Diabetes Metab J.  2018 Feb;42(1):19-25. 10.4093/dmj.2018.42.1.19.

Being Metabolically Healthy, the Most Responsible Factor for Vascular Health

• Rhee EJ

• KMID: 2409182
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2018.42.1.19

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide. One-thirds of world population is suffering from the deleterious effects of excessive fat and adipose tissue in their body. At the same time, the average life expectancy is becoming higher and higher every decade. Therefore, living healthy and longer is the dream for everyone. Simply being obese is not the primary cause for the consequence of obesity; rather, the depot where the fat is accumulated, is the primary key for the deleterious effects of obesity. Results from historical research suggest that visceral fat increases the risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke, not subcutaneous fat. Therefore, body mass index (BMI), which reflects body weight relative to height might not reflect the appropriate size of metabolic burden of fat in our body. In contrast, waist circumference, which reflects abdominal obesity, would mirror the metabolic burden of fat better than BMI. Visceral fat is the marker of ectopic fat accumulation. In this review, I will introduce my researches mainly involved in uncovering the clues to the link between metabolic health and cardiovascular disease.

Keyword

Cardiovascular diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Cardiovascular Diseases
Dreams
Intra-Abdominal Fat
Life Expectancy
Metabolic Diseases
Myocardial Infarction
Obesity
Obesity, Abdominal
Prevalence
Stroke
Subcutaneous Fat
Waist Circumference

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The components of metabolic health and metabolic syndrome.

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  Fig. 2 The features of metabolically healthy obesity. Adapted from Samocha-Bonet et al. Obes Rev 2014;15:697–708 (as cited in Seo, 2014 [47]).

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