Definition Of Obesity Research Articles

Defining Abdominal Obesity as a Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease in the U.S.: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Various organizations have highlighted the need to examine whether abdominal obesity cut points are appropriate for identification of cardiovascular risk among ethnic minority adults, particularly Hispanic/Latino adults living in Western societies. This study aimed 1) to establish optimal definitions for abdominal obesity among Hispanics/Latinos and 2) to determine the level of agreement between the presence of metabolic syndrome diagnosed by the current Joint Interim Statement (JIS) definition and an updated definition with optimal abdominal obesity cut points. The sample included 16,289 adults who self-identified as Hispanic/Latino ages 18-74 years enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to derive sensitivity and specificity values. The largest sum of sensitivity plus specificity was used to determine appropriate cut points. Among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults, waist circumference cut points of >102 cm in men (in line with current JIS criteria) and >97 cm (9 points higher than JIS criteria) in women provide optimal discrimination for cardiovascular risk as judged by the presence of coronary heart disease. When using these cut points to create an updated metabolic syndrome definition among women, we found disagreement between our updated definition and the current JIS criteria. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was overestimated by ∼5 percentage points among women based on JIS criteria in comparison with our definition. Our results suggest that the current recommendations for waist circumference cut points may not be appropriate for U.S. Hispanic/Latino women.

Unfavorable body composition and quality of life among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults: What really matters?

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of individual components of unfavorable body composition and their combinations on quality of life (QoL) among middle-aged and older adults. MethodsData from 1779 participants (53.1 % female; mean age 63.9 ± 9.2 years) from the I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study were analyzed in this study. Demographic characteristics of all participants and data from anthropometric measurements, functional assessments, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans, and surveys of QoL were obtained. Low skeletal muscle mass was defined by the Asian Working Group of Sarcopenia consensus, and obesity was defined by waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage, or body mass index (BMI). QoL was assessed by the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey version 2, which was divided into the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). The composite score was determined based on the items of unfavorable body composition. Independent associations between unfavorable body composition components and QoL were evaluated by the multivariate linear regression model. Z transformation was performed to facilitate evaluation between different components of body composition and their relationship with QoL. ResultsAll definitions of obesity were significantly associated with a lower PCS score (WC: β=-1.2, SE = 0.3, p < 0.001; body fat percentage: β=-1.0, SE = 0.3, p < 0.001; BMI: β=-0.9, SE = 0.3, p = 0.002 in the fully adjusted model). The PCS score decreased linearly as the composite score of unfavorable body composition increased, especially when obesity was defined by WC (score = 1: β=-0.7, SE = 0.4, p = 0.053, score = 2: β=-1.1, SE = 0.4, p = 0.008; score = 3: β=-2.4, SE = 1.0, p = 0.013). After Z transformation, obesity was significantly negatively associated with the PCS score (β=-0.9∼-0.2, SE = 0.1∼0.2, p values all less than 0.01). In contrast, a one-standard-deviation increase in WC was associated with a significantly higher MCS score (β = 0.3, SE = 0.1, p = 0.019). ConclusionsCommunity-dwelling middle-aged and older people with obesity had significantly lower PCS scores, and the effect was enhanced when low skeletal muscle mass or osteopenia/osteoporosis was present. Central obesity was the only unfavorable body composition parameter with negative effects on both the physical and the mental domains of QoL. Further longitudinal or intervention studies are needed to evaluate the impact on QoL of changes in body composition that occur with aging.

Obesity: The Crossroads of Opinion, Knowledge, and Opportunity

The continuing growth in the prevalence of obesity in close connection with the tandem of a number of chronic diseases, each of which is in the nature of a non-infectious epidemic, indicates an obesity syndrome. This is one of the most complex and expensive diseases, taking into account its cardio-metabolic and oncological risk, chronic progressive course and recurrent nature. Such a situation dictates the necessity to clarify the pathogenetic approaches to the problem, based on the principles of early treatment, before the debut of comorbid nosology’s. With the multifactorial nature of obesity, it is difficult to single out the principal directions of intervention with the goal of not only reducing body weight, but especially its stabilization. The accumulated data on new pathogenesis links are analyzed: dysfunctions of the microbiota and entero-endocrine system of the gastrointestinal tract with impaired incretin synthesis, metainflammation, peripheral and central insulin resistance, which integrally changes intracellular energy metabolism through a change in the activity of the AMP-activated protein kinase and is associated with systemic inflammatory response. These links are interconnected by the axis: “intestine – brain – liver”, which explains the relationship of obesity with multiple multidisciplinary pathology and reflects the necessity for multidirectional effects. From the point of view of the definition of obesity as a brain disease, with an emphasis on the hypothalamus, the feasibility of an approach to weight loss only through lifestyle changes and the problem of the slipping effect is discussed. The necessity for weight loss is discussed along with the regulation of metabolic imbalance. The feasibility of combined pharmacological intervention is substantiated. ReduxinForte is considered as the drug of choice with a detailed analysis of its components, metformin and sibutramine, their ability to correct various parts of the pathogenesis of obesity and pleiotropic effects to achieve stable metabolic control and reduce the risks of complications.

