Is Obesity Always Associated with Metabolic Issues?

In a new research, scientists have identified that some  individuals who are suffering from obesity do not have the metabolic modifications generally connected with diabetes, heart disease and stroke. This indicates that some obese individuals may be protected from these metabolic irregularities when gaining weight.

The scientists, from Washington University School of Medicine enrolled 20 obese individuals who were requested to gain 15 lb in weight over various months. The results of the research are released in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The scientists then analyzed how the gain in weight impacted the individuals’ metabolism. Before and following gaining the weight, the individuals’ capabilities to control blood sugar and liver fat were assessed, as were their body compositions and sensitivities to insulin.

To obtain weight, the individuals ate at fast food restaurants, under the guidance of a dietician, at restaurants chosen by the scientists on the foundation of their accurate reporting of nutritional data and constant portion sizes.

If the metabolic profiles of the individuals were in the regular range when the research began, then they stayed normal after these individuals obtained weight.

But the scientists noticed that, in obese subjects whose metabolic profiles were previously abnormal, weight gain was related with a considerable worsening of their metabolic profiles.

Senior researcher Dr. Samuel Klein, describes the outcomes:

“This study shows that some obese individuals are protected from the adverse metabolic consequences of moderate weight gain, while others are predisposed to develop these issues.

This observation is essential clinically due to the fact about 25% of obese individuals do not have metabolic problems. Our data reveals that these individuals stay metabolically normal even after they obtain further weight.”

Key aspects recognized that distinguish normal and abnormal metabolisms

The scientists recognized some aspects that distinguished the metabolically normal obese individuals from the members with metabolic issues.

One of these key aspects was the build up of fat inside the livers of individuals with abnormal metabolism – individuals with normal metabolism did not have these fat accumulations.

Also, the individuals with normal metabolism indicated more genes that control the production and build up of fat than those with abnormal metabolism. This gene action enhanced when the metabolically normal individuals obtained weight, but there was no enhanced action in those with abnormal metabolism.

With respect to the authors, this indicates that the capability of body fat to enhance and expand may protect some individuals from the metabolic issues that are usually related with gaining weight.

“It’s significant to indicate that once the research was finished, we registered all subjects in our weight-loss program to ensure that they lost all of the weight they had obtained, or more,” says Dr. Klein

Next, the team will evaluate fat, muscle and liver tissue in lean along with obese individuals to be able to better understand the mechanisms by which some people – and not others – are protected from metabolic issues.

Dr. Klein states that the team hopes to solve whether it is genetics, specific dietary consumption, physical life-style, emotional health or even gut microbes that impact whether obesity leads to diseases in some individuals but not in others.