{"id":7253,"date":"2009-04-23T01:00:16","date_gmt":"2009-04-23T06:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=7253"},"modified":"2011-12-23T14:37:36","modified_gmt":"2011-12-23T19:37:36","slug":"understanding-obesity-related-diseases-hypertension-and-high-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/04\/understanding-obesity-related-diseases-hypertension-and-high-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Obesity Related Diseases: Hypertension and High Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

As more of our population become obese and overweight, obesity diseases<\/a> become much more prevalent. Hypertension is one such disease, and here I explain what it is, why it affects the overweight, symptoms and prevention.<\/p>\n

\"blood-pressure\"<\/a>What is it?<\/strong>
\nHypertension is one word meaning elevated or high blood pressure.\u00a0 Known as the \u201csilent killer\u201d due to it being asymptomatic (not showing significant signs or symptoms). It typically leads to having a fatal stroke or heart attack.\u00a0 High blood pressure is defined as having a consistently elevated arterial blood pressure.\u00a0 When a doctor or nurse takes your blood pressure, they measure the systolic and diastolic blood pressure.\u00a0 Being hypertensive means you have a systolic blood pressure above 140mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure is above 90mm Hg (normal blood pressure = systolic of 130mm Hg and diastolic of 85mm Hg).\u00a0 Untreated hypertension can result in heart failure, renal disease, and peripheral vascular disease.<\/p>\n

Why is it affected by obesity\/overweight?<\/strong>
\nObesity is strongly associated with hypertension<\/a> and heart disease<\/a>.\u00a0 Having a lot of stomach in your midsection or gut area is a huge indicator of heart problems. There is considerable amount of evidence suggesting that excessive weight gain can lead to hypertension.\u00a0 Obesity is also associated with renal dysfunction\/disease, which could also lead toward hypertension.\u00a0 It\u2019s amazing how interlocking our body and organs are.\u00a0 You want them all functioning properly together because one problem in the body can easily correlate to many others.<\/p>\n

What are the symptoms?<\/strong>
\nScarily, most times people do not experience any symptoms of high blood pressure\/hypertension.\u00a0 A few people with early-stage high blood pressure may have dull headaches, dizziness, or experience a few more nosebleeds then normal.\u00a0 These signs and symptoms typically do not occur until your hypertension has a reached advanced and possibly life-threatening stages. It’s recommended to have your blood pressure checked twice a year, every year once you turn 20.<\/p>\n

What can you do for prevention?<\/strong>
\nAlthough there is no cure yet available, prevention and management decrease the incidence of hypertension and decrease the likelihood of developing associated diseases.\u00a0 Four factors you can control to help lower your chances of having high blood pressure.<\/p>\n