Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications of Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) and Metabolically Obese Normal Weight (MONW) Subjects

Hye Jin Yoo

doi:10.4093/jkd.2014.15.1.12

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Yoo: Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications of Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) and Metabolically Obese Normal Weight (MONW) Subjects

Focused Issue

J Korean Diabetes 2014;15(1):12-16.

Published online: 10 January 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/jkd.2014.15.1.12

Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications of Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) and Metabolically Obese Normal Weight (MONW) Subjects

Hye Jin Yoo

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Although obesity is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the association of obesity with cardiometabolic disorders and mortality varies widely among obese individuals. Recently, unique subsets of individuals have been getting novel attention; metabolically obese but normal weight (MONW) and metabolically healthy obese (MHO) people. The MONW individuals, despite having a normal body mass index (BMI), display several risky phenotypes including reduced insulin sensitivity, high blood pressure (BP) andatherogenic lipid profiles which contribute to the increased risk of CVD. On the contrary, individuals with the MHO phenotype exhibit normal insulin sensitivity, healthy BP levels, and favorable glycemic and lipid profiles despite having high BMI. Identification of MONW and MHO individuals may facilitate more accurate risk stratification and effective intervention strategies for the prevention of CVD. This manuscript will summarize the pathogenesis and clinical implication of these various body size phenotypes.

Keywords: Obesity, Metabolic syndrome, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease

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