The thin who are metabolically obese
There is a pathophysiological link between visceral obesity, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. It has always been thought that being thin or of normal weight reflects good health. This is true, but excess visceral fat can be present in people who are not overweight; we could call them metabolically obese (MONW) thin.
These obese individuals of normal weight have a higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases, despite having a normal body mass index (BMI). These individuals of normal weight have a high percentage of visceral fat and a lower percentage of muscle mass. This visceral fat has a more inflammatory profile. Worst of all, because these people feel aesthetically pleasing, they don't make the necessary lifestyle changes to improve their condition.
It's important to remember that obesity is defined as excess body fat, not just weight. Defining obesity solely based on body weight is a rather limited approximation of reality. Therefore, people with a normal BMI but elevated levels of visceral fat may still have an increased risk of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, heart disease, infertility, and even cancer.
It is now common knowledge that adipose tissue is a highly active endocrine organ and not simply an accumulation of fat; depending on its distribution, it can play different roles in energy homeostasis. Visceral fat is a risk factor for cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality.
Dr. Lucia M. Goncalves Jardim
luciamgoncalvesj@gmail.com
Tel. 351-93-9056458