Obesity and atrial fibrillation: the evidence is gaining weight

This editorial refers to ‘Obesity is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation among fertile young women: a nationwide cohort study’ by D. Karasoy et al. , on page 781. The occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a substantial increase in risk of death, stroke, and heart failure.1 The increasing incidence of the arrhythmia in the general population further underscores its public health relevance.2 Reasons for the increasing AF incidence include the advancing age of the population and a better survival among individuals with structural heart disease. Recent studies showing a strong and independent relationship between obesity and AF occurrence suggested that the current obesity epidemic may be another driver of the increasing AF burden in the general population.3–5 Studies that aim for a better understanding of this relationship are …