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Study Finds Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Levels Similar in Obese and Normal-Weight Adults Over 40
A study of nearly one million adults across seven countries found that cholesterol and blood pressure differences between people with obesity and those with normal BMI have narrowed or disappeared among those aged 40 and over. The convergence is attributed to greater use of statins and blood-pressure medications among people with obesity.
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Researchers examining health data from 1990 to 2024 found that unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure declined over time, with larger drops among adults with obesity. The result is that in England, the United States, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, older adults with obesity now show cholesterol and systolic blood-pressure readings that are often indistinguishable from, or better than, those of adults with normal BMI.
The study analyzed records from 110 health surveys covering almost one million adults aged 20 to 79 in England, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Finland, and the United States. Researchers tracked blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and use of cholesterol-lowering and antihypertensive drugs.
Greater use of statins and blood-pressure drugs among people with obesity largely accounts for the narrowing gap. The study notes that these medications are prescribed more frequently to individuals with obesity, offsetting what had previously been higher cardiovascular risk factors in that group.
In adults under 40, however, those with obesity still recorded higher levels of unhealthy cholesterol and blood pressure than their normal-weight counterparts.
The findings provide a current picture of cardiovascular health among people likely to receive weight-loss medications. Researchers stressed that the results do not eliminate other health risks associated with obesity. "Our study suggests that, in high-income countries, taking medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol has helped middle-age and older adults lower their cardiovascular risk to levels that are similar to people with normal BMI," one researcher stated.
