Cardiovasc Prev Pharmacother.  2021 Oct;3(4):73-81. 10.36011/cpp.2021.3.e12.

Body Weight Change and Cardiovascular Disease: Effect of Weight Gain, Weight Loss, and Weight Cycling

• Cho JH
• Rhee EJ
• Lee WY

• KMID: 2536933
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.36011/cpp.2021.3.e12

Abstract

Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Various cardiovascular outcomes are related to the association between body weight change and CVD. Metabolically healthy obese individuals could have a better prognosis in terms of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than metabolically unhealthy obese individuals. Smoking cessation causes significant weight gain and consequent deterioration of the metabolic profile despite not impairing the cardiovascular benefits. Intentional weight loss has a consistent cardiovascular protective effect, but unintentional weight loss due to progressive catabolism and loss of muscle mass could be associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. Obese individuals who are successful in losing weight with subsequent regain (weight cycling) could have an unfavorable cardiometabolic profile and the risk of CVD. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of weight changes on CVD by identifying unknown pathophysiology and to decide appropriate management and interventions for various phenotypes of weight change.

Keyword

Cardiovascular diseases; Heart disease risk factors; Obesity; Weight gain; Weight loss

Figure

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  Figure 1. Mechanisms of weight cycling effects on cardiometabolic health outcomes.7)GFR = glomerular filtration rate.

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