Research out of Korea answers those who argue it's possible to be obese and also healthy: Nice try.

According to a study published April 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, obese people who have no signs of cardiovascular disease nevertheless show a much higher prevalence of early plaque buildup in the arteries, when compared to normal-weight individuals who are healthy.

The new findings not only challenge the idea of "healthy" obesity, but recommend everyone identified as obese seek counseling about their risks for cardiovascular disease and also advice for reaching a healthier weight.

Obesity often leads to cardiovascular disease, resulting from the development of dyslipidemia, abnormal amounts of fat or cholesterol in the blood, hyperglycemia, or, high blood sugar, and hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure -- all three common conditions suffered by the obese.

Study researchers examined 14, 828 metabolically-healthy Korean adults, ages 30 to 59 years, who had no known cardiovascular disease and had undergone a full health checkup that included a cardiac tomography estimation of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, a measure of calcium build up in the plaque on artery walls.

Early stage diseases like atherosclerosis can be identified through CAC score evaluations before symptoms are present.

The criteria for obese and normal weights were determined using a standard Asian body mass index scale.

Based on CAC scores, obese subjects were found to have a much higher prevalence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, or early-stage plaque buildup in the arteries, than their normal-weight counterparts.

If it's not managed, artherosclerosis can lead to heart attack and sudden cardiac death, among other cardiovascular conditions.

"Obese individuals who are considered 'healthy' because they don't currently have heart disease risk factors, should not be assumed healthy by their doctors," said lead study author Yoosoo Chang, a medical doctor and professor at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Center in Seoul, Korea.

"Our research shows the presence of obesity is enough to increase a person's risk of future heart disease and that the disease may already be starting to form in their body," said Chang through a news release. "It's important that these people learn this while they still have time to change their diet and exercise habits to prevent a future cardiovascular event."