Revising BMI Cut-Off Points for Obesity in a Weight Management Setting in Lebanon.

Obesity is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 Kg/m2. This study aimed to test the validity of this BMI cut-off point for adiposity in a weight management clinical setting in Lebanon. This cross-sectional study of 442 adults of mixed gender, categorized by the WHO BMI classification, included: 66 individuals of normal weight, 110 who were overweight and 266 with obesity. The clinical sample was referred to the Outpatient Clinic in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Beirut Arab University (BAU) in Lebanon. All participants underwent anthropometric evaluation. The gold standard for defining obesity was based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/WHO guidelines for total body fat percentage (BF%). The best sensitivity and specificity were attained to predict obesity, according to the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. The BMI cut-off point for predicting obesity in the clinical sample was nearly 31.5 Kg/m2, and more than 90% of individuals with obesity and cardiometabolic disease were above this cut-off point. In conclusion, this new BMI cut-off point, an obesity definition higher than suggested in Western populations, was demonstrated to have clinical usefulness. Obesity guidelines in Lebanon, therefore, need revising.

Global, regional and time-trend prevalence of central obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13.2 million subjects

We aimed to examine the global prevalences of central obesity according to age, sex, race, place of residence, geographical region, national income level, and the definitions of central obesity. MEDLINE and Embase were searched. Studies with sample size of ≥ 500 and investigated individuals aged ≥ 15 years were included. Metaprop (a Stata command) was adopted to conduct a meta-analysis of prevalence, and the Freeman-Tukey Double Arcsine Transformation was used to stabilize the variances. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of central obesity. There were 288 studies involving 13,233,675 individuals in this analysis. The overall prevalence of central obesity was 41.5% (95% CI 39.9–43.2%). A higher prevalence was found in older individuals, female subjects, urban residents, Caucasians, and populations of higher income level countries. Regarding regional variations, the highest prevalence was found in Sothern America (55.1%, 95% CI 45.8–64.3%) and Central American (52.9%, 95% CI 32.7–72.7%). Its prevalence was rapidly rising from 1985 to 2014. From 1985–1999 to 2010–2014, younger subjects aged 15–40 years showed a more drastic rise in prevalence (16.3 to 33.9%) than subjects aged > 40 years (43.6 to 57.9%). Male individuals have a more drastic rise (25.3 to 41.6%) than females (38.6 to 49.7%). Major increasing in prevalence of the condition in the past three decades, particularly in certain subgroups. These findings could act as a useful reference to inform public health strategies to minimize the impact of central obesity on population health.

Sarcopenic Obesity Is Associated With Activities of Daily Living and Home Discharge in Post-Acute Rehabilitation

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sarcopenic obesity on activities of daily living and home discharge rates in adults undergoing convalescent rehabilitation. In addition, we evaluated diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity to predict outcomes. DesignA retrospective cohort study. Setting and ParticipantsIn total, 971 Japanese patients in a post-acute rehabilitation hospital between 2014 and 2016. MethodsSarcopenic obesity was defined as the presence of both sarcopenia and obesity. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using muscle mass index and handgrip strength according to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, with the cut-off values of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Obesity was diagnosed exploratively using several definitions: percentage of body fat (FAT%), body mass index (>25 kg/m2), and fat mass index (4th quartile). Study outcomes included Functional Independence Measure-motor efficacy (score gain between admission and discharge divided by the length of stay) and the rate of home discharge. Multivariate analyses were used to determine whether sarcopenic obesity was associated with outcomes and which obesity definition was suitable for outcome prediction. P values of <.05 were considered statistically significant. ResultsAfter enrollment, 917 patients (mean age 74.7 ± 13.5 years; 59% women) were included in the final analyses. The frequency of sarcopenic obesity varied greatly depending on the sex and method of obesity diagnosis: 2.1% when body mass index >25 kg/m2 was used for obesity diagnosis in men, and 40.7% when FAT% >25% was used in women. Further, FAT% >35% and FAT% >30% used in women and men, respectively, had the strongest association with Functional Independence Measure-motor efficacy. FAT% of >30% and >35% in women and >30 in men was associated with the rate of home discharge. Conclusions and ImplicationsSarcopenic obesity was negatively associated with functional improvement and home discharge in post-acute rehabilitation. Clinical thresholds for diagnosing sarcopenic obesity should include FAT% >35 and >30% in women and men, respectively, in defining obesity in this population.

