Obesity is one of the leading health concerns worldwide, contributing to various chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.

Obesity is associated with multiple risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and lipid disorders. However, recent researches have revealed that obesity could reduce the risk of stroke.

The Study: Obesity could be Protective against Ischemic Stroke

The study conducted by “The University of California, Los Angeles” (UCLA) has found that there is a higher probability of obese people surviving an ischemic stroke attack than the non-obese individuals.

Ischemic stroke is caused due to a blood clot blockage in the brain, which results in the deficiency of oxygen and leads to cell death. The researchers revealed that there is a lower risk of death among the obese as compared to non-obese people within 90 days of the stroke attack occurrence.

The Research Findings: Lower Mortality Rate among Obese People

The research carried out by UCLA analyzed the medical records of 1.3 million adult patients between 2011 to 2016.

The study discovered that among the patients who had a stroke, 468,127 individuals were considered obese, and the remaining 836,440 patients were non-obese individuals.

The researchers revealed that individuals who were categorized as obese had a lower mortality rate in the first 90 days after stroke than those non-obese individuals.

The finding suggests that the additional body fat on the obese individuals may act as a protective mechanism against the damage caused by ischemic stroke.

The Rationale behind Anti-Inflammatory Action in Obese Individuals

Several researchers believe that the anti-inflammatory action in obese individuals could be the reason behind the lower stroke mortality rate.

Adipose tissue increases the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines while reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokines, which leads to the suppression of the immune response.

The higher levels of adipose tissue, responsible for the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, leads to the inhibition of neuroinflammatory responses caused by the ischemic stroke.

This blockage can result in a lower mortality rate among obese people.

Obesity: A Risk Factor for Hemorrhagic Stroke

While obesity is protective against the ischemic stroke, it is considered as an established risk factor linked with hemorrhagic stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when there is bleeding within or around the brain, which leads to the impairment of the brain’s normal functioning.

One of the primary reasons for obesity increasing the risk of hemorrhagic stroke is the high blood pressure or hypertension, which can cause weakness and rupture in the blood vessels, leading to bleeding within the brain.

Hypertension is more commonly observed among obese individuals, thus increasing the chances of hemorrhagic stroke.

Impact of Weight Loss on Stroke Prevention

Weight loss is often a suggested intervention to reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. But what impact does weight loss have on the risk of stroke?.

Research investigating the impact of weight loss on the stroke risk reduction is limited.

Some studies suggest that modest weight loss, i.e., 5 – 10% of the body weight loss, can reduce the risk of stroke by 20 – 30% among individuals who are considered obese.

Furthermore, a current study that followed 55,000 Danish women for almost 13 years discovered that women who maintained weight change sincerely had a reduced risk of stroke in comparison to women that gained or lost weight during the observation period.

In conclusion: Is Obesity a Protective Factor for Stroke?

The studies suggest that obesity may indeed work as a protective mechanism against ischemic stroke, with anti-inflammatory action present in higher levels of adipose tissue that aids in reduction of neuroinflammatory responses caused by stroke, resulting in a lower mortality rate of obese individuals. However, obesity is still a confirmed risk factor linked with hemorrhagic stroke, due to an increase in blood pressure that can result in bleeding within the brain.

Individuals who are considered obese should aim to maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses and promote overall wellness. The research on the effect of weight loss on stroke prevention is still evolving.

While there is limited data on the impact of weight loss on stroke prevention, it is suggested that modest weight loss can reduce the risk of stroke among obese individuals.