Weight fluctuations linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke
An international team of scientists, with key researchers from Emory University in the United States, has identified a strong association between notable changes in body weight and an elevated risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. The findings were reported in JAMA Network Open, a respected medical journal that publishes new, peer reviewed research aimed at advancing clinical practice and public health.
In constructing the study, researchers drew on health data from two large and well-established sources. They analyzed information from more than 92 thousand individuals enrolled in the Million Veteran Program, a broad genetic data biobank that supports investigations into how genetics interact with health factors. They also examined data from over 65 thousand participants contributed by the UK Biobank, a major repository of health information used widely in population studies. The analysis revealed that large fluctuations in body mass index, or BMI, were associated with a roughly 16 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease overall. This pattern held true across diverse populations and suggests that weight instability itself may contribute to cardiovascular risk, beyond the effects of absolute BMI at any single point in time.
When the researchers adjusted for a range of potential confounding factors, including age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein levels, smoking status, diabetes, and the use of statins to manage cholesterol, the link between weight changes and cardiovascular events persisted. The data indicated that cycles of loss followed by regain, or gain followed by loss, were both associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing a heart attack or a stroke compared with more stable weight trajectories.
The authors note that while the findings are compelling, further investigation is needed to uncover the biological mechanisms driving this association. Understanding how weight variability influences cardiovascular risk could inform future clinical guidelines and public health strategies, helping clinicians identify individuals who may benefit from closer monitoring or targeted weight management interventions.
From a practical perspective, these results highlight why health professionals increasingly emphasize the importance of steady, sustainable weight management rather than rapid, extreme changes. A clinician explaining the importance of evaluating heart risk might describe the issue in clear terms: fluctuating weight can place additional stress on the heart and blood vessels, potentially accelerating the development of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance. By tracking weight trends over time, patients and providers can better tailor preventive plans that support long-term cardiovascular health without resorting to short-term, unstable dieting patterns.