Metabolic healthy obesity is associated with higher incidence of mild decrease estimate glomerular rate in rural northeast Chinese

BACKGROUND: Metabolic healthy obesity (MHO), a phenotype of obesity, seems to be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, MHO has a close relationship with a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MHO at baseline, the changes in the obese metabolic phenotype at follow-up and the relationship of this phenotype with the incidence of mildly reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in rural Northeast Chinese. METHODS: The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) equation was used to calculate eGFR. A total of 4903 participants aged ≥35 years with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2) at baseline were enrolled and successfully followed. All participants completed the questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood tests during baseline and follow-up. Mild renal dysfunction was defined as mildly reduced eGFR between 60 and 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2). RESULTS: The prevalence of MHO was 20.0% at baseline (19.0% for women and 21.1% for men), which was secondary to metabolic abnormal obesity (MAO) (24.4, 27.2% for women and 21.5% for men). A total of 38.4% of women and 38.9% of men experienced phenotypic changes during follow-up. The cumulative incidence of mildly reduced eGFR in the MHO group was 20.1% (17.7% for women and 22.3% for men), which was also secondary to the incidence in the MAO group (20.8, 18.6% for women and 23.5% for men). After adjusting for age, current smoking, current drinking, chronic diseases, LDL-C, ALT, and AST, MHO was associated with a higher incidence of mildly reduced eGFR among women [OR (95% CI) =1.6 (1.2, 2.3)] and men [OR (95% CI) =1.6(1.2, 2.1)], whereas MAO was related to a higher incidence of mildly reduced eGFR among men only [OR (95% CI) =1.7 (1.3, 2.3)]. CONCLUSION: MHO was associated with a higher incidence of mildly reduced eGFR in both sexes; however, there was a specific relationship between MAO and mildly reduced eGFR in men only. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor kidney function among participants with both MHO and MAO.