Objective: This article briefly summarizes the results of existing research on metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks.
Methods: The PubMed database was searched for relevant meta-analyses addressing metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks.
Results: We included a total of 17 relevant meta-analyses in this review. The results of the studied meta-analyses showed that metabolically healthy obesity may be only a transient condition associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic abnormalities in the future. People with obesity without metabolic abnormalities have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and depressive syndrome. In addition, all people with obesity are at risk of pathogenesis resulting from the mechanical stress caused by presence of abnormal adipose tissue, such as sleep apnoea syndrome or skin problems.
Conclusion: Based on the results of meta-analyses, we recommend motivating all obese patients to change their lifestyle regardless of the presence of metabolic defects.
Keywords: body fat percentage; fit and fat phenomenon; meta-analysis; metabolically healthy obesity; pathogenesis of obesity; visceral fat.