Influence of dietary patterns on the metabolically healthy obesity phenotype: A systematic review.

AIMS: In many individuals (35%) obesity is not accompanied by cardiometabolic disorders, a condition referred to as metabolically healthy obesity. Since the effectiveness of dietary interventions for this condition is not well established, this study reviews the influence of dietary patterns on the phenotype of metabolically healthy obesity in adults and elderly. DATA SYNTHESIS: The review was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO. The search was conducted in the MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, LILACS, and SciELO databases. A total of 236 articles were identified, seven of which were selected for synthesis after application of the eligibility criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The overall result found out in this synthesis was that the greater adherence to healthy eating patterns was considered a preventive to the transition from metabolically healthy obesity to metabolic unhealthy obese phenotypes, by improving metabolic health, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality from all causes. In contrast, unhealthy eating patterns resulted in increased inflammation and risks of developing noncommunicable diseases. This review indicates that adherence to healthy eating patterns may interfere with metabolic phenotypes of obesity and positively affect metabolically healthy obesity. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number CRD42020159783.

Comparison between metabolically healthy obesity and metabolically unhealthy obesity by different definitions among Mexican children.

Background There is no consensus on the definition of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and the diagnostic criteria in children. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of MHO and compare clinical and biochemical characteristics between MHO and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), and to evaluate the association between MUO and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, anthropometrics and family background using different definitions in children. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Participants included 224 obese children between the years 2007 and 2017. MHO was defined by three different criteria: (i) absence of metabolic syndrome (MHO-MS), (ii) no insulin resistance (IR) by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) <3.16 cut-off (MHO-IR3.16) and (iii) absence of IR at <95th percentile for Mexican children (MHO-95th). Results The prevalence of MHO-MS, MHO-IR3.16 and MHO-IR95th was 12.9%, 56.3% and 41.5%, respectively. The prevalence of simultaneous MHO-MS plus MHO-IR95th was 5.36%. Children with MHO-MS vs. MUO-MS showed lower height, weight and body mass index (BMI) percentiles; MHO-IR3.16 vs. MUO-IR3.16 showed lower age, acanthosis, Tanner, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and glucose; and MHO-IR95th vs. MUO-IR95th showed lower acanthosis, WC, DBP, glucose and high high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). MUO-MS was associated with WC > 90th, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in first-degree relatives and obesity in siblings. MUO-IR3.16 was associated with pubertal stages, WC > 90th, WHtR > 0.55 and fasting hyperglycemia. MUO-IR95th was associated with WHtR > 0.55 and HDL < 10th. MHO-MS and MHO-IR3.16 or MHO-IR95th did not have agreement. Conclusions The prevalence of MHO varied depending on the definition, although the real MHO with no MS or IR is very low. Low DBP and high HDL-C in MHO were present in any definition. Association of MUO with anthropometric, biochemical and family background differs across definitions.

Healthy Obese Subjects Differ in Chronotype, Sleep Habits, and Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Composition from Their Non-Healthy Counterparts.

Obesity is not the same in all individuals and two different phenotypes have been described: metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). The aim of this study was to identify factors that explain metabolic health status in a rigorously matched Spanish population. Subcutaneous and visceral fat, adipocyte size and fatty acid composition, cardiometabolic markers in serum, and lifestyle habits were assessed. Higher physical activity in the mornings (Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval) (OR (95% CI) = 1.54 (1.09-2.18), p = 0.01)), earlier bedtimes (8:30-10:30 pm) (OR = 2.11 (1.02-4.36), p = 0.04), a complete breakfast (OR = 1.59 (1.07-2.36), p = 0.02), and a greater number of meals per day (4.10 ± 0.05 vs. 3.93 ± 0.05, p < 0.01), were associated with the MHO phenotype. Concentrations of 20:5 n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (0.26 ± 0.46 vs. 0.10% ± 0.11%, p = 0.04) and 18:3 n-6 gamma-linolenic acid (0.37 ± 0.24 vs. 0.23% ± 0.22%, p = 0.04) in subcutaneous adipocytes were higher and omental adipocyte size (187 094 ± 224 059 µm3 vs. 490 953 ± 229 049 µm3, p = 0.02) was lower in MHO subjects than in those with MUO. Visceral fat area differed between MHO and MUO subjects (135 ± 60 cm2 vs. 178 ± 85 cm2, p = 0.04, respectively). The study highlights specific lifestyle habits that could form part of obesity therapies, not only involving healthier eating habits but also earlier sleeping and exercise patterns.

Does the Metabolically Healthy Obese Phenotype Protect Adults with Class III Obesity from Biochemical Alterations Related to Bone Metabolism?

Obesity negatively affects the relationship between markers and micronutrients of bone metabolism. Testing the hypothesis that the metabolically healthy obese phenotype might be protected by those alterations was the aim of this study. A cross-sectional study was carried out in adults with class III obesity classified in Metabolically Healthy Obese (MHO) and Metabolically Unhealthy Obese (MUHO), according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (NCEP ATP III) criteria. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical variables were analyzed for sample characterization. To evaluate bone metabolism, markers (alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone-PTH) and related nutrients (vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and zinc) were analyzed. A total of 223 adults with class III obesity aged 41.20 ± 10.15 years were included. The MHO phenotype was identified in 32.73% of the sample. After logistic regression, it was observed that inadequacies of calcium (OR: 4.11; 95% CI: 2.33-6.66), phosphorus (OR: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.98-5.79), vitamin D (OR: 5.01; 95% CI: 2.92-6.71) and PTH (OR: 5.45; 95% CI: 4.49-6.74) were significantly higher in the MUHO group compared to the MHO Group. This study showed that the MHO phenotype does not protect adults from alterations in markers and micronutrients of bone metabolism. However, the MUHO phenotype presents a higher risk for alterations related to bone metabolism, which can favor the emergence of metabolic bone diseases.

