Obesity Pillars Roundtable: Obesity and South Asians

BACKGROUND: Compared to other races/ethnicities, individuals from South Asia with obesity are strikingly susceptible to the presence of CVD risk factors and onset of CVD events – in part due to adiposopathic anatomic and metabolic responses to positive caloric balance. Pathogenic endocrine and immune effects of adipocyte hypertrophy and visceral fat accumulation both directly and indirectly promote among the most common metabolic diseases encountered in clinical practice – many being major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This is especially applicable to those from South Asia – largely due to genetics, epigenetics, unhealthful nutrition, and physical inactivity. METHODS: This roundtable discussion included 4 obesity specialists engaged in the clinical management of obesity among patients of South Asian descent. RESULTS: Patients with obesity from South Asia have increased adipocyte size, fewer (functional) adipocytes, and increased visceral adiposity accompanied by functional endocrine and immune abnormalities. This helps explain the increased CVD risk factors and increased CVD risk among this unique population. These CVD risk factors include increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (even at lower body mass index relative to other races), insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, increased lipoprotein (a), and adiposopathic dyslipidemia [(i.e., elevated triglyceride levels, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, increased low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle number, and increased prevalence of smaller and denser LDL particles]. CONCLUSION: The four panelists of this roundtable discussion describe their practical diagnostic processes and treatment plans for patients from South Asia, with an emphasis on a patient-centered approach to obesity in this unique population.