Normal weight obesity: a risk factor for cardiometabolic dysregulation and cardiovascular mortality

AIMS: We hypothesized that subjects with a normal body mass index (BMI), but high body fat (BF) content [normal weight obesity (NWO)], have a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic dysregulation and are at higher risk for cardiovascular (CV) mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed 6171 subjects >20 years of age from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and the NHANES III mortality study, whose BMI was within the normal range (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), and who underwent a complete evaluation that included body composition assessment, blood measurements, and assessment of CV risk factors. Survival information was available for >99% of the subjects after a median follow-up of 8.8…

• AH
  American Heart Association
• EF
  European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes
• KI
  Karolinska Institutet
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: RR00585, 65176
• DO
  Division of Graduate Education