Effects of Weight Loss Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Men and Women

Abstract

OBJECTIVEWeight loss among metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals may be unnecessary or result in elevated cardio-metabolic risk. We studied the effects of exercise- or diet-induced weight loss on cardio-metabolic risk among MHO and metabolically abnormal obese (MAO) adults.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSParticipants were 63 MHO and 43 MAO adults who took part in 3 to 6 months of exercise- or diet-induced weight loss intervention. Changes in anthropometry, adipose tissue distribution, and cardio-metabolic risk factors were assessed.RESULTSBody weight, waist circumference, and total abdominal and visceral adipose tissue were reduced in all subjects (P < 0.05). Improvements in insulin sensitivity were observed in MHO and MAO men and women (P < 0.05), but were greater in the MAO individuals (P < 0.05). Fasting insulin was the only other cardio-metabolic improvement among MHO individuals (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONSLifestyle-induced weight loss among MHO subjects is associated with a reduction in total and abdominal obesity and improvement in selected cardio-metabolic risk factors.