big Heart Risk

(CBS)  For years studies have shown that most people can still be healthy, even when just slightly overweight. That was good news for many Americans - nearly 190 million are considered either "moderately overweight" or "obese." But new findings tonight show that when it comes to raising your risk of heart failure, every extra pound counts. CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports.

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Philippe Morotti works out to keep the weight off.

He was surprised to hear today's report that just a few extra pounds can weigh heavily on the heart and dramatically boost his risk of heart failure.

"If you're 10 lbs. overweight, I wouldn't worry too much about it," he said.

But you should, Whitaker reports. The findings of this major national study - analyzing two decades of data tracking the health of 21,000 middle-aged American men, all of them doctors - are a sobering jolt for all men.

"Not obese, but just being overweight increases the risk of heart failure by 49 percent," said Dr. Satish Kenchaiah, a researcher for the study.

For example: take an average man of 5'10." As the scale goes up, so does his risk of heart disease - even if he's only modestly overweight, between 174 and 208 pounds.

For every seven pounds gained, the modestly overweight 5'10" man packs on, he raises his risk of heart failure by a full 11 percent.

There is some good news in all of this. The researchers found that even a little bit of exercise, enough to break a sweat just one to three times a month, can reduce your chance of heart failure by 18 percent.

"If you are lean and active your risk of heart failure will be the lowest and if you're obese and inactive it will be the highest," Kenchaiah said.

Morotti said: "The bottom line is you need to make time to work out."

Especially at this time of year when Americans are eating the most.

[skinnyminny2]

Riptide, your ideas are well-meaning and I''m willing to bet you''re a nice person who thinks of others. Unfortunately, many of those runnng government (on all levels) do nearly everything for profit or self-interest. Here''s waht they''ll likely think: "What? Do something to actually HELP the community for no other reason than, ohmigosh, everyone''s benefit? What about ME?"

[riptide213]

If ever one single US national worth our tax dollar it is a capped profit, clearly regulated by federal government, proactive US health care strategy and coverage.

Reoccurring targeted scare mongering research spurred or exploited by dubious motivations.

Choreographed red flag waving so called unbiased expert health data to subtly wedge industry door a little wider for yet more coverage refusal justification and lucrative higher medical insurance policy premium costs.

Sowing unsettling seeds of pretense helping introduce a misguided, must pay, greed based, profitable Fat Tax by stealth.

Where is a healthy, national health care strategy?

How about a bona fide, legitimate quality of life and pursuit of happiness, revitalized, top notch, and robust comprehensive health strategy that works for all tax paying US citizens.

We need a fully funded, clear cut agenda that is genuinely top priority. Full undivided attention, extra effort, go the extra mile, high profile, no holds bar, please do it right for a change, earth shattering, all hands and all parties on deck, surge, full court press, brass band, best talent, all star, coordinated Federal and state government interagency team play, and fix for good on a grand scale never before realized in modern political times to course correct, rewrite the rulebook, create a fit for purpose first world nation, first class, all encompassing for generations to come of all Americans health safety network and ethos.

[rf35]

The only way out of this is to return to the hunter/gatherer lifestyle of our ancestors. Woman, go pick some berries while I try to find a mammoth!

[auscross1277]

that argument just doesn''''t fly unless you''''re prejudice in which case you don''''t need a valid argument need to have a group of people to be a prick to.
Posted by itgrammy at 12:52 PM : Dec 23, 2008
*** You forgot to add that the overweight person costs more money by getting rushed to the hospital and having heart surgery! Stop trying to justify laziness! Stop eathing the doughnuts and start exersizing! Stop making excuses!

[lloydbest1]

What is the standard used to determine modest or borderline overweight? The BMI? Those old height/weight charts the actuaries used to use?
The reason I''m asking is, according to the American Heart Association''s bible, the Body Mass Index; I am overweight. At 5''8" and 165 pounds, my BMI is 25.1. The upper limit for "normal" weight is 24.9, meaning I am one of those who are supposedly at risk.
But height indexed against weight isn''t the only thing to consider. I also exercise regularly, eat properly and maintain my body fat in the 4 to 6 percent range.
Unfortunately the American Heart Association stresses, in fact hammers, the point that height and weight are the ONLY things needing consideration when determining ideal weight. Age, gender, body build or body type are irrelevant.
Unless you are so sedentary as to be nearly comatose, you have a family history of heart disease, you have sustained heart damage of some kind or your diet is Early McDonalds a few extra pounds isn''t going to hurt you. I may have popped off the top of the ideal weight scale but based on my own history and management of my own health, my heart is in a good deal better shape than many who are not overweight....

[skinnyminny2]

Bottom line: if you want to be slim it comes with a complete change of life--and it is harder as one ages.

We simply have too many conveneince foods available and our bodies only know to store it as fat. Combine that with the average person''s sedentary lifestyle and there you go. Duh! And to think they have *studies* for this.

Now, if one fills up on whole foods like raw vegetables, legumes and fruit with some lean protein and avoids processed junk and adds physical activity (the diet and lifestyle we evolved on) it''s a whole lot easier to stay slim. It''s easier if one actually knows how to cook and prepare these whole foods, a skill which seems to be lacking these days.

Have that cookie or pizza now and then. Just know you''ll need to tack on a couple extra miles to your workout.

[itgranny]

Some of you little pinhead-20-year olds need to put on your thinking caps and think this thing through. Who''s costing us more? the obese person who dies at 55 of heart failure because he ate too much and weighs 400 lbs or the person who dies at 95 after having 4-5 hip&knee replacements, and dies of alzheimer''s after a 3-5 year stint in the nursing home. That person has used up every cent plus a whole lot more of medicare they''ve ever paid into, plus they''re also in the red with the social security they paid into.

that argument just doesn''t fly unless you''re prejudice in which case you don''t need a valid argument need to have a group of people to be a prick to.

[Razzl]

You would be surprised at how helpful some extra walking can be, especially since it''s easy to work into your routine--choose a more distant parking place, pop into the local mall for a couple of circuits around after work,walk around the block once before or after work--or even walk to work. Just this simple form of exercise can change your health picture dramatically...

[bread57]

Actually, this may be good news. With so many Americans obese, having them drop dead early may be just the thing that saves Social Security. Keep eating, America, keep eating! Me, I''m going to the gym.

[lonestartnow]

Looking at the comments posted in response to this story I see exactly the same sentiments that we felt and heard from others when we founded LoneStart Wellness. In addition to the increased risk for heart disease, obesity contributes to 52 other diseases, and has roughly the same association with chronic illness as 20 years of aging. We are an overweight / obese society and yes, it costs all of us, in our health and tight financial resources. The problem continues to worsen. One of the things we are trying to promote is the idea of Viral Wellness. We know some illnesses are contagious, and we continue to read about the ways happiness, and even obesity can be contagious. So why can''t we make wellness contagious. We all have to take the personal responsibility for our actions and decisions, and we all ought to understand the consequences of our food and activity choices. Sorry. I guess this sounds a little "preachy" but this is a real problem--and one we can all do something about. And, the good news is, we can do it without government funding.