“Blood pressure” refers to the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. It includes two measurements: systolic (blood pressure when your heart beats while pumping blood) and diastolic (blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats). Blood pressure numbers are written with the systolic number above the diastolic number (for example, 120/80).

The origin of high blood pressure is almost always related to substances produced by visceral fat tissue (as compared to other fat depots, including subcutaneous and lower body fat) and to the increase in the hormone insulin that occurs with obesity.

For a good graphic that shows you healthy and unhealthy blood pressure ranges, as recommended by the American Heart Association, click here.