SCOPE Schools are intensive one-day courses hosted several times a year in different cities, aimed at health care professionals with an interest in obesity management. SCOPE Schools are taught by leading international experts and involve lectures, discussions and debates, as well as opportunities to socialize and exchange knowledge with experts and fellow students. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, SCOPE Schools are currently hosted online. Don’t miss this opportunity to access our live events from anywhere in the world.
This is the second Scope School in 2021 that Ogweno Stephen has participated in as Scope School Faculty speaker discussing on the various intersections and complexities of obesity. This particular Scope School was exploring the intersection between cardiovascular health and obesity. In this scope school Ogweno was among a global panel of experts including Dr Verónica Vázquez Velázquez, Obesity and Eating Disorders Clinic of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán , Dr Sadiya Sana Khan, Northwestern University and Prof Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Mayo Clinic talking about what is the relationship between cardiovascular health and obesity.
Here are a few pointers that you need to know on this relationship:
- It can change your cholesterol levels. Most of us know that obesity can cause a spike in bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but did you know it can also lower good high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol? HDL cholesterol is important for removing bad cholesterol and working to reduce the risk for heart disease.
- It can cause your blood pressure to rise. Obese individuals require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies which causes an increase in blood pressure. Your body will also require more pressure to move this blood around. High blood pressure is also a common cause of heart attack, which are sadly more common for obese individuals.
- It can lead to diabetes. High cholesterol, blood pressure and heart attacks aren’t the only medical conditions you need to worry about if you’re obese. Obese individuals also have a much greater chance of developing diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, at least 68 percent of people aged 65 or older with diabetes also have heart disease. While individuals with diabetes are said to be two to four times more likely to be at risk for heart disease, the American Heart Association also lists diabetes as being one of the top seven major controllable factors to prevent heart disease. If you have diabetes but have yet to be diagnosed with heart disease, now is the time to act.
However, some key messages for getting healthier could be summarized in this statement; Lose weight, get healthy and reduce risk
Here is a link to the Scope School https://www.worldobesity.org/training-and-events/events/scope-school-global-obesity-and-cardiovascular-disease-cvd
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STEPHEN OGWENO 