A recent literature analysis found a 10% to 29% excess risk for AF conferred by incremental increases in BMI. The study in 9 slides, here.
Substantial growth in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is driven in part by the obesity epidemic. Systemic inflammation, diastolic dysfunction, autonomic tone abnormalities, and atrial enlargement have all been linked with obesity and also shown to promote the development of AF. Obesity directly affects atrial substrates and a direct association has been shown between fat stores and rates of AF.1,2As shown in the slides above, the excess risk for AF that is conferred with incremental increases in obesity is a dangerous public health issue.