A Japanese study has put forward a fact that high resting heart rates may be linked to the development of obesity and diabetes.

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is basically a network of neurons in the body, regulates the heart rate without conscious thought. Furthermore, it is also believed to control the large intestine, blood vessels, pupil dilation, perspiration and blood pressure.

The American Journal of Hypertension contains the article with latest findings, in which researchers in Japan claim that people with resting heart rates of over 80 beats per minute have higher odds of developing insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

The study that involved 614 participants who were followed over a period of 20 years, was one of the first to assess the impact of higher heart rates on the body's metabolism.

The participants were divided into four groups: those with heart beat rates of fewer than 60, 60-69, 70-79 and over 80.

“Compared to those with heart beats of under 60, those who had rates of more than 80, were 1.34 times more likely to be obese, 1.2 times more likely to develop insulin resistance and 4.39 times more likely to end up diabetic,” the researchers said in a statement.

They added, “These findings provide a mechanism that might explain how obesity and the SNS are linked. This may, in turn, increase the understanding of their causal role in the development of heart attack and stroke, the leading causes of death worldwide.”