Across 17 meta-analyses, metabolically healthy obesity was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and depressive syndrome.
Is metabolically healthy obesity associated with increased health risks?
Metabolically healthy obesity is not a benign condition and is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, warranting lifestyle interventions for all obese patients.
OBJECTIVE: This article briefly summarizes the results of existing research on metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched for relevant meta-analyses addressing metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks. RESULTS: We included a total of 17 relevant meta-analyses in this review. The results of the studied meta-analyses showed that metabolically healthy obesity may be only a transient condition associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic abnormalities in the future. People with obesity without metabolic abnormalities have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and depressive syndrome. In addition, all people with obesity are at risk of pathogenesis resulting from the mechanical stress caused by presence of abnormal adipose tissue, such as sleep apnoea syndrome or skin problems. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of meta-analyses, we recommend motivating all obese patients to change their lifestyle regardless of the presence of metabolic defects.
Čermáková et al. (Sun,) conducted a review in Metabolically healthy obesity. Metabolically healthy obesity was evaluated on Risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and depressive syndrome. Across 17 meta-analyses, metabolically healthy obesity was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and depressive syndrome.