Obesity and overweight

Calculate your risk for weight-related medical conditions:

Step One
Use one of these formulas to determine your BMI:

Hereditary

How can I Check My Cholesterol and Triglycerides?

How can I Check My Blood Pressure?

How can I Reduce My Risk for Cardiovascular Diseases?

• Get regular exercise. Regular exercise can increase HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol), reduce triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and help prevent or treat diabetes. Try to get 30-60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3-5 days a week. Cardiovascular exercise refers to any activity that increases your heart rate. It can include structured exercise such as tennis, or can be daily activities such as cleaning or yard-work. It does not have to be strenuous to provide health benefits. When selecting a workout activity, try to find something that you enjoy. Think of exercise as a way to take care of yourself, not to punish yourself. If you are just starting out, set a realistic, achievable goal such as walking for 15 minutes three days a week. As you build your stamina and learn to work exercise into your schedule, gradually increase the amount and intensity. Consult your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program.
• Achieve a healthy weight. If you are overweight, just a 10 percent loss of body weight can improve your health. Weight loss helps to lower total cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, reduce blood pressure, and prevent or treat diabetes and metabolic syndrome. To lose weight, you must eat less and move more. Moderate dietary changes are more effective over the long term than fad diets or pills. For more information on weight loss, see our Weight Management pages. A link is provided at the bottom of this page.
• Don't use tobacco products. If you quit now, in 15 years your risk for coronary heart disease due to tobacco use will equal that of a non-user. However, your cardiovascular health will begin to improve immediately:
• Blood pressure and pulse rate can improve within 20 minutes.
• Carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to normal, and oxygen levels increase to normal within 8 hours.

Your risk of having a heart attack drops after just 24 hours after your last cigarette or other tobacco product.
See our smoking cessation page for more information on how to quit. A link is provided at the bottom of this page.
• Practice stress management. Excessive stress can increase blood pressure, contribute to plaque development within blood vessels, and cause chest pain. Reducing stress can help improve cardiovascular health, as well as overall health and happiness.
• Make healthy food choices. A healthy diet can reduce your LDL cholesterol, increase your HDL cholesterol, lower your triglycerides, reduce your blood pressure, and provide for a healthy body weight. Dietary guidelines are discussed later on this page.
• Consider medications. Medications can lower LDL, raise HDL, lower triglycerides, reduce blood pressure, treat diabetes, and sometimes prevent diabetes. (Medications for weight loss are discouraged because they are ineffective over the long term.) Your doctor may prescribe additional drugs as necessary. Medications are used only when your lifestyle changes have not been effective, and/or you are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases. Talk to your healthcare provider about your specific needs.
• Get regular check-ups. See your healthcare provider regularly for cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar tests. Your doctor may suggest additional tests as necessary depending upon your specific risks and health history. Discuss the recommended frequency of your check-ups with your provider.
• Avoid excessive alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol intake can increase blood pressure, raise triglycerides, and contribute to weight gain. If you choose to drink alcohol, then do so in moderation. Moderate alcohol consumption means one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men, but it can vary with each individual. (One drink equals 12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine, or one and one half oz of 80-proof liquor.) Studies suggest that moderate drinking may even reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. However, you need to weigh the advantages against the potential disadvantages, which can include an increased risk for certain cancers and alcohol abuse. For more information on alcohol, use the link provided at the bottom of this page.

Diet Guidelines for Good Cardiovascular Health

Eat three to five servings of fruits or vegetables each day.
One serving of vegetables =

• 1 cup raw
• 1/2 cup cooked
• 3/4 cup of juice (no sugar added)

• 1 cup fresh
• 1 piece fresh
• 1/2 cup canned (preferably canned in own juice with no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup 100 percent juice
• 1/4 cup dried (preferably without sugar added)

Choose unsaturated fats vs. saturated and trans fats.
Sources of unsaturated fats:

• The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fatty fish each week, such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and anchovies. Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may improve cardiovascular health. (Pregnant women should limit all fish to less than 12oz per week due to the potentially high mercury content of fish. The FDA recommends avoiding king mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tilefish. In addition to those fish, Consumer Reports recommends avoiding Chilean sea bass, halibut, American lobster, tuna, and Spanish mackerel.)
• Plant-based foods including nuts, seeds, avocados, and vegetable oils.

Sources of saturated fat (eat sparingly):

• High-fat animal sources (other than fish), including cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, certain meats, and egg yolks
• Tropical plant products such as coconut and palm oil

Sources of trans fat (avoid as possible):

• Foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oil, including fried fast food and commercial baked goods, crackers, chips, and desserts. The majority of trans fat in our food supply is produced by food manufactures through a process called hydrogenation (the addition of hydrogen to vegetable oil) to create foods with a long shelf life. A small amount of natural trans fat is found in animal-based foods.

