Both age and BMI are important factors in women’s heart disease, according to British researchers.

Getting older doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get sick – in fact around half of all heart disease patients are under 65. But heart disease is more likely to prove fatal the older you are – so it’s good news that new research has found that a woman’s body mass index increases her risk of heart disease over and above her age-related risk. Why is this good news? Because unlike getting older, which is inevitable, you can actually do something about your BMI.

Researchers from the University of Oxford assessed data from more than one million women in England and Scotland for around ten years to calculate the link between BMI, age and risk of coronary heart disease.

They found that a 23% increase in heart disease risk with every five-point increase in BMI. (BMI was calculated as weight divided by height squared, or weight/height2.) This is the equivalent of ageing an extra two and a half years, in terms of heart disease risk.

One in 11 lean middle-aged women – ie those with a BMI of around 21 with little excess fat – were admitted to hospital for coronary heart disease or died from the disease between the ages of 55 and 74. For women with an average BMI of 34, this figure was one in six.

But the point, say the researchers, is that with every increase in BMI the figure rises and that, “This is seen not only in the heaviest women but also those who are not usually considered obese,” said lead study author Dr Dexter Canoy.

“Small changes in BMI, together with leading a healthy lifestyle by not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol consumption, and being physically active could potentially prevent the occurrence of CHD for a large number of people in the population.”

The heart

Do a little every day to reduce your BMI

If the idea of giving your diet a dramatic overhaul is too much to bear, make small changes every day. Over time these can amount to better results as you’re more likely to stick it and are also more likely to keep any weight you lose off rather than piling it back on again.

Simple everyday weight loss tips to try

Fats People often eat a lot more than they realise because it’s difficult to keep track. So ration yourself by pouring oil into a separate smaller container and limiting yourself to a specific amount each day or week. Similarly with butter, you can cut up a block of butter into daily ‘chunks’ – once you’ve eaten that amount for the day, you have to go without. You’ll soon get used to eating less.

Cheese Swap your mild Cheddar for mature. With the extra flavour you won’t need so much on a sandwich. Grate it too to maximise the sandwich flavour without adding extra cheese. You can also try lower-fat cheeses such as feta or cottage cheese.

Biscuits Make your own. There is no better way to get an excellent visual idea of exactly how much butter and sugar you’re eating on a daily basis. Once you see how many globs of butter are in those cookies you won’t be so tempted to eat them so quickly.

Sausages These are usually very high in fat so look for low-fat versions or add high-flavour versions such as chorizo or pepperoni and add them in chunks to casseroles with beans which means you won’t eat as much sausage and it will keep you fuller for longer without having to compromise on taste.

Grill Did you know you can grill eggs instead of fry them? Take half a roll or half a tomato (emptied of pips/flesh) and crack your egg inside then put under the grill until cooked.