Beer Belly May Cause High Blood Pressure

BODY:
Carrying a potbelly hugely inflates the risk of developing hypertension, a new study finds. Many previous studies hypothesize that obesity can certainly contribute to the onset of diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure) and even some cancers. But now a new study reveals that the individuals with an elevated waist circumference are more prone to develop hypertension than others with the same BMI.

Over this 7-year-long study, investigators at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center analyzed blood pressures of 903 patients that enrolled in the Dallas Heart Study. Researchers concluded that one out of every four patients developed hypertension, by the end of the study. They also figured out that the abdominal fat is causally related to the presence of hypertension than overall fat content and lower-body fat content, after appraising all these fat contents. This is true with all the participants irrespective of their age, gender or race.

Another startling finding is that the development of hypertension in the study partakers is strongly correlated with the fat behind the abdominal cavity and around the kidneys, which made the researchers to believe that the fat around the kidneys may be inducing the development of hypertension than anything else. Researchers opine that this may open new doors in terms of prevention of management of the world’s deadly killer disease.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a chronic medical condition in which an individual’s blood pressure elevates above the normal range. Generally, hypertension is said to be present when the individual’s systolic pressure is at 140 mmHg or above and/or diastolic pressure is at 90 mmHg or above, over time.

Hypertension usually presents no symptoms, but if it’s left untreated it can result in strokes, kidney failure and heart attacks. It’s once again proved through this research that beer belly not only makes you unsightly but also unhealthy. So start trimming your waistline to live longer and look good.