Obesity Linked To Irregular Heartbeat: Avoid These 4 Foods To Manage Obesity

Obese people are at higher risks of developing rapid and irregular heartbeat, says a new study. The condition where the heart develops rapid and irregular heartbeat is known as atrial fibrillation and may lead to stroke, heart failure and other complications. The study was conducted by Penn State and was published in the American Journal of Cardiology. For the study, researchers followed large groups of participants that were equally divided between people with and without obesity, for a period of eight years. The results showed that obese people have a 40 per cent more chance of having atrial fibrillation than people with a normal body weight.

According to Researcher Andrew Foy, the study indicates that weight loss is a possible intervention measure to treat and manage atrial fibrillation in obese people. "If you have both atrial fibrillation and obesity, treating obesity will go a long way in treating and managing your atrial fibrillation", he said, adding, "And if you have obesity, and lose weight through diet, exercise, or even surgery, that will help reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions like atrial fibrillation." The researchers found that while 1.8 percent of non-obese patients were at risk of fibrillation, the percentage rose to 2.7 per cent in patients of obesity.

Here are a few foods you must avoid to prevent and manage obesity:

1. Refined Carbohydrates: The first thing you must do if you're obese is to throw out refined carbs from your diet and switch them with whole grains which have good quality carbs. These are also important in managing blood sugar and hypertension.

2. Red Meats: Lamb, pork and beef must be avoided to manage obesity and replaced with white meats like chicken, turkey, etc. Lean meats are important to fulfill the protein needs of the body, while aiding weight loss.

3. Trans Fats: Chips, crisps and fried snacks are all rich in salt and trans fats that must be avoided at all costs. Fast food, cheesy pasta, instant noodles and ready-to-make foods all have trans fats too.

4. Refined Sugar: One of the biggest culprits of obesity is refined sugar, which must be removed from the diet of an obese person. If a person is trying to lose weight, then they must be mindful of foods with natural sugars too.

5. Junk Food: One of the biggest causes for obesity is an addiction to junk food. Indulging in fries and burgers every once in a while is okay, but eating junk foods every day is a risky affair. An obese person must completely throw them out and replace them with fresh fibrous vegetables.