Some experts believe that chronic inflammation may increase the risk of heart disease. Much of the attention in this research has focused on bacterial causes, such as lingering gum disease or sinus infections. Earlier this week in the journal Circulation, European doctors reported that people with a variety of chronic bacterial infections have triple the usual risk of developing hardening of the arteries. Asthma's inflammation results from an allergic reaction. Iribarren said his works raises the possibility that it, too, might be bad for the heart, possibly by subjecting the arteries to inflammation-related chemicals and white cells that circulate throughout the body.
Heart attacks occur when clots block heart arteries.
They studied 2,929 adults ages 18 to 35 for 10 years and found that those who ate four or more servings a day were about 40 percent less likely to become obese.