The relationship between overweight, obesity and cardiovascular disease: a literature review prepared for the National Heart Foundation Australia
The Relationship Between Overweight, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease presents the latest evidence linking excess body weight with cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure and their associated risk factors. Published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the National Heart Foundation of Australia, this report is a valuable resource for the broader community as well as policy makers, health professionals and researchers interested in cardiovascular health.
ISSN 1323-9236; ISBN 978 1 74024 427 5; Cat. no. CVD 29; 78pp.; Internet only
Summary
This report presents a review of the literature evaluating the association between overweight and obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and whether the relationship is direct or indirect. In many instances the report examines the relationship between CVD or its metabolic risk factors and ‘excess body weight’, meaning all degrees of overweight taken as one group. This is because the literature does not always focus on traditional categories such as ‘overweight’ and ‘obesity’.
The review draws on major Australian and international studies and data to examine the relationship between excess body weight and CVD, and its major biomedical risk factors. The main findings in this report, based on the literature reviewed in these studies, are summarised in the report.
Recommended citation
AIHW 2004. The relationship between overweight, obesity and cardiovascular disease: a literature review prepared for the National Heart Foundation Australia. Cardiovascular disease series no. 23. Cat. no. CVD 29. Canberra: AIHW. Viewed 12 June 2013 <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442467667>.