Research Article Details
Article ID: | A52718 |
PMID: | 22895358 |
Source: | Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes |
Title: | Are there still healthy obese patients? |
Abstract: | PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of premature death and represents a fast growing worldwide health problem that is reaching epidemic proportions. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing metabolic disorders, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer. However, a subgroup of 'healthy' obese patients seems to be protected against metabolic and cardiovascular obesity comorbidities. This review focuses on potential mechanisms underlying the healthy obese subphenotype. RECENT FINDINGS: Individuals with obesity typically develop type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease, gout, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. In the past years it became clear that up to 30% of obese patients are metabolically healthy with insulin sensitivity similar to healthy lean individuals, lower liver fat content, and lower intima media thickness of the carotid artery than the majority of metabolically 'unhealthy' obese patients. Recent studies suggest that protection against development of hepatic steatosis, ectopic fat deposition, inflammation of visceral adipose tissue, and adipose tissue dysfunction contributes to healthy obesity. SUMMARY: For the stratification of obesity treatment, definition of metabolically healthy or high-risk phenotypes will facilitate the identification of the obese person who will benefit the most from early lifestyle, bariatric surgery, or pharmacological interventions. |
DOI: | 10.1097/MED.0b013e328357f0a3 |

Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
S01 | Improve insulin resistance | insulin sensitizer; insulin resistance; glucose tolerance | Biguanide: increases 5-AMP activated protein kinase signaling; SGLT-2 inhibitor; Thiazalidinedione: selective PPAR-γ agonists; GLP-1 agonist | Metformin; Empagliflozin; Canagliflozin; Rosiglitazone; Pioglitazone; Liraglutide | Details |
S09 | Bariatric surgery | Metabolic surgery | -- | -- | Details |
Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I05 | 9352 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus | A diabetes that is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. A diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2 | disease of metabolism/inherited metabolic disorder/ carbohydrate metabolic disorder/glucose metabolism disease/diabetes/ diabetes mellitus | Details |
I12 | 10763 | Hypertension | An artery disease characterized by chronic elevated blood pressure in the arteries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertension, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24352797 | disease of anatomical entity/ cardiovascular system disease/vascular disease/ artery disease | Details |
I13 | 3146 | Lipid metabolism disorder | An inherited metabolic disorder that involves the creation and degradation of lipids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_metabolism | disease of metabolism/ inherited metabolic disorder | Details |
I14 | 9970 | Obesity | An overnutrition that is characterized by excess body fat, traditionally defined as an elevated ratio of weight to height (specifically 30 kilograms per meter squared), has_material_basis_in a multifactorial etiology related to excess nutrition intake, decreased caloric utilization, and genetic susceptibility, and possibly medications and certain disorders of metabolism, endocrine function, and mental illness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity | disease of metabolism/acquired metabolic disease/ nutrition disease/overnutrition | Details |
I15 | 1290 | Bone disease | A connective tissue disease that affects the structure or development of bone or causes an impairment of normal bone function. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_disease | disease of anatomical entity/ musculoskeletal system disease/connective tissue disease | Details |
I16 | 6713 | Cerebrovascular disease | An vascular disease that is characterized by dysfunction of the blood vessels supplying the brain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrovascular_disease, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK378/ | disease of anatomical entity/ cardiovascular system disease/ vascular disease/cerebrovascular disease | Details |