Key result
Overweight and obesity linked to higher all-cause mortality, contradicting the obesity paradox.
Why the study?
The association of obesity with all-cause mortality remains controversial despite its known role as a risk factor for chronic diseases.
Does obesity increase all-cause mortality, or is there an obesity paradox?
Does obesity increase all-cause mortality, or is there an obesity paradox?
This review highlights the ongoing debate regarding the obesity paradox and emphasizes the need for careful interpretation of epidemiologic evidence linking obesity to all-cause mortality.
Supports reappraisal of obesity risks in guidelines; leaves open causal mechanisms and intervention effects in observational meta-analyses.
Although the prevalence of obesity, a well-known risk factor for various chronic diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, is rapidly increasing worldwide, the association of obesity with all-cause mortality remains controversial. Many previous epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a U-shaped relationship between obesity and mortality, suggesting that there is an obesity paradox. However, recent large-scale meta-analyses found contradictory results that both overweight and obese subjects exhibited a significant increase in all-cause mortality. This review summarizes the key epidemiologic studies on the association of obesity with mortality and thoroughly examines the causes of the obesity paradox and the precautions needed in the interpretation of this clinical evidence.
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Hye Jin Yoo (2017) conducted a review in Obesity. Elevated Body Mass Index (Overweight and Obesity) vs. Normal weight was evaluated on All-cause mortality. Recent large-scale meta-analyses indicate that both overweight and obesity are significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality, contradicting previous studies that suggested an obesity paradox.
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