What is the relationship between obesity and the risk of heart failure?
Several studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between obesity and the risk of heart failure. For example, a 2009 study published in Circulation found that body mass index (BMI) and vigorous physical activity were both significant predictors of heart failure risk among men. Another study published in Circulation Heart Failure in 2009 found that multiple anthropometric measures of obesity, including waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, were associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Additionally, a 2011 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that individuals with metabolic syndrome had a higher risk of heart failure, even when they were in the normal weight range.