Dominic J Chartrand1,2, Adrien Murphy-Després1,2, Natalie Alméras1,2, Isabelle Lemieux1, Eric Larose1,3, Jean-Pierre Després4,5,6. 1. Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. 2. Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. 3. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. 4. Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. Jean-Pierre.Despres.ciussscn@ssss.gouv.qc.ca. 5. Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. Jean-Pierre.Despres.ciussscn@ssss.gouv.qc.ca. 6. VITAM - Centre de recherche en santé durable, CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada. Jean-Pierre.Despres.ciussscn@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite its prevalence and well-documented impact on population health, obesity has not emerged as a strong independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease after control for intermediate risk factors. The purpose of this brief narrative review is to highlight results from imaging studies that have not only documented the remarkable heterogeneity of body fat topography but also the importance of visceral adiposity as a key body fat depot associated with cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Simple tools are also discussed in order to refine cardiometabolic risk assessment in persons with overweight/obesity. It is proposed that four lifestyle vital signs should be considered in clinical practice to improve discrimination of health risk in individuals with overweight/obesity: waist circumference as a simple marker of abdominal adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, overall diet quality, and level of reported physical activity. Heterogeneity of obesity is proposed as an example of a condition that would benefit from a precision lifestyle medicine approach.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite its prevalence and well-documented impact on population health, obesity has not emerged as a strong independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease after control for intermediate risk factors. The purpose of this brief narrative review is to highlight results from imaging studies that have not only documented the remarkable heterogeneity of body fat topography but also the importance of visceral adiposity as a key body fat depot associated with cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Simple tools are also discussed in order to refine cardiometabolic risk assessment in persons with overweight/obesity. It is proposed that four lifestyle vital signs should be considered in clinical practice to improve discrimination of health risk in individuals with overweight/obesity: waist circumference as a simple marker of abdominal adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, overall diet quality, and level of reported physical activity. Heterogeneity of obesity is proposed as an example of a condition that would benefit from a precision lifestyle medicine approach.