Pulse wave velocity was measured in 27 obese and 25 nonobese patients with sustained essential hypertension. Pulse wave velocity was significantly increased in obese patients in comparison with nonobese patients. The result was independent of age, sex, and level of blood pressure. In the overall population, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.85; p less than 0.001) was observed between the degree of obesity and pulse wave velocity. A study of partial correlation coefficients indicated that the levels of glycemia, cholesterolemia, and triglyceridemia did not influence the relationship. After body weight was reduced, blood pressure decreased and arterial compliance increased. The results show that in patients with sustained essential hypertension: pulse wave velocity and obesity are strongly related independent of age, sex, blood pressure, and associated metabolic disorders and body weight reduction is associated with an improvement of arterial distensibility and compliance.