Association between maternal exposure to the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and risk of obesity in middle age.

Background:Obesity is a malnourishment epidemic worldwide. A meta-analysis of prospective human studies across the world demonstrated a consistent positive association between maternal exposure to the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and children with obesity. The present study evaluates the association of maternal exposure to DDT and DDE with the risk of obesity in daughters during their mid-life in a prospective birth cohort with up to 53 years of follow-up.Methods:Gravidas’ blood was collected during their 1959–1967 enrollment into the prospective Child Health and Development Studies birth cohort in California. Their daughters aged 44–53 years had their height, weight, and waist circumference measured during a home visit to evaluate associations of daughters’ adiposity and relative risk of overweight and obesity with their mothers’ prenatal serum levels of DDT and DDE quantified by gas chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer (n=511).Results:Maternal o,p’-DDT was positively associated with body mass index (beta=0.59 kg/m2 per ln ng/ml (95th percentile confidence interval, 95CI: 0.17, 1.00)) and waist circumference (beta=1.19 cm per ln ng/ml (95CI: 0.26, 2.13)) in multivariable models. Maternal o,p’-DDT was positively associated with a 26% (95CI: 6–49%) to 31% (95CI: 6–62%) higher risk of overweight and the same magnitude of additional risk for obesity, based on waist circumference and BMI definitions respectively, in multivariable models.Conclusions:These data indicate maternal DDT exposure is significantly associated with increased obesity risk among middle-aged women independent of the obesity definition, confounding, and obesity risk factors. Our findings suggest that policies supporting the use of DDT for malaria vector abatement need to consider the obesity risk as a health cost when weighing the benefits of using DDT in malaria vector control.

Obesity or BMI Paradox? Beneath the Tip of the Iceberg.

The obesity paradox refers to extant evidence showing that obesity in older subjects or in patients with several chronic diseases may be protective and associated with decreased mortality. A number of mechanisms have been postulated to support the existence of obesity paradox; however, marked heterogeneity was found across studies and this has cast doubt on the actual presence of this phenomenon. The aim of the present narrative review is to summarize evidence underlying the concept of obesity paradox, focusing on limitations and bias related to this phenomenon, with emphasis on the use of body mass index (BMI). A major cause of the discrepancy between studies may be related to the use of BMI in the definition of obesity, that should consider, instead, excess body fat as the main characteristic of this disease and as the unique determinant of its complications. In addition, the adjustment for potential confounders (e.g., stage and grade of diseases, smoking habit, inability to capture the presence of signs of undernutrition in the normal-weight comparative group, consideration of body composition) may significantly scale down the protective role of obesity in terms of mortality. However, it is still necessary to acknowledge few biases (e.g., reverse causation, attrition bias, selection bias of healthy obese subjects or resilient survivors) that would still apply to obesity even when defined according with body composition. Further research should be prompted in order to promote correct phenotyping of patients in order to capture properly the trajectories of mortality in a number of diseases.

Metabolically Healthy Obesity: Criteria, Epidemiology, Controversies, and Consequences.

To present a comprehensive overview regarding criteria, epidemiology, and controversies that have arisen in the literature about the existence and the natural course of the metabolic healthy phenotype. The concept of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) implies that a subgroup of obese individuals may be free of the cardio-metabolic risk factors that commonly accompany obese subjects with adipose tissue dysfunction and insulin resistance, known as having metabolic syndrome or the metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) phenotype. Individuals with MHO appear to have a better adipose tissue function, and are more insulin sensitive, emphasizing the central role of adipose tissue function in metabolic health. The reported prevalence of MHO varies widely, and this is likely due the lack of universally accepted criteria for the definition of metabolic health and obesity. Also, the natural course and the prognostic value of MHO is hotly debated but it appears that it likely evolves towards MUO, carrying an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality over time. Understanding the pathophysiology and the determinants of metabolic health in obesity will allow a better definition of the MHO phenotype. Furthermore, stratification of obese subjects, based on metabolic health status, will be useful to identify high-risk individuals or subgroups and to optimize prevention and treatment strategies to compact cardio-metabolic diseases.

The Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Non-obese Individuals: An Overview of the Current Understanding.

The pandemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been largely attributed to the increasing prevalence of worldwide obesity at a geometric rate. However, the number of non-obese patients with T2DM is also on the rise, and it is as high as 60-80% in some Asian countries. These non-obese individuals have certain peculiarities and have a higher mortality rate compared with obese individuals. The pathophysiology of T2DM in non-obese individuals remains poorly understood, and this has an impact on defining its management. This review discusses the current understanding of the pathophysiology of T2DM in non-obese individuals. The definition of T2DM in non-obese individuals remains controversial because of the limited clinical measurements, and the current definition of obesity using body mass index (BMI) is not very helpful as these individuals have BMIs of <25K g/m3, which is considered normal. Many authors have argued that the so-called non-obese people are actually metabolically obese; however, in terms of the measurements clinically available, they are non-obese. The simplistic understanding of the mechanism of the pathophysiology sees it in terms of the balance between insulin secretion and insulin resistance. The pathogenesis of insulin resistance in a lean patient has been proven to be the same as what is seen in an obese individual, but most studies confirm more severe functional insulin secretory defects in lean individuals compared to the obese phenotype. The mechanism underlying this form of T2DM is still poorly defined, and more research is required to understand the mechanism of sarcopenic obesity, which some studies have revealed.

Long-Term Current Management of Enduring Obesity in Diabetes

Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, ultimately contributing to mortality. The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) was established to improve the management of obesity through research and education; to that end, the Committee of Clinical Practice Guidelines of the KSSO reviews systemic evidence using expert panels to develop clinical guidelines. Weight-loss medications are effective adjuncts to diet, physical activity, and behavioral counseling for select Korean patients with type 2 diabetes and body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. Potential benefits must be weighed against the potential risks of these medications. If a patient''s response to weight-loss medications is < 5% weight loss after 3 months or if there are significant safety or tolerability issues at any time, the medication should be discontinued and alternative medications or treatment approaches should be considered. Long-term medications for enduring obesity have traditionally fallen into two major categories, centrally-acting anorexiant medications and peripherally acting medications, such as orlistat. In this paper, I provide the definition of obesity in Korea and describe anti-obesity medications currently available for long-term treatment in diabetes.

Defining maternal obesity in studies of birth outcomes: Comparing ICD-9 codes at delivery and measures on the birth certificate.

Using ICD-9 codes underestimates the prevalence of obesity in adults; however, the validity of these codes in studies of pregnancy-related outcomes is not known. To compare classification of maternal obesity based on ICD-9 codes in hospital discharge records versus data from birth certificates in the same women, examine predictors of agreement, and assess how associations between obesity and two birth outcomes differ by source of weight data. This population-based study included 2329145 California births between 2007 and 2012. We compared data on obesity from childbirth hospital discharge records (ICD-9 codes for obesity) and birth certificates (pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) calculated from weight and height) and identified predictors of agreement between the two sources. Logistic regression models assessed whether the two definitions of obesity resulted in different estimates of the associations of obesity with caesarean birth and large-for-gestational age. Overall, 464754 women (20.0%) had obesity based on their pre-pregnancy BMI while only 100002 (4.3%) had an obesity-related ICD-9 code. The sensitivity of ICD-9-based obesity was low at 16.2%; however, obesity codes were highly specific at 98.7%, with a negative predictive value of 82.5% and a positive predictive value of 75.2%. Among women with obesity identified by the birth certificate, those with pre-pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications (eg diabetes and hypertension) were more likely to have an obesity-related diagnosis in their delivery hospital discharge record. Using ICD-9 codes overestimated the association of obesity with caesarean birth and newborn large-for-gestational age. ICD-9 codes in childbirth discharge records captured only one in five women with pre-pregnancy obesity. Sensitivity varied by maternal characteristics and conditions. This misclassification resulted in bias when examining the association of obesity and pregnancy-related outcomes.

CYP27B1 as an instrument gene to investigate the causal relationship between vitamin D deficiency and obesity: a family-based study.

Vitamin D deficiency was associated with obesity. However, the causal relationship remains controversial. We hypothesized that there would be family-based associations in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families for the SNPs associated with vitamin D deficiency, if vitamin D deficiency was a causal factor of obesity. We aimed to investigate the family-based association of SNPs in CYP27B1 with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity. Four hundred and nineteen pedigrees containing 1505 rural individuals aged from 18 to 79 years in Henan Province of China were included in this study. Family-based associations of rs10877012 and rs4646536 in CYP27B1 with vitamin D deficiency and obesity were investigated. Serum 25(OH)D3 concentration <20 μg/L was defined as vitamin D deficiency. BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 was applied for obesity definition. Taqman assays were applied for SNP genotyping. Family-based associations were investigated with FBAT software. It was shown that vitamin D deficiency was a risk factor of obesity (adjusted OR: 1.332, 95% CI: 1.042-1.703, P = 0.022). Furthermore, there were family-based associations for allele T of rs10877012 and allele T of rs4646536 in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families (P < 0.05). Both rs10877012 and rs4646536 were associated with serum 25(OH)D3 levels between siblings (P < 0.05), but not BMI (P > 0.05). In addition, there is linkage disequilibrium between rs10877012 and rs4646536 (D' = 1.0, r2 = 0.992). Vitamin D deficiency may be a causal factor of obesity. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D is beneficial to obesity prevention.

Characteristics of Serum Thyroid Hormones in Different Metabolic Phenotypes of Obesity.

Aim: Metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals have attracted broad attention. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of serum thyroid hormones in different metabolic phenotypes of obesity.Methods: The study included 1,023 community-based euthyroid subjects (age range: 27–81 years), of whom 586 were women. Fat% was detected by a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Two definitions of obesity were applied as follows: (1) fat% ≥ 25% for men and ≥ 30% for women; (2) body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2. According to the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome by the Chinese Diabetes Society, metabolically unhealthy was defined as two or more components of metabolic syndrome, excluding waist circumference. Serum-free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.Results: The proportions of obesity defined by fat% and BMI were 41.3 and 27.1%, respectively. The proportion of metabolically unhealthy was 41.6%. After adjusting for age and gender, regardless of the definitions based on fat% or BMI, FT3 was positively related to both the MHO and the metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) phenotypes [MHO: odds ratio (OR)s = 1.676 based on fat% and 2.055 based on BMI; MUO: ORs = 1.818 based on fat% and 1.526 based on BMI; all P < 0.05]; FT4 was negatively related to the MUO phenotype (ORs = 0.870 based on fat% and 0.849 based on BMI, all P < 0.05); FT3/FT4 was also positively related to both the MHO and the MUO phenotypes (MHO: ORs = 1.678 based on fat% and 2.825 based on BMI; MUO: ORs = 2.866 based on fat% and 2.883 based on BMI; all P < 0.05); and TSH was positively related to the metabolically unhealthy non-obese phenotype (ORs = 1.329 based on fat% and 1.321 based on BMI, all P < 0.01).Conclusions: In euthyroid population, both the MHO and the MUO phenotypes were characterized by increased FT3 and FT3/FT4 levels.

Our Definition of Obesity and its Impact on Treatment

Our Definition of Obesity and its Impact on Treatment

Phenotypes of Sarcopenic Obesity: Exploring the Effects on Peri-Muscular Fat, the Obesity Paradox, Hormone-Related Responses and the Clinical Implications.

Sarcopenic obesity combines the words sarcopenia and obesity. This definition of obesity should be better differentiated between visceral and subcutaneous fat phenotypes. For this reason, this review lays the foundation for defining the subcutaneous and the visceral fat into the context of sarcopenia. Thus, the review aims to explore the missing links on pathogenesis of visceral fat and its relationship on age: defining the peri-muscular fat as a new entity and the subcutaneous fat as a first factor that leads to the obesity paradox. Last but not least, this review underlines and motivates the mechanisms of the hormonal responses and anti-inflammatory adipokines responsible for the clinical implications of sarcopenic visceral obesity, describing factor by factor the multiple axis between the visceral fat-sarcopenia and all mortality outcomes linked to cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis, polycystic ovary, disability and postoperative complications.

Linking epidemiology and molecular mechanisms in sarcopenic obesity in populations.

