Triglycerides are lipids, like cholesterol, that transport fat particles in your body. Normal triglyceride levels should fall below 150 mg/dL. If you're obese, defined as a body mass index, or BMI, greater than 30, you're more likely to also have elevated triglycerides, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states.
Metabolic Syndrome Connection
If, in addition to being overweight, you also have elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels along with insulin resistance and if you carry extra fat around your middle, you may have metabolic syndrome. While not everyone who is obese and has high triglycerides has metabolic syndrome, an estimated 50 million or more Americans do, the American Heart Association estimates.
Causes
Your body stores extra calories in the form of triglycerides for later use. If you eat more than you burn off, you may have high triglyceride levels. This is the reason why so many obese people also have elevated triglyceride levels. In some cases, having very high triglycerides may be an inherited trait and is not necessarily associated with obesity, the American College of Cardiology explains. High alcohol intake, kidney disease and diabetes can also increase your risk of having high triglycerides, but of these, only type 2 diabetes also increases your risk of being obese.
Risks
Having high triglycerides if you're obese increases your risk of developing heart disease, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute warns. High triglycerides, like low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" type of cholesterol, can cause plaque build-up on the interior blood vessel walls. People with metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of developing both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While it's known that lowering cholesterol levels decreases the risks of heart disease, the effects of lowering triglycerides aren't as well known, the University of Michigan Health System states.
Treatment
Reducing your weight and increasing your exercise levels helps high triglycerides and obesity as well as metabolic syndrome. The best diet for high triglycerides involves decreasing calories, carbohydrates and saturated fat intake while increasing fiber and unsaturated fat, the American College of Cardiology advises. Medications such as niacin and fibrates reduce triglyceride levels better than statins, often used to lower cholesterol. Taking omega-3 fish oil supplements or increasing your intake of fatty fish may help lower your triglycerides, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Other Complications
Reducing your weight and increasing your exercise levels helps high triglycerides and obesity as well as metabolic syndrome. The best diet for high triglycerides involves decreasing calories, carbohydrates and saturated fat intake while increasing fiber and unsaturated fat, the American College of Cardiology advises. Medications such as niacin and fibrates reduce triglyceride levels better than statins, often used to lower cholesterol. Taking omega-3 fish oil supplements or increasing your intake of fatty fish may help lower your triglycerides, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
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