For people who are overweight (BMI 23 or higher), high blood pressure is responsible for about 1 in 5 of the extra heart attack and stroke risk — it’s the second biggest reason after diabetes that extra weight leads to heart problems.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Causal relationship of excess body weight on cardiovascular events through risk factors

Cohort Study

Human

2022 Mar 28

This study found that being overweight (BMI ≥23) increases heart attack and stroke risk mostly through diabetes and high blood pressure, and high blood pressure alone explains about 22% of that risk — just like the claim says.

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No contradicting evidence found

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According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Causal relationship of excess body weight on cardiovascular events through risk factors

Score: 59

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08812-x

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72%