New Definition of Metabolically Healthy Obesity

In obese people, blood pressure, diabetes, and waist-to-hip ratio were the variables associated most closely with cardiovascular risk.

The concept of metabolically healthy obesity is controversial. In this study, researchers developed a new definition by using data from two large population-based prospective cohort studies of health behavior and outcomes (386,000 participants; mean ages, 42 and 56; mean body-mass index [BMI], 27 kg/m²).

The two cohorts were followed for means of 8 and 15 years, during which 2600 CVD-related deaths occurred. In adjusted analyses, participants with BMIs ≥30 kg/m² whose systolic blood pressure (BP) was <130 mm Hg without BP-lowering medications, who didn't have diabetes, and whose waist-to-hip ratio was <0.94 (women) or <1.03 (men) had no excess risk for either CVD or overall mortality. The prevalence of metabolically healthy obesity was 41% i…

Reviewing Author

Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

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Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

New Definition of Metabolically Healthy Obesity

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