Extreme weights increase the risk of heart disease, according to experts. Being extremely heavy or thin both contribute to factors that lead to heart disease. Anorexia and obesity both bring damage to the heart valves by restricting blood flow and weakening the heart.
The U.S. Centers for disease Control and Prevention estimates that 70 percent of Americans belong to the "overweight" or "obese" category. Obesity is detrimental to the heart as it creates an accumulation of plaque inside the arteries that are responsible for bringing oxygen-abundant blood to the heart. This plaque build-up blocks blood flow, causing heart attack, as the heart can no longer pump the needed amount of blood for the body to function.
Meanwihle, anorexia (also known as self-starvation), limits nutrients in the body for proper functioning. This reduces heart size and lowers blood pressure to dangerous levels. The heart of an anorexic patient becomes atrophied, causing blood pressure to plummet and resulting to serious conditions like heart failure and cardiac arrest. The malnourishment experienced in anorexia also cause critical electrolyte disturbances that could result to arrhythmias, heart failure, or even sudden death.
According to Joanne Foody, MD, a healthy body mass index (BMI) is still the best for a healthy heart. Dr. Moody, medical director of the Cardiovascular Wellness Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, a healthy BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 can decrease the risk of heart disease and enhance overall health and well-being.
Dr. Foody adds that the American Heart Association recommends following the seven steps to reduce heart disease risk: be active, control your cholesterol, eat a healthy diet, manage your blood pressure, lose weight, reduce your blood sugar, and stop smoking. Incorporating these seven factors in one's daily life helps reduce heart disease risk by up to 80 percent, says Dr. Foody, yet less than 1 percent of Americans follow these seven steps.