Obese adults with heart disease are 54% more likely to die if they lose more than 22 lbs.

Can weight loss mean loss of life?New research shows that both extreme weight loss and weight gain significantly increase the risk of death in obese individuals with heart disease.The American Heart Association warns that 61% of American adults will likely have some type of heart disease in the next 30 years as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity become more common.In this most recent study, researchers at Anglia Ruskin University analyzed data from 8,297 obese people via the UK Biobank.Cardiovascular disease refers to several conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, heart arrhythmias, vascular disease, congenital heart defects, stroke and high blood pressure. It has been the leading cause of death in the US since the AHA was founded in 1924, while stroke is the fifth leading cause of death.Publishing in the journal Heart, researchers found that compared to those who maintained their weight, patients who lost more than 22 lbs.during the study increased their risk of all-cause mortality by 54%.Conversely, those that gained more than 22 lbs.

during that time nearly doubled their risk of all cause mortality and increased their risk of cardiovascular death by three times.According to the team, these results suggest that weight fluctuations in either extreme are detrimental to overall health.Subscribe to our weekly Post Care newsletter! Please provide a valid email address.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story.

“Maintaining a stable weight, even within the obese range, appears to be crucial for reducing mortality risk in patients with cardiovascular disease,” said lead author Dr.Jufen Zhang.

“It was perhaps unsurprising that significant weight gain was associated with higher mortality, but interesting that a similar association was found among those who lost a lot of weight.”Recent preliminary research has found th...