Obesity, hypertension and stroke

Abstract

Central fat distribution may be more closely associated with stroke risk than relative weight or body mass index, although both are associated with hypertension. Some of this association may reflect the fact that central obesity reflects adult weight gain, which may be more relevant to stroke risk than weight in old age. Three attributes associated with central obesity, hypertension and stroke risk deserve further exploration as a possible explanatory variables for the central obesity-stroke risk association. They are cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol intake and diabetes. Prevention of smoking and excess alcohol intake would be consistent with general public health guidelines and might be more relevant to stroke prevention than caloric reduction and management of general overweight.