title: Obesity and Prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases and Prognosis-The Obesity Paradox Updated.
abstract: The prevalence and severity of obesity have increased in the United States and most of the Westernized World over recent decades, reaching worldwide epidemics. Since obesity worsens most of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, not surprisingly, most CVDs, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, are all increased in the setting of obesity. However, many studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated an obesity paradox with regards to prognosis in CVD patients, with often the overweight and mildly obese having a better prognosis than do their leaner counterparts with the same CVD. The implication for fitness to markedly alter the relationship between adiposity and prognosis and the potential impact of weight loss, in light of the obesity paradox, are all reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. Electronic address: clavie@ochsner.org.
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Schutter
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Parham
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parto
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Eiman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jahangir
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cardiology Department, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kokkinos
authors.affiliation: PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, Integrative Physiology Laboratory, College of Applied Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Milani
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D058872:Epidemics; D006304:Health Status; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D000067329:Obesity, Metabolically Benign / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D065840:Protective Factors; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Cardiorespiratory fitness; Cardiovascular diseases; Obesity; Weight loss