Obesity increases heart failure risk but weight loss can reverse it, study finds
- Kass explained the changing prevalence of HFpEF.
“When HFpEF was mainly found in older adults with poorly controlled high blood pressure and ventricular hypertrophy, obesity was much less common. However, over the past 20 years, we’ve improved treatment for these comorbidities while obesity and severe obesity have increased significantly.”
Despite the strong epidemiological link between severe obesity and HFpEF, Kass reassured that only about 5% of people with severe obesity in the US have HFpEF.
Obesity impacts more than just heart function. A recent study at the American Physiology Summit in Minneapolis revealed that older adults with obesity experience lung function problems. These findings haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Researchers found that obese individuals have significantly lower lung capacity, limiting air intake. They also struggle to fully empty their lungs during exhalation. These issues lead to chronic shortness of breath, wheezing and inefficient breathing, symptoms also seen in people with other conditions.
Losing weight can improve heart and lung function. In a heart study, 16 patients with a mean BMI of 39 participated in a 1.5-year weight loss programme using GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). These injectable treatments are used to treat both obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The study showed that muscle cells regained contraction abilities. Those who lost 10% or more of their body weight saw their cells recover to almost normal peak muscle cell force.
Kass suggested a possible explanation: “One possibility is that the change in muscle protein troponin I, which increased with BMI in HFpEF patients, was reversed in those who lost weight.”
We also found that in patients with HFpEF, the heart muscle’s ability to contract in response to calcium decreased directly with increasing BMI. This means we’re essentially reversing that same association: lower BMI led to a stronger calcium-tension response.
However, he emphasised the need for further research to confirm the precise biological changes occurring with GLP1-RA treatments.
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Centre in Laguna Hills, CA, agreed.
He noted that recent research suggests GLP-1 receptor agonists may directly impact heart muscle cell health and function. However, more research is needed to determine whether these direct effects are responsible for the beneficial effects of GLP-1 RAs or if they’re due to their weight loss effects.
Posted May 1, 2026, 11:26 AM UTC