There is no such thing as 'healthy obesity': Even overweight people who don't have heart disease have hardened arteries

All obese people should be warned of the heart disease risk, experts say

Even those who don't already have the disease often have plaque build-up

This puts them at increased risk of heart attacks



There are those who say it's possible to be obese and healthy - or fat and fit - but new research suggests this is not the case.



The theory goes that if people are overweight - but do not have signs of heart disease - they can be considered healthy.

But new research has revealed that obese people have a much higher prevalence of early plaque build-up in the arteries - even if they don't have heart disease.

There is no such thing as 'healthy obesity', according to a new study

As a result, they cannot be considered as healthy as a normal weight person.

The scientists behind the research now say that all obese people should be warned of the risk of heart disease - and encouraged to try and lose weight.



Obesity can often lead to heart disease because patients have abnormal amounts of fat in their blood and they are prone to high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

However, some people believe that it is possible to be obese and healthy - they fall into the obese category based on their weight, while showing no signs of cardiovascular disease.



Even obese people who do not have heart disease are at greater risk of heart attacks because of plaque build-up in their arteries

But the new research shows that obese people have much high levels of plaque build-up in their arteries and that this puts them at increased risk of heart attacks.



‘Obese individuals who are considered “healthy” because they don't currently have heart disease risk factors should not be assumed healthy by their doctors,’ said Yoosoo Chang, lead author of the study and professor at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Center for Cohort Studies in South Korea.



‘Our research shows that the presence of obesity is enough to increase a person's risk of future heart disease and that the disease may already be starting to form in their body.



‘It's important that these people learn this while they still have time to change their diet and exercise habits to prevent a future cardiovascular event.’



The researchers looked at almost 15,000 Korean adults who did not have heart disease.



The participants were all between the ages of 30 and 59 and had their BMIs and level of arterial calcium build-up measured.



The obese individuals were found to have a much higher prevalence of early-stage plaque build-up in the arteries, than their normal weight counterparts.



If not managed, this can lead to heart attacks and sudden cardiac death, among other cardiovascular conditions.