It has long been known that being overweight can trigger high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, and hypertension can cause heart disease. Researchers have shown how a type of fatty tissue that helps the body burn energy, also directly influences blood pressure control. Measuring blood pressure produces two numbers: systolic – the pressure when the heart beats – and diastolic – the pressure between beats. But when fat cells lose their beige fat, QSOX1 is rapidly produced, trigger a chain reaction that culminates in high blood pressure. It comes as an estimated 14million UK adults now live with high blood pressure - a figure that's steadily rising.

Source: Daily Mail January 16, 2026 16:46 UTC