Relationship between obesity and atherosclerosis
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health.[2] People are generally considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight by the square of the person's height, with the range 25–30 kg/m2 defined as overweight. Some East Asian countries use lower values[3] . Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, especially heart disease[4] Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility. A few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications, or mental illness. The view that obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is not generally supported. [5] Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. Plaque is made of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood).
Other
Obesity related to visceral fat accumulation, is known to increase the risk of various adult diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between obesity and atherosclerosis. Although several risk factors for heart disease including high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities are associated with obesity, obesity is not consistently associated with coronary heart disease risk. Some prospective studies of white men (life insurance cohorts, airline pilots, cancer study volunteers, and the Framingham population) have shown a positive linear relationship of weight to coronary heart disease. Other epidemiologic studies show a negative association, no association
