Obesity is a serious health concern that may further cause several other side effects, health problems and diseases in humans. You would usually notice people with obesity remaining more tensed than non-obese people. This happens because the problem of hypertension is one of the direct outcomes of obesity. Let us check out some major reasons behind obese people being hypertensive.
Renal Sodium Retention
When there is excess weight gain, it leads to an increased reabsorption of sodium in kidneys. The retention of more sodium in the body of an obese person leads to increased hypertension. In addition, impaired renal pressure in obese people does not let their bodies excrete extra sodium. Thus, sodium deposits in kidneys keep increasing, while leading to further hypertension.
Sympathetic Activation
In obese people, the sympathetic nervous system activity is usually increased and the adrenergic activity is lowered. This situation automatically leads to low blood pressure and more hypertension in people with obesity.
Role of Leptin
Leptin is a peptide hormone that is secreted by adipocytes. It is majorly transported across the blood-brain barrier by the leptin receptor. This efficiency of leptin uptake is severely reduced in people with obesity. Apart from this, triglycerides levels are also higher in obese people. This condition again leads to the hampering of the efficiency of leptin transport. Considering that the leptin hormone controls the expenditure of energy within the body, its disturbed transportation may lead to obesity conditions and increased sympathetic activation. Thus, leptin imbalance plays a critical mediating role in increasing hypertension in obese people.
While these and some other factors lead to obesity-induced hypertension, individuals can take measures to control this situation. While antihypertensive medications help to a certain extent, but the root cause of obesity should be controlled through exercise, as well as lifestyle and diet management.
