Association of Metabolically Healthy Obesity and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults in China: A Retrospective Cohort Study

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and changes in its status are connected to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Yet, fewer studies have been conducted in China, especially for the middle-aged and elderly population, a high-risk group. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between metabolic health status and CVD events. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 46,055 participants were categorized into 6 subgroups with different metabolic states according to the existence of metabolic syndrome and body mass index (BMI). The changes in obesity and metabolic health status were defined from baseline to follow-up outcomes with a combination of overweight and obesity. Cox proportional hazards models estimated the association of CVD events and each BMI–metabolic groups. RESULTS: MHO and metabolic abnormality normal weight (MANW) subjects had a higher HR of CVD, 1.62 (95% CI, 1.36–1.92) and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.07–1.44), respectively, than their metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW) counterparts. Then, more than 50% and 30% of the metabolically healthy overweight or obesity (MHOO) populations maintained their status and converted to a metabolically unhealthy state, respectively. Stable MANW, MHOO and metabolically abnormal obesity (MAO) were associated with a higher risk for CVD, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.37–2.05),1.26 (95% CI, 1.08–1.47) and 1.65 (95% CI, 1.45–1.88), respectively, than stable MHNW. CONCLUSION: Despite being of normal weight, MANW status is in fact a risk factor for CVD, as well as MHO, especially for the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population. Furthermore, metabolic health is a transient state for partial middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals, and MAO has the highest risk of CVD, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke.