Women, Weight Gain, and Cardio Risk

A new study shows that as women gain weight¹ they are more likely than men to have a higher level of the cardiovascular inflammatory risk factor known as C Reactive Protein (CRP). The researchers were able to prove that the extra CRP in women was from the general increase in fat under the skin (subcutaneous fat), whereas in men CRP went up in direct proportion to their abdominal size.

It is natural for women to have a higher amount of body fat. It is somewhat normal to gain weight rather evenly all around the body, rather than just gain it in the middle. However, even this non-abdominal weight gain in women is associated with an increase in CRP.

This study illustrates the importance for any women to seek to maintain an ideal body weight, as women will more easily dip into cardiovascular risk related inflammation faster than men.