Tag: Metabolically healthy obesity

According to research published by the CDC in 2016, approximately 29% of obese individuals were found to be metabolically healthy, while 30% of normal-weight individuals were metabolically unhealthy. This statistic challenges the conventional wisdom that weight is the sole determinant of health, introducing a more nuanced understanding of how body size relates to wellness.

Scientific studies have identified a subset of individuals with obesity who have healthy cardiometabolic risk profiles, leading to the concept of 'metabolically healthy obesity'. This challenges the long-held assumption that a higher body mass index (BMI) automatically equates to poor health outcomes, forcing a deeper look at what true health really means. Can you be fat but healthy?

According to a 2022 World Health Organization report, 2.5 billion adults were overweight, with over 890 million classified as obese. This public health challenge raises a critical question: Can an obese person be considered healthy, or is excess weight inherently risky, regardless of other health markers?

According to a systematic review published in *Obesity Reviews*, studies have shown the prevalence of 'metabolically healthy obesity' (MHO) can range from 6% to 75% depending on the criteria used, confirming it is possible to eat healthy and be obese, at least in the short term. However, this is a complex phenomenon with a great deal of nuance and risk, not a simple contradiction. For many, this metabolic state may be a temporary phase rather than a permanent condition.

According to a 2020 review in the journal *Endocrine Reviews*, approximately 10% to 30% of obese individuals may present without typical metabolic complications, including high cholesterol. This phenomenon, known as metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), challenges the common perception that obesity and high cholesterol are inseparable.

Recent studies suggest that a significant subset of individuals with a body mass index in the obese range do not exhibit the typical metabolic complications associated with excess body fat. This phenomenon, known as Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO), raises a critical question: is it possible to be metabolically healthy and obese?

While obesity is a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases, some individuals are categorized as 'metabolically healthy obese,' or MHO, a condition where they have a high body mass index but healthy blood markers like cholesterol and blood pressure. This subgroup prompts the complex question: can a person be fat but healthy?