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Being obese could actually improve the chances of survival after a heart attack because excess fat appears to fight heart disease, a study has shown.

Scientists have been puzzled as to why people classed as very overweight lived longer after a heart attack than those with a healthy Body Mass Index.

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However, a study of tissue collected from patients undergoing heart surgery found that fat surrounding damaged blood vessels releases chemicals that start to battle heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UK, killing more than 73,000 people each year. It develops when the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.

It was thought that all fat was bad for people with heart disease, but it seems that over a certain level it starts to have a protective effect. So, although obese people are more likely to have heart disease or a heart attack, they are also more likely to survive.