Recognising the adverse outcomes that occur to obese adults over the age of 65 years with loss of muscle mass or strength, or sarcopenia is important. We will review the definitions of sarcopenic obesity, and attempt to link the epidemiological data with the molecular pathways. Upon understanding the model of sarcopenic obesity, we will discuss targeted interventions and further challenges to address this geriatric syndrome. As our understanding of this syndrome is growing, more data are emerging to help define sarcopenic obesity across different populations. We now have a better understanding of biological pathways in ageing such as changes in body composition, sex-specific hormones, pro-inflammatory markers and myocellular mechanisms. We will review a comprehensive model that shows the interactions between the different pathways leading to sarcopenic obesity. Such a model will explain the promising interventions in place and invite future ones. Sarcopenic obesity is an important geriatric syndrome with significant clinical and healthcare implications. Further research is needed to harmonise definitions, clarify mechanisms contributing to syndrome and use evidence-based interventions to target biological mechanisms in both research and clinical settings.

AB022. Maternal obesity and impact on the neonate

: Obesity has become an ever-present problem regardless of age, gender or socioeconomic background. An increase over the past two decades has also been noted in the pregnant population. More women are obese at their first prenatal visit and then subsequently gain more weight throughout the pregnancy than ever before. Maternal obesity can lead to problems not only in the mother but also with the process of labor and ensuing neonatal complications. The National Institute for Health definition of obesity has three levels: Level I: BMI 30–34.9 is associated with high risk of disease, Level II: BMI 35–39.9 is associated with very high risk, Level III: BMI 40 or greater is extremely high risk. The maternal complications include preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, thromboembolism and increased mortality. The labor complications include increased risk for assisted, instrumental delivery, hemorrhage and cesarean delivery. The increased risk of cesarean section remained higher even when adjusted for potential confounders such as preeclampsia, diabetes and macrosomia. One of the most common neonatal problems associated with maternal obesity is macrosomia with a birthweight greater than 4 kilograms. Other newborn complications include congenital anomalies, stillbirth and hypoglycemia. What is known concerning maternal obesity and neonatal outcomes has improved in recent years; however, the effect of maternal obesity on an infant’s brain and the severity of ischemic damage has not been well studied. Our published research has shown that there are increased risks of difficult delivery room course and respiratory complications to the near-term neonate and the already vulnerable premature infant population. In newly completed research, we have found that there is an increased incidence of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in infants born to obese mothers.

Should obesity be considered a disability?

Obesity is a growing concern in the 21st century. With almost a three-fold increase in incidence since 1975 worldwide, it is important to address a new concern, should obesity be classified as a disability? This raises a series of ethical and practical issues that need to be taken into consideration when exploring the best way to provide treatment and protection in society for obese individuals. This begins with the very definition of obesity itself. It is equally important to consider how to define a disability; several models have been suggested, which further adds to the complex nature of the problem. These include the biological model, the psychosocial model and the medical model. There are many arguments for and against ruling obesity as a disability.

Is there an association between body mass index and 21-gene recurrence score?

PurposeThe 21-gene recurrence score (RS) is an established predictor of recurrence for early stage, hormone receptor positive breast cancer. The association between RS and other risk factors such as obesity has not been fully explored. We hypothesized that patients with obesity may present with primary breast cancers with higher recurrence scores. MethodsWe identified 1546 patients who have body mass index (BMI) recorded around the time of RS assay. Obesity was classified as per CDC definitions of overweight (BMI 25–30 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2). RS was assessed as a continuous variable and according to pre- and post-TAILORx classifications. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was employed to assess the interaction between RS and BMI on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). ResultsIn univariate analyses, the median RS in patients with overweight was 15, which was significantly lower than the median RS (16) of patients with normal weight (p = 0.03). The overall recurrence rate of patients with obesity was 4.1%, which was significantly worse than the overall recurrence rate of patients with normal and overweight of 2.6% and 1.5%, respectively (p = 0.05). In multivariate analyses using the inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) method to adjust for imbalances between subgroups, patients with overweight or obesity had significantly lower RS than patients with normal weight, correlating to an average decrease in RS value of 2.37 and 1.71, respectively (both p < 0.01). A similar relationship was seen between BMI categories and RS as a categorical variable stratified according to pre- or post-TAILORx categories. This inverse effect was predominantly seen in post-menopausal patients. Despite the generally lower RS in patients with obesity, a high RS in these patients is associated with diminished DFS (p = 0.04). ConclusionTumors in post-menopausal women with higher BMI generally have lower RS. DFS is significantly worse in women with obesity whose RS ≥ 30. The reasons for poor outcomes for postmenopausal patients with obesity despite lower presenting RS merits further study.