Medical News Today reports that those who are overweight or obese and are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke may be at greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Researcher Diana J. Bigelow and her colleagues revealed that cigarette smoke damages genes which keep the heart and the lungs healthy, leading to a higher risk of heart disease.This may spell problems for obese or overweight smokers, as the gene damage leaves the heart and lungs exposed to potential injury. They also found that active, obese smokers increase their chances of having heart disease by two-fold, while exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk by one-third.

In order to lessen the risk of heart disease, stay away from cigarettes and cigarette smoke as much as you can, and start eating a healthy diet. To avoid obesity, consider drinking more green tea, consuming more proteins, and exercising more.

(Photo by Gabriella Fabbri via sxc.hu)