New research from The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center

helps explain why excessive body weight increases the risk for heart
disease.
Source: University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. "Enlarged Heart Linked
To Obesity, Study Shows." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 June 2010.
In the largest study of its kind, cardiologist M. Reza Movahed, MD, PhD, and
research specialist Adolfo A. Martinez, MD, discovered that excessive body
weight is associated with a thickening of the heart muscle in the left
ventricle, the heart's pumping chamber. Known to physicians as left
ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the condition potentially can lead to heart
failure and rhythm problems.
"We observed that the thickening in the muscle wall becomes especially
noticeable in obese patients who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or
greater," says Dr. Movahed. "Previous studies have shown that left
ventricular hypertrophy is associated with a higher risk of mortality."
Analyzing 17,261 heart ultrasounds, the UA researchers studied moving
images of the heart to evaluate structure and function. Results showed that
narrowing of the aortic valve, the main valve that carries blood away from
the heart to the rest of the body, was the strongest predictor of LVH, followed
by gender and Body Mass Index.
While the cause of LVH in obese patients is not known, it may be related to
increased work load or to the presence of other cardiac risk factors in these
patients.
The findings may guide physicians who study obesity and cardiac function.
Drs. Movahed and Martinez presented the results of their study at the 18th
Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
in Seattle, Wash. The meeting concludes June 20.

"These results are another stake in the ground that supports healthy
lifestyles for the benefit of heart protection," says Dr. Movahed. "Maintaining
a proportionate BMI may prevent LVH and lead to better heart function."

Reaction:
The research explained that excessive body weight and obesity is
associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, a thickening of the heart muscle
in the left ventricle, the heart's pumping chamber resulting to cardiomegaly.
Cardiomegaly is a general term used to describe any condition that results in
an enlarged heart.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), the Philippines and India are among the developing countries with
high levels of obesity and under-nutrition. In the Philippines, overweight
children below five years old has become rampant, listing a 400% percent
increase from 1% in 1992 to 5 percent in 2013. In 2006, the Philippines lost
nearly P2.8 billion due to heart diseases.
The rise in overweight and obese children is blamed on the increased
consumption of processed food that is high in sugar and fat, as well as
physical inactivity and an idle lifestyle.

Obesity as a form of malnutrition

often coexists with under-nutrition and results from shifts from local and
traditional diets to foods that are increasingly heavy in salt, sugar and fat or
processed foods. The Department of Health has urged the public to engage
in physical activity for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours per day. Overweight
and obesity happen not just because of poor individual choices, but because
of the complex interplay of a changing physical environment and socioeconomic status; changing dietary patterns and the reduction in physical

activity. (NNC executive director Maria Bernardita Flores during the

Nutrition Month health in Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City)
As a student nurse, it is important to view child obesity with concern.
Several barriers interfere with treatment efforts will need to be addressed
immediately. There is also a need for increased training opportunities related
to obesity prevention and treatment.
The results of the studies indicate the immediate need to provide
directions and priorities for training, education, and advocacy efforts.
Motivation, time available for counseling, self-efficacy, access to competent
tertiary care providers for severe cases of obesity are important and
interrelated potential barriers to the treatment of childhood obesity

A number of strategies may help health care providers improve their

care of overweight children and adolescents. These strategies are as follows:
1. Educational Tools: To improve thoroughness of medical assessment.
An example of a relevant program is the independent training
module on the CDC Web site http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts that
teaches the use of BMI percentiles to assess excess weight in
children. Some screening tests, such as fasting lipid profile, are welldefined and accepted even if they are not always used.
2. Motivational Techniques: health providers should assess readiness
to

change

behavior,

but

if

many

overweight

children

are

unmotivated, lack of patient motivation must be addressed. Nurses

3. Reducing Sedentary Behavior: Several studies have demonstrated
that control of television time in clinical or school-based programs
positively affects childrens weight among those who are overweight
or obese. Health care providers, schools, and communities should
promote this strategy more aggressively and also encourage family

members to creatively engage in collective recreational physical

activities together to replace the sedentary behavior of televisionwatching.
4. Media Promotion: Media promotion of smoking cessation has been
effective, and community initiatives to prevent smoking in public
places have supported the health professions goals. Similar
widespread promotion of healthy eating and regular physical
activity could reinforce medical efforts at weight control. Health care
professionals, especially nurses, can play a key role in supporting
national initiatives and have an even greater impact at a local level.