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Everyone knows that being overweight will damage your health. However, research also shows that your weight history can determine your future health risk.

 

 

Excess weight is a serious problem in the modern world. In western countries, more and more people are struggling with their weight. And this has implications for the health system as well. Excess weight is associated with a variety of health problems, which is why this issue is costly on an individual and a societal scale. However, there is an additional health risk to being overweight that most people overlook. Your weight history is also a reliable indicator of future health risk, which is why you need to consider this when evaluating your health.

 

Why your Weight is a Health Risk

Your weight is a serious health risk and a predictor of future health problems. Even a small amount of excess weight is strongly linked to health problems. It can increase your risk of suffering from conditions such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and certain types of cancer. And your health risk only compounds with obesity. This is being overweight is one of the most serious problems in the modern world today.

 

Your ideal weight range is usually calculated using the Body Mass Index (BMI) system. To get this measurement, your weight in kilograms is divided by the square of your height in meters. A normal BMI is under 25, 25-30 is overweight, and over 30 is classed as obese. Research shows that your risk of heart failure goes up 34 percent for every 5 kilograms per square meter of extra BMI. And this result holds due regardless of other health risk factors such as smoking, hypertension and age.

 

However, the problems associated with extra weight don’t stop there. A recent study suggests that you can also use your weight history as an effective prognostic tool. This means that you can make more accurate health risk assessments by accounting for your weight changes over time.

 

Your Weight History and Health Risk

The damage that excess weight does to your body and health has a cumulative effect. This means that the longer you’re overweight, the worse the consequences can be. A recent study has shown that if you’re obese at the age of 20, your risk of heart failure increases three fold. However, if you become obese at 40, then your risk of heart disease is doubled. These results hold true when other factors are accounted for and were compared against other participants in the study who didn’t have a history of obesity.

 

This study also suggests that being overweight could affect your health even after you’ve returned to a healthy weight range. Even if you never gain too much weight again, your previous history of obesity is still a risk factor. And this risk factor increases with age, which means that it could increase your chances of heart disease as you get older. So if you monitor your health, you should be aware of this risk and take steps to counter it.

 

The Takeaway

This study is important if you perform regular health assessment activities. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that your doctor has a record of your weight throughout your life. As you change doctors over time, these measurements are usually lost. However, by keeping a record of your own weight fluctuations you can more accurately measure your health risk. This is a low tech way to evaluate your overall health throughout your life and in the future.

 

And this doesn’t change when and if you lose your excess weight. You still need to be aware of the effect that your weight history could have on your heart and your risk of heart disease. This is the only and the best way to keep yourself healthy over the long term.

 

 

If you’re concerned about a health risk, try using HomeLab to keep track of your condition and any preventative measures you take. And if you see signs of a significant problem, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.

 

 

Tags: Health risk, overweight, heart disease