New Delhi, July 17: People who gain excess weight from their 20s are likely to have weaker hearts by the time they reach their 60s, according to a study.
Alun Hughes, Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology at UCL noted that early weight gain causes heart damage beyond the effects of being overweight later in life.
The study included 1,690 people born in England, Scotland, and Wales in 1946. The participants were examined based on their body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and ECGs.
Researchers found that elevated BMI from age 20 onwards led to higher left ventricular mass in individuals in their 60s, indicating poor heart health and increased mortality risk. A five-unit higher BMI at age 43 correlated with a 15 per cent or 27-gram increase in left ventricular mass.
They added that the study included mostly white European people, so it may not apply to the global population, although Professor Hughes said there is a close link.
