Research

Energy balance

Higher body weight and greater weight gain during adulthood are strongly associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease in women, independent of other risk factors.

Maintain a healthy body weight and avoid significant weight gain as you age. This study indicates that carrying extra weight, especially gaining weight in adulthood, significantly raises your risk of heart disease. Focus on sustainable lifestyle habits that support a stable, healthy weight rather than quick fixes.

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Women who weighed 135 to 154 pounds (61 to 70 kg) had a relative risk of 1.7, and those who weighed 155 pounds (70 kg) or more had a relative risk of 2.3, as compared with women who weighed 120 pounds (54 kg) or less. The relative risk increased with increasing weight gain during adulthood.
JoAnn E. Manson et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 1990

Why this rating

Prospective cohort study with long-term follow-up (28 years) and large sample size (75,521 women).

Source

A Prospective Study of Obesity and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women

JoAnn E. Manson et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 1990

DOI 10.1056/nejm199003293221303

cohortCited 1,415×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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