January 3, 2019 – Implications of Weight History

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Anchor lead: A lifetime history of obesity may be a cause for intervention, Elizabeth Tracey reports

People who’ve been obese since age 20 have a threefold higher risk for heart failure than those who don’t report longstanding obesity, a study by Erin Michos, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues found. Michos says this not only helps identify those at risk more precisely, it may point the way to intervention.

Michos: Everybody of course benefits from lifestyle changes. We want to try to maintain an optimal weight, encourage physical activity all those things. But in terms of more intensive resources such as case managers, if you want to actually refer someone to a nutrition program, a formal exercise physiology program. A lot of times those are not covered for prevention, they may be covered for cardiac rehab once you develop the disease but not for prevention. But if we can identify higher risk individuals these might be individuals who would benefit from more intensive lifestyle changes.   :32

Michos says asking about lifetime weight is something physicians should ask about. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.