Fat but still fit? It’s just a myth

Many of us would like to think we can be fat and fit but the truth is we can’t, according to research from Birmingham University.

Scientists found obese people, even if they had normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, had an increased risk of stroke, heart disease and heart failure.

Using records from 1995 to 2015 the researchers identified patients with a body mass index of 30 or more but nevertheless appeared healthy, defined as having no symptoms of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

The plain fact is carrying around excess fat increases the risk of heart disease by 50%. These people also had a higher risk of heart failure and strokes than people of normal weight.

The report contradicts a 2012 study conducted by the University of South Carolina, which concluded it was possible to be obese yet metabolically healthy.

However, that study was carried out on a far smaller number of patients over a relatively short time frame. This study covered such a large number of people that its conclusions outweigh those of the US report.

Dr Mike Knapton from the British Heart Foundation told the BBC the Birmingham University report “should be taken extremely seriously”.

He added: “What was new from this study for me is that it showed that people who were overweight or obese were at an increased risk of heart disease even though they may have been healthy in every other respect.

“Just being overweight puts you at increased risk of heart attack and stroke.”