Putting on weight increases a person's risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) as much as getting older, new research has shown

CHD is a disorder of the heart that results from the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood and nutrients to the heart muscle. Getting older is a known risk factor for developing the disease. However, this new research indicates that gaining weight increases the risk of CHD equivalent to that caused by ageing.

UK scientists followed the progress of 1.2 million women in England and Scotland for an average of around 10 years. They found that for every five unit increase in body mass index (BMI), the risk of CHD jumped by 23%. This is equivalent to the risk that results when a person gets older by two-and-a-half years.

The study found that one in 11 normal weight women - those with a BMI of around 21 - who are aged between 55 and 74 can expect to be admitted to hospital with CHD or to die from the disease. However, this risk significantly increases - to one in six - if the woman is obese.

According to lead scientist, Dr Dexter Canoy, of the University of Oxford, the risk of developing CHD rises ‘even with small incremental increases in BMI'.

"This is seen not only in the heaviest women but also in women who are not usually considered obese.

"Small changes in BMI, together with leading a healthy lifestyle by not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol consumption and being physically active could potentially prevent the occurrence of CHD for a large number of people in the population," he commented.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, BMC Medicine.

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