If your BMI (body mass index) is high, and you are overweight, then you might figure that you have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. While this might well be the case, if your metabolism is healthy, then this risk is the same as someone with a lower and healthier BMI. This means that if you’ve stacked on the pounds then you may be able to use a healthy metabolism to keep certain health risks at bay, as well as be afforded the opportunity to lose weight  too.

The study

Danish researchers presented findings at the 2013 ESC Congress, that suggest that where metabolic disorder is not present, the risk of cardiovascular disease is not affected by BMI. A health database of 260,000 women was studied, with the women divided into four different categories based on their BMI prior to giving birth and whether they had any metabolic disorders or not. The mean age of the women was 31 and their data was looked at for five years following them giving birth.

The findings

Those women with a BMI classified as overweight but with a healthy metabolism showed no increase in risk of heart attacks and strokes, when compared to slimmer women who also had a good metabolic system. Research with male participants paints a similar health picture.

Metabolic disorder

However, what is true also is that weight gain and obesity can have an impact on metabolism, and this can result in a metabolic disorder. This suggests that while BMI may not be enough to increase risk if metabolism is functioning well, in time any excess weight will threaten metabolism, which in turn may lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Metabolism boost

Metabolism is the real engine room of the body. You can kickstart fat burning through exercising a well-conditioned metabolic system which gives your health and vitality a real boost. Diet and exercise are key to this. Metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories. If you have a sluggish metabolism then you will find that activities simply don’t use up as many calories as you would imagine. Muscle burns more calories than fat so strengthen your body and incorporate some weight training into your exercise regime.

Eat regularly

If you are trying to cut back on calories then don’t let the gap between mealtimes become gaping. Your body will go into starvation mode and start to slow down metabolism in a bid to conserve as much energy as possible. At the same time, don’t overeat. Small meals at regular intervals really keeps the metabolism going without overloading it or creating a panic setting.

Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping and your fat and calorie burning systems working well, so if you’re overweight and want to lose some excess baggage, and lower the risk of metabolic disorder and cardiovascular disease, then you need to get fit and start exercising.