What is the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease?

The relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease is significant, and the option stating that obesity increases risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes is the correct choice. Obesity is well-established as a major contributor to various cardiovascular risk factors. When an individual is obese, there is often an increase in body fat, which can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance can disrupt normal metabolic processes, leading to elevated glucose levels in the blood.

Moreover, obesity is frequently associated with hypertension, or high blood pressure. The excess body weight puts additional strain on the heart and blood vessels, which can result in increased pressure against the arterial walls. This combination of hypertension and elevated blood glucose levels heightens the risk for developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.

In contrast, the other options fail to acknowledge the established association between obesity and cardiovascular health. The idea that obesity is unrelated to heart health is misleading, as numerous studies tie higher body weight to increased morbidity and mortality related to heart disease. Also, the claim that obesity lowers metabolic rate oversimplifies the metabolic changes that occur with increased body fat and fails to reflect the complex relationship between body weight and metabolism. Lastly, the statement suggesting that obesity ensures good cardiovascular health is inaccurate