Study Finds Statins Narrow Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Gaps in Adults Over 40
Many adults living with obesity now exhibit cholesterol and blood pressure levels that are "indistinguishable" from those of individuals with a healthy weight, primarily due to the use of statins, according to a recent study. Researchers noted that in some instances, people with obesity were "better off" than those of a healthy weight.
Historically, adults with obesity were more prone to elevated blood pressure and higher levels of unhealthy cholesterol. However, the study revealed that differences in these risk factors have "narrowed or disappeared" among people aged 40 and older.
Experts attribute this improvement largely to the increased use of cholesterol-lowering medications and antihypertensive drugs, which are more commonly prescribed to individuals with obesity. They emphasized that these findings are significant for understanding the cardiovascular health of people likely to be prescribed weight-loss medications, whose use has surged recently. Experts also cautioned against overlooking these findings amid the growing popularity of weight-loss treatments.
Insights from Imperial College London Experts
Prof Majid Ezzati, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, stated:
"Our study suggests that, in high-income countries, taking medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol has helped middle-age and older adults lower their cardiovascular risk to levels that are similar to people with normal BMI [body mass index].
At a time that weight-loss medications are becoming more widely used, our results give a picture of the cardiovascular health of people likely to be prescribed them, which allows the healthcare system to understand how blood pressure and cholesterol treatments benefit the population alongside weight-loss medications."
Study Methodology and Findings
Published in The Lancet, the study analyzed data from nearly 1 million adults aged 20 to 79 across England, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Finland, and the United States. Researchers examined blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and BMI scores collected from 110 health surveys conducted between 1990 and 2024.
The study also reviewed information on the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and antihypertensive treatments. Findings showed that unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure have "declined over time," especially among individuals aged 40 and above.
These declines were more pronounced in people with obesity, leading to a convergence of these cardiovascular risk factors between those with obesity and those with normal BMI in the over-40 age group.
As a result, in countries including England, the US, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, older adults with obesity often became indistinguishable from, or even better off than, those with normal BMI regarding non-HDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure (SBP), the researchers reported.
"We found that differences in non-HDL cholesterol and SBP between those with obesity and those with a normal BMI narrowed or disappeared, especially in older adults, in some cases making those with and without obesity indistinguishable in terms of these cardiometabolic traits."
Additional Expert Commentary
Prof Edward Gregg, also from Imperial College London and a member of the research team, emphasized that:
"It doesn’t mean that obesity does not still increase your risk of other outcomes."
The study indicated that adults under 40 with obesity continue to have higher levels of bad cholesterol and elevated blood pressure compared to their normal-weight counterparts.
Yse d’Ailhaud de Brisis, another author from Imperial College London, commented:
"While good news for older adults with obesity, our results suggest that cardiovascular health risks remain higher for adults under 40 than for their counterparts with a normal BMI.
Early lifestyle interventions, screening and, when appropriate, medication in this younger group should be considered to prevent long-term cardiovascular complications linked to obesity."
Public Health Perspective
Prof Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, remarked on the study:
"This study highlights a powerful public health success story – it shows just how effective modern treatments for blood pressure and cholesterol have become, with many people over 40 with obesity now reaching levels similar to those with a healthy weight.
But we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. These medications are needed because of the adverse effects of obesity on cardiovascular disease risk. Moreover, obesity still affects the body in many other ways and increases the risk of other health problems, including diabetes, kidney disease and some cancers."
