While the effect of serious weight gain ion health is clear, less clear is the issue of “just a few extra pounds”. In new research, a study reported by the Mayo Clinic finds that weight gain of about 9 pounds by lean healthy young adults leads to reduced functioning of their blood vessel lining which can lead to potentially serious heart issues. Just as important, loosing the weight restored the proper function.

The blood vessel dysfunction measured, endothelial dysfunction, is a predictor of heart attacks and stroke.

The research is the first randomized, blinded, controlled trial to measure the effects of modest weight gain on vessel lining function and impact was not previously known.

In the study researchers studied the impact of weight gain on 43 lean, healthy volunteers with an average age of 29. In the group 42 percent were women and none were smokers or took medications. The participants were placed in the weight gain or non-weight gain group. Researchers measure endothelial function under several flow conditions, with low flow indicating vessel dysfunction. For the fat-gainers, flow measurements decreased with the addition of weight, and once these participants lost the gained weight their flow levels improved to levels measured at the beginning of the study.

The researchers also found that visceral fat gain — and not subcutaneous fat gain — was significantly correlated with the decreased blood flow.

Source
Mayo Clinic