A new report has found that many adults who are obese have “indistinguishable” cholesterol and blood pressure levels compared to those with a healthy weight
07:41, 02 Jul 2026Updated 07:46, 02 Jul 2026
Obese adults have similar heart risk factors to those at healthy weight – study finds statins making huge difference(Image: Getty Images)
A groundbreaking new study has revealed that many adults living with obesity have “indistinguishable” cholesterol and blood pressure levels when compared to those maintaining a healthy weight.
Remarkably, researchers found that in certain instances, people with obesity were actually “better off” than their healthy-weight counterparts.
Historically, obese adults were far more likely to present with elevated blood pressure and higher levels of harmful cholesterol. However, the latest research has discovered that disparities in unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure amongst older adults have “narrowed or disappeared” in those aged 40 and over.
Experts attribute this significant shift largely to the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, and blood pressure-reducing drugs – both of which are more frequently prescribed to those living with obesity.
The researchers noted that their findings are crucial in helping to “give a picture of the cardiovascular health” of individuals likely to be prescribed weight loss medications, which have surged in popularity in recent times. They also cautioned that it was vital not to “lose sight” of these findings as growing numbers of people turn to weight-loss medications.
Professor Majid Ezzati, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, commented: “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.
“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.”
The research, which appeared in The Lancet, involved scientists analysing information from nearly one million adults between the ages of 20 and 79 across England, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Finland and the United States.
The team scrutinised figures relating to blood pressure, cholesterol readings and body mass index (BMI) measurements gathered from 110 health surveys spanning 1990 to 2024.
They also reviewed data concerning the prescription of cholesterol-lowering medications and blood pressure treatments – referred to as antihypertensives.
The researchers discovered that problematic cholesterol and blood pressure readings “declined over time”, particularly amongst those aged 40 and above.
These reductions were more pronounced in individuals living with obesity “leading to a convergence of these risk factors between obesity and normal BMI in people older than 40 years”.
“As a result of these trends, in England, the USA, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, older people with obesity often became indistinguishable from, or better off than, those with normal BMI in terms of non-HDL cholesterol and SBP (systolic blood pressure),” the authors noted. The researchers concluded: “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.”
Professor Edward Gregg from Imperial College London, one of the research team members, emphasised that “it doesn’t mean that obesity does not still increase your risk of of other outcomes”.
The study also revealed that amongst adults under 40, those classified as obese continued to show elevated levels of harmful cholesterol and raised blood pressure.
Yse d’Ailhaud de Brisis, another researcher 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.”
Lakshya Jain, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, further noted: “This latest analysis suggests that the observed convergence in cholesterol and blood pressure levels between people aged over 40 with obesity and those with a normal BMI is largely due to statins and other widely accessible medications to reduce cardiovascular risk.
“That is a significant public health success story, and one we should not lose sight of as new weight-loss medications enter the picture.”
Weighing in on the findings, Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, stated: “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.
“This is testament to the impact of cardiovascular disease prevention strategies, the use of widely available and highly effective medicines, and the importance of people taking them as prescribed.
“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.
“So, while this progress is encouraging, preventing and reducing obesity would result in a range of health benefits, in many cases without the need for these additional medicines.”