Healthy Recipes 2 Go

How does obesity impact high blood pressure?

Several Medical Studies have proved that a link does exist between obesity and high blood pressure. People who are overweight have a higher blood pressure than people with a normal weight. Obesity not only increases the risk of high blood pressure but also of cardiovascular disorders. Research has revealed that obesity leads to an increase in the cardiac activity, output, volume of blood pumped out and the arterial resistance. Quite simply more blood is needed to feed the extra mass of fats and in cells in individuals who are overweight. Obesity is also a crucial factor in the hyper secretion of insulin. This insulin in turn causes several changes in the body that may predispose to perilous outcomes; for instance:

• It causes the thickening of the walls of the blood vessels which leads to an increase in their rigidity and a consequential increase in the blood pressure
• Obesity is also responsible for inducing the reabsorption of water and sodium into the body through the kidneys. This leads to an increase in the blood volume causing the blood pressure to shoot up.
• Obesity is also causes an increase in the out of the heart because there is excessive secretion of adrenalin in the body.
• Being overweight also leads to the development of oversensitivity to sodium; this is a known cause in increased rigidity in the peripheral arteries.
• When subjected to the hyper secretion of insulin for an extended period of time, the body develops a natural resistance to it; this in turn leads to the further increase in the synthesis of insulin, causing a rise in the blood pressure.

The obesity and high blood pressure are so closely related that even a decrease of 2.2 pounds in your weight will cause a decrease of 1mm/hg in your blood pressure.

A study conducted at the University of Cambridge has identified the exact cause of blood pressure increase due to obesity. According to the researchers, as your weight increases, more fats are stored into the body; these fats produce a hormone called leptin. The excessive leptin then enters the blood stream and reaches the brain. Here it triggers the MC$R which in turn triggers the sympathetic nervous system leading to an increase in your blood pressure.