Statins Help Cholesterol and Blood Pressure of Obese People Improve

JAKARTA - Obesity still increases the risk of various diseases. However, a study found an interesting fact. In many people over 40 years old, unhealthy cholesterol levels and their blood pressure are now closer to people with a healthy weight.

The Guardian, quoted on Friday, July 3, reported that the findings were mainly influenced by the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins and blood pressure lowering drugs. These two types of drugs are more commonly used by people with obesity.

In some cases, researchers have even found people with obesity have better cholesterol and blood pressure numbers than people with normal body mass indexes.

Previously, adults with obesity were more likely to have high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Now, the difference is smaller, even disappearing in the 40-year-old and over age group.

Professor Majid Ezzati from the School of Public Health, Imperial College London, said blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering drugs have helped middle-aged and older people in high-income countries reduce their risk of heart disease to near that of people with normal body mass indexes.

This finding is important because weight loss drugs are increasingly used. According to Ezzati, the results of the study provide an overview of the heart health of a group who are most likely to be prescribed weight loss drugs.

The study, published in the journal The Lancet, analyzed data on nearly one million adults aged 20 to 79 years from the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Finland, and the United States.

Still referring to The Guardian's report, researchers examined blood pressure data, cholesterol levels, and body mass index from 110 health surveys conducted from 1990 to 2024. They also analyzed the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and antihypertensive drugs, which are drugs to lower blood pressure.

The results of the study showed unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure continued to decrease over time. The largest decrease occurred in the age group of 40 years and above, especially in those who were obese.

In the United Kingdom, the United States, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, the elderly with obesity often have non-HDL cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure that are equivalent, sometimes even better, than those with normal weight. Non-HDL cholesterol is commonly used to read cholesterol levels that are at risk for the heart, while systolic blood pressure is the upper figure in blood pressure measurements.

However, these findings do not mean that the risk of obesity is gone. Professor Edward Gregg from Imperial College London emphasized that obesity can still increase the risk of other health problems.

The study also found that adults with obesity under the age of 40 still have higher levels of bad cholesterol and blood pressure than people of the same age with normal weight.

Yse d’Ailhaud de Brisis from Imperial College London said the results of this study were good news for older adults with obesity. However, the risk of heart health in the obese group under 40 years of age remains higher.

He assessed that early lifestyle changes, health checks, and medication if necessary need to be considered to prevent long-term heart complications.

Head of Science and Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, Professor Bryan Williams, said the study showed the great success of modern treatments for blood pressure and cholesterol.

However, he reminded that the drugs were needed because obesity still had a negative impact on the risk of heart disease. Obesity is also still related to the risk of diabetes, kidney disease, and several types of cancer.