People who have too much body fat are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart. It raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and can lead to diabetes. If you are more than 20 percent over your ideal weight, you should think about losing weight. Your ideal weight depends on your age, sex and height. Your doctor or health care provider can tell you your ideal weight.
* Eating more calories than you use up will cause the excess to be stored as body fat.
* Because fat has more calories than other types of food, eating less fat may help reduce caloric intake.

Diet and exercise is the best-combined approach to losing weight and helping your heart. A diet that makes small but permanent changes in eating may work better than a series of short-term changes that can't be continued. Most people who weigh too much should try to lose 1 one half to 2 pounds per week. The American Heart Association recommends:
* Total fat intake should be less than 30 percent of daily calories.
* Saturated fats should be less than 10 percent of calories. These types of fats are usually found in animal products such as beef, pork, butter or whole milk, but are also in palm oil and coconut oil.
* Polyunsaturated fats should be no more than 10 percent of calories. These types of fats are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil, sunflower oil, or margarine.
* Monounsaturated fats make up the rest of total fat intake, about 0 to 15 percent of total calories. These fats are also found in vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola oil.
* Cholesterol intake should be no more than 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products such as eggs, milk and meat.
* Total calories should be adjusted to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

You should also increase your exercise if you weigh too much. This will help to use up stored body fat. It also plays a role in prevention of heart disease. There is a relation between the lack of physical activity and the risk heart disease. To learn more, contact your local American Heart Association office or call (800) 242-8721.

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