I Am 42 And Overweight. What Are My Chances Of Developing Heart Disease?

Dr. Marian Limacher answers the question: 'Forty-Two And Overweight -- My Risk?'

By
Marian Limacher, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Florida
December 24, 2008, 1:52 PM ET
1 min read

— -- Question: I Am 42 And Overweight. What Are My Chances Of Developing Heart Disease?

Answer: The risk of developing heart disease depends on the total number and severity of risk factors. Being overweight is one, and the more overweight one is, the more likely the risk of heart disease down the road. The biggest problem though, is how frequently people who are overweight develop diabetes, hypertension, and then coronary disease in the future.

So, what we really think is important is to reduce one's weight, because we know that reducing weight can reduce the risk of diabetes, and from that, we're going to see much less heart disease.

Next: What Is Diabetes And How Does It Relate To Heart Disease?

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