Weight gain affects blood vessels

Orlando, Fla. -- Even modest weight gain is linked to a blood vessel disorder, but shedding weight restored proper function, U.S. researchers report.

The disorder -- an impairment of the blood vessel lining known as endothelial dysfunction -- can impede blood flow and is a predictor of heart attack and stroke.

"There are three parts to the take-home message here," lead study author, Dr. Abel Romero Corral, of the Mayo Clinic, said in a statement. "One is that in healthy people, modest weight gain results in impaired endothelial function -- even in the absence of changes in blood pressure. The second is the encouraging news: endothelial function recovers after weight loss. The third point is that it is visceral fat -- the abdominal fat that surrounds internal organs -- rather than fat deposited as subcutaneous fat, just under the skin, that predicts endothelial dysfunction."

The researchers used ultrasound to measure endothelial function of the large vessel in the upper arms of lean, healthy volunteer non-smokers with an average age of 29 -- before and after some of the study participants were told to gain less than 10 pounds.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla.

© 2007 United Press International.