Obesity is a critical public health issue, marked by an accumulation of adipose tissue that presents numerous health hazards, with recent focus on the link between obesity and inflammation, especially in the context of inflammatory biomarkers as indicators of metabolic abnormalities related to obesity. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and hematological indicators of inflammation with anthropometric obesity measures in obese and non-obese healthy adults. The study employed a case control design involving both obese and non-obese healthy adults. The research evaluated anthropometric indicators. Blood samples were collected from participants to measure complete blood count (CBC), CRP and ESR. Platelet /Lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Monocyte/Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were calculated. A significant association exists between familial obesity, lack of physical activity, and constipation persistence in obese individuals compared to non-obese individuals. In the obese cohort, mean values of white blood cells (TWBCs), neutrophils, monocytes, platelet count, NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII were elevated compared to the non-obese group. Statistically significant differences in ESR and CRP were noted between the two populations. A positive correlation exists between TWBCs and WHR, whereas lymphocytes correlate positively with WHR and negatively with body fat percentage. Eosinophils exhibited negative associations with obesity metrics, while ESR and CRP had significant positive correlations with obesity indicators like BMI and body fat percentage; PLR showed a negative relationship with WHR and a positive one with body fat percentage, lacking significant correlations with BMI, WC, HC, or abdominal obesity. The research indicates significant elevations in hematological biomarkers among obese individuals, highlighting a probable link between obesity and inflammation, with specific inflammatory markers potentially serving as predictors of obesity-related health risks.
El-Aghbary et al. (Mon,) studied this question.