Hormonal
In healthy humans, higher body fat percentage and BMI are directly correlated with increased resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), which in turn is correlated with increased calf vascular resistance.
Higher body fat is linked to higher sympathetic nerve activity, which increases blood vessel resistance. This physiological link helps explain why obesity is a risk factor for hypertension. While you cannot directly 'turn off' this nerve activity, understanding this link highlights why weight management is crucial for cardiovascular health, as reducing fat mass may help normalize sympathetic tone and vascular resistance.
The resting rate of sympathetic nerve discharge to skeletal muscle was directly correlated with body mass index (r=.67, P<.0001) and percent body fat (r=.64, P<.0001)... The rate of sympathetic nerve discharge to calf blood vessels was directly correlated with calf vascular resistance (r=.40, P<.02)... In healthy humans, body fat is a major determinant of the resting rate of muscle sympathetic nerve discharge.
Why this rating
Observational study with direct neural recording (microneurography) in a controlled setting, strong statistical correlations, but limited sample size (n=37) and lack of causal intervention on body fat itself.
Source
Body fat and sympathetic nerve activity in healthy subjects.
Urs Scherrer et al. · Circulation · 1994
DOI 10.1161/01.cir.89.6.2634
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