Struggling to Lose Weight? How Medical Weight Loss Can Protect Your Heart

If you’re overweight or obese, you probably know about the connection between weight and your risk of developing diabetes. But are you aware of the risk excess weight poses for your heart health? 

One of the reasons our team at Pinnacle Health System offers obesity medicine is that so many people struggle with weight. Our providers see how closely overall health and body weight are associated, and we want to make sure you have the knowledge and tools you need to keep yourself healthy and active. 

Medical weight loss is one of the best ways to make sure you are doing what you need to do to lose weight safely and to develop the habits that will keep the pounds off for good. 

Definitions: overweight, obese, and heart disease

Some words are so common that we rarely pause to think about what they actually mean. It turns out that overweight and obese both have medical definitions: 

• Overweight — having a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 
• Obese — having a BMI of 30 or more

Heart disease and cardiovascular disease are umbrella terms, which means they are big categories. Cardiovascular disease includes all types of conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels, including heart disease. Heart disease, too, includes numerous diagnoses. 

The weight-heart connection

Many different factors can increase your risk of developing some form of heart disease, and being overweight or obese is certainly one of them. The connections aren’t always obvious, though. 

If you’re carrying extra weight, you have a higher risk of having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes, and each of those conditions raises your risk of heart disease in one form or another. 

There’s a cascade effect, too. Being overweight increases your risk of sleep apnea, which makes all of those other conditions even more likely. 

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes broken, poor-quality sleep — even if you don’t realize it. And poor sleep is associated with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 

Fat cells aren’t just sitting there. They’re active, secreting hormones that increase inflammation throughout your body. Inflammation is a key function of your immune system, but when it’s chronic, it causes serious damage and increases the likelihood you’ll develop heart disease. 

What to expect from medical weight loss

If you’ve ever tried to learn about weight loss, you’ve probably found a load of conflicting information. Should you follow a keto diet? Become vegan? How many calories should you eat? 

One of the main benefits of medical weight loss is having access to a highly trained expert who provides you with reliable information, based on your particular situation. Our providers help you with developing a diet and exercise program that fits your level of health, goals, and lifestyle. 

We consider any medications you’re taking, your blood work, your overall health, and more. You have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers you can trust. 

If you’re struggling to lose weight, schedule an appointment at either our Hollywood or Pembroke Pines, Florida, office, and find out if medical weight loss is the right path for you.