What is one potential consequence of obesity in relation to heart health?

Obesity can lead to a decrease in cardiovascular function for several reasons. Excess body weight increases the heart's workload, making it pump harder to circulate blood throughout the larger body mass. This additional strain can result in conditions such as left ventricular hypertrophy, where the heart muscle thickens, potentially leading to heart failure over time. Furthermore, obesity is often associated with other risk factors like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and increased inflammation, all of which negatively impact cardiovascular health and can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the buildup of plaques in the arterial walls.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the consequences of obesity related to heart health. For instance, obesity typically does not improve respiratory efficiency or heighten the immune response. In fact, it can compromise both, as excessive weight can restrict the lungs and make breathing less efficient, while also leading to a chronic inflammatory state that may dampen the immune response. Additionally, obesity is more commonly linked to increased blood pressure rather than a decrease in it, due to the added strain on the cardiovascular system and changes in vascular resistance.