Prevalence of metabolically healthy obese phenotype and associated factors in South American overweight adolescents: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of metabolically healthy obese (MHO) phenotype and associated factors in South American adolescents who are overweight. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 340 overweight adolescent boys and girls between 10 and 18 y of age. The participants were classified as MHO according to two definitions: absence of any metabolic syndrome component and absence of insulin resistance (IR). The MHO phenotype-associated factors analyzed were age, sex, nutritional status, waist circumference (WC), body composition, metabolic profile, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of MHO using odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The prevalence of MHO in South American overweight adolescents was 49.4% and 55.9% according to MS and IR criteria, respectively. Sex and WC were predictors of the MHO phenotype, considering MS classification criterion. For the IR criterion, age, WC, and triacylglycerol levels were independent predictors of MHO in adolescents. Cardiorespiratory fitness did not predict MHO phenotype in any of the criteria used. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MHO in South American overweight adolescents was high and varied according to the definition used. Age, sex, WC, and triacylglycerolslevel were independent predictors of the MHO phenotype in this population.

Serum Antioxidant Associations with Metabolic Characteristics in Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Adolescents with Severe Obesity: An Observational Study.

Considering the inadequacy of some antioxidant nutrients in severely obese adolescents, this study aimed to assess the relationship between antioxidant micronutrients status and metabolic syndrome components in metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and unhealthy obesity (MUO). We performed an observational study in severely obese adolescents (body mass index > 99th percentile) and they were classified into MHO or MUO, according to the criteria adapted for adolescents. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical variables were analyzed to characterize the sample of adolescents. The serum antioxidant nutrients assessed were retinol, ß-carotene, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, zinc and selenium. A total of 60 adolescents aged 17.31 ± 1.34 years were enrolled. MHO was identified in 23.3% of adolescents. The MHO group showed lower frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (14.3% vs. 78.3%, p < 0.001) when compared to MUO. A correlation was found between retinol and ß-carotene concentrations with glycemia (r = -0.372; p = 0.011 and r = -0.314; p = 0.034, respectively) and between Vitamin E with waist circumference (r = -0.306; p = 0.038) in the MUO group. The current study shows that some antioxidant nutrients status, specifically retinol, ß-carotene, and Vitamin E, are negatively associated with metabolic alterations in MUO. Further studies are necessary to determine the existing differences in the serum antioxidant profile of metabolically healthy and unhealthy obese adolescents.

"Metabolically Healthy" Obesity: Fact or Threat?

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a serious, worldwide and growing problem, with associated complications ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer. It has been suggested that a subgroup of obese patients- the "metabolically healthy" (MH)- would constitute a phenotype whose cardiovascular risk would be closer to that of normal weight individuals and lower than that of obese patients with other risk factors. The definitions of MH obesity are heterogeneous, what makes the estimation of its prevalence quite difficult. Besides that, data are still controversial about the risk of incident cardiovascular disease in these patients and therefore this remains an unresolved matter. In parallel, the possibly lower risk of MH obesity may raise questions about the need for weight loss in MH obese patients. CONCLUSION: This issue should be carefully addressed, and evidence for a "benign" profile of MH obesity critically evaluated, as obesity is a risk factor for numerous health outcomes, and weight loss in obese people additionally offers protection against these nonmetabolic diseases.

Relations of Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Obesity to Digital Vascular Function in Three Community-Based Cohorts: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular dysfunction is a marker of early vascular disease that predicts cardiovascular events. Whether metabolically healthy obese individuals have impaired microvascular function remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of obesity phenotypes stratified by metabolic status to microvascular function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We meta-analyzed aggregate data from 3 large cohorts (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, the Framingham Heart Study, and the Gutenberg Heart Study; n=16 830 participants, age range 19-90, 51.3% men). Regression slopes between cardiovascular risk factors and microvascular function, measured by peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT), were calculated. Individuals were classified as normal-weight, overweight, or obese by body mass index (BMI) and stratified by healthy or unhealthy metabolic status based on metabolic syndrome using the ATP-III criteria. Male sex, BMI, and metabolic risk factors were associated with higher baseline pulse amplitude and lower PAT ratio. There was stepwise impairment of vascular measures from normal weight to obesity in both metabolic status strata. Metabolically healthy obese individuals had more impaired vascular function than metabolically healthy normal-weight individuals (baseline pulse amplitude 6.12±0.02 versus 5.61±0.01; PAT ratio 0.58±0.01 versus 0.76±0.01, all P<0.0001). Metabolically unhealthy obese individuals had more impaired vascular function than metabolically healthy obese individuals (baseline pulse amplitude 6.28±0.01 versus 6.12±0.02; PAT ratio 0.49±0.01 versus 0.58±0.01, all P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolically healthy obese individuals have impaired microvascular function, though the degree of impairment is less marked than in metabolically unhealthy obese individuals. Our findings suggest that obesity is detrimental to vascular health irrespective of metabolic status.