Investigating Metabolically Healthy Obesity In US Minority Populations: The IRAS Family Study

Some obese individuals appear to be protected from developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This has led to characterizing different body size phenotypes based on cardiometabolic risk factors. Thus, individuals can be classified as being metabolically healthy obese (MHO) versus metabolically abnormal obese (MAO). Although there have been several studies that have tried to characterize and estimate the prevalence of MHO, these studies have examined homogeneous populations consisting of primarily Northern European Caucasian participants. Recent epidemiologic evidence suggests that body fat distribution and several biochemical markers may distinguish the MHO from MAO. The goal of this study is to better understand the characteristics and risk factors associated with these body size phenotypes. Specific aims for this study will be to measure the prevalence and describe fat distribution across these different phenotypes in a minority population. The IRAS-Family cohort was examined that consists of families (N=1611) from two minority groups (African American and Hispanic). Findings suggest that lower levels of visceral and liver fat, despite overall increased total body fat, may be a defining feature of MHO in Hispanic and African Americans. Further, obesity as defined by BMI may not have the same clinical significance for every individual.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Samaropoulos, Xanthia

• Cardiometabolic Disease

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/47460

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/47460