Doctors from the University of California, Los Angele’s (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine have, for the first time, successfully proved that obese patients fare better and have more chances of survival when admitted for acute heart failure than leaner counterparts.
In the first-ever extensive study to assess the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and survival in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure, doctors have found the obesity paradox- BMI is inversely associated with long-term mortality in chronic heart failure - to be real.
Doctors have found that by weight category, in-hospital mortality rate was 6.3 percent for underweight, 4.6 percent for healthy weight, 3.4 percent for over weight and 2.4 percent for obese patients. They have also found that for every five-unit increase in body mass, the chances of risk-adjusted mortality fell 10 percent, irrespective of patient age, sex, blood urea nitrogen, blood pressure and additional prognostic factors.
Plant foods like wholegrain cereals, legumes (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts etc.), fruits and vegetables are good for the heart and decrease the risk of heart disease. Omega 3 fatty acid lowers cholesterol, improves blood vessel elasticity and thins the blood, thereby reducing the chances of blood-clot. Olive oil, tuna and salmon varieties of fish contain Omega 3 fatty acids. About 100-200 gm of such fish should be consumed twice in a week after cooking it in a little oil or by roasting, baking or steaming it. Omega 6 fatty acid can be found in some vegetable oils like corn, soy or sunflower oils.