Obesity and lack of knowledge: Risk factors for Hypertension

Globally, obesity is on the rise. Trends in India, too, indicate that proportion of population is now obese. And the problem doesn’t restrict itself to adults; the number of obese and overweight children, too, is on the rise. The reason for obesity might seem simple - one takes in more energy than one can expend. However, it is a complex matter worth an in-depth discussion, but for another day. What needs our immediate focus is the link between obesity and hypertension. 

Studies have found a definite link between obesity and hypertension primarily relating to hemodynamics or the dynamics of blood flow. As a result of obesity, fatty tissue increases vascular resistance, thereby increasing the pressure required to pump blood throughout the body. Of course, obesity has other harmful effects, however, hypertension is one of the most significant ones as it hardly ever gives a patient a warning sign. Most people with hypertension don’t know they have it, which results in more unnecessary, and sometimes even fatal, complications.

To overcome this, prevention is perhaps the best bet. Weight loss and management is not only beneficial to ensure that hypertension is kept at bay, but also helps the body function normally for as long as possible. Thus, weight loss and management can not only have a positive effect on health but also on how the patient feels emotionally, in turn, improving the quality of life significantly.

Issued in Public Interest by USV PVT LTD 

Busting Myths About High Blood Pressure
Hypertension is no doubt a deadly disease, but the myths surrounding it sometimes tend to make it less severe in perception, or even easy to cure or avoid. This results in people at risk of hypertension, or even those suffering from hypertension, to undermine their condition, and take a casual approach to treatment.