Mixed
Higher BMI, particularly severe obesity (Class 2 and 3), is robustly associated with increased risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, independent of traditional risk factors.
Maintaining a healthy weight is critical for preventing heart failure and irregular heartbeats. Severe obesity significantly increases these risks, even if your blood pressure and cholesterol are managed. Weight management should be treated as a primary medical intervention to protect heart health.
Overall, compared to individuals with normal weight, those with class 2 and class 3 obesity had the highest risk of HF (HR 2.11, 95% CI 2.0-2.3, and HR 3.0, 95% CI 2.7-3.2), and AF (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.7-2.0, and HR 2.8, 95% CI 2.5-3.1).
Why this rating
Large-scale cross-cohort collaboration with nearly 300,000 participants and long follow-up.
Source
Prospective Associations of Obesity and Obesity Severity With 9 Cardiovascular Outcomes: The Cross-Cohort Collaboration
Zeina A. Dardari et al. · Circulation · 2026
DOI 10.1161/circulationaha.125.075327
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