Consume fat in moderation.
A certain amount of fat, especially unsaturated fat, is necessary for good health. However, excessive dietary fat, regardless of the type, can contribute to weight gain. Be aware of foods high in fat and either choose low-fat alternatives or keep portions small.

Choose foods low in cholesterol.
Dietary cholesterol, particularly when consumed in combination with saturated fat, can increase LDL cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products.

To reduce cholesterol intake:

• Limit organ meats, egg yolks, and shrimp
• Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products such as milk and yogurt
• Choose low-fat meats
• Choose plant-based foods high in protein (such as beans, tofu, nuts and seeds) instead of high fat meats and dairy

Choose high fiber foods.
Fiber is found in low-processed plant-based foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, whole and dried fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds. Foods high in soluble fiber may be especially good for cardiovascular health. When increasing dietary fiber, do it slowly and drink more water.

Good sources of soluble fiber include:

• Fruits
• Root vegetables
• Whole oats
• Oat bran
• Barley
• Flax seed

Eat a source of protein at each meal or snack.
Foods high in protein include:

• Meat (choose lowfat meats)
• Fish
• Eggs (limit egg yolks)
• Milk, yogurt, and cheese (preferably lowfat or fat free)
• Beans
• Tofu
• Lentils
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Whole grains
• Protein supplements (such as energy bars and protein powders)

Eat less sugar as possible.
Anything that is sweet to the tongue, with the exception of fresh fruit and sugar-free products, contains sugar. (Fresh fruit contains sugar but in smaller amounts than fruit juice and other foods.) Look at your current diet to see if you can find ways to reduce your sugar intake without feeling deprived. Try to add less sugar and honey to your foods, and when choosing foods, read the ingredient list on the food label to ensure added sugars are not one of the first few ingredients. Words to look for include sucrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, and fructose. Artificial sweeteners have been proven safe for daily consumption, but are unnecessary, and can increase appetite in some individuals.

Choose fresh foods more often than processed foods.
Choose foods that have been minimally processed. Food processing reduces nutrients and can increase the sodium in your diet.

Dietary Strategies for Lowering LDL

To lower LDL cholesterol:

• Limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total calories, or about 12-25 grams per day depending upon how many calories you take in. Fifteen grams is 7 percent of a 1500 calorie diet, and twenty-five grams is 7 percent of a 3200 calorie diet.
• Limit fat to 25-35 percent of your total calories. Recommendations can vary significantly. For reference, a diet consisting of 2000 calories per day should contain between 55 and 80 grams of fat. Use the nutrition facts listed on food labels to learn more about the type and amount of fat in your food.
• Limit cholesterol intake to less than 200mg per day.
• Try to get 10-25 grams of soluble fiber each day.
• Consider using foods made from plant stanols and sterols. Margarine spreads with plant stanols and sterols may help reduce LDL cholesterol by 6-15 percent when consumed regularly. However, two grams of plant stanols per day are likely needed to reduce cholesterol intake. This equals 2-4 tablespoons of margarine spread. People trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight should consider the additional 140-280 calories 2-4 tablespoons per day would add. Light margarine spreads containing plant stanols and sterols are available. The American Heart Association cautions their use by pregnant women, children, and those without high LDL until further studies have been completed. Stanols and sterols are naturally found in small quantities in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, beans, and vegetables oils.

Dietary Strategies for Increasing HDL

Increasing HDL is best achieved through physical activity, smoking cessation, and weight loss if needed.
To help increase HDL cholesterol:

• Substitute unsaturated fats for saturated and trans fats.

Dietary Strategies for Reducing Triglycerides

To lower triglycerides:

• Limit alcohol. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation.
• Eat carbohydrates in moderation. Carbohydrates come from grains, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes, corn, and green peas), beans, fruits, milk, yogurt, desserts, and certain condiments (those made with sugar or flour). Try to choose foods that are minimally processed, contain fiber, and that are low in sugar. Balance carbohydrate intake between food groups, and distribute them evenly throughout the day.
• Increase omega-3 fats. Fatty fish is the best source. Other sources include flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and canola oil. Consider taking a fish oil supplement.
• Consider a very lowfat diet if your triglycerides are greater than 500 mg. Fat intake may need to be reduced to 15% of your total caloric intake. Consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian for more information.

Dietary Strategies for Lowering Blood Pressure