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Metabolically healthy obesity: time for a change of heart?

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Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) describes the presence of obesity with limited or no features of poor metabolic health. MHO might be a transient state associated with long-term health complications. A recent study highlights that MHO is associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Obesity, in all forms, requires intervention.

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Fig. 1: Obesity phenotypes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    Daniel J. Cuthbertson & John P. H. Wilding

  2. University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK

    Daniel J. Cuthbertson & John P. H. Wilding

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  1. Daniel J. Cuthbertson
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  2. John P. H. Wilding
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Correspondence to Daniel J. Cuthbertson.

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Competing interests

D.J.C. has received funding for investigator-initiated studies from AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Ipsen and Boehringer Ingelheim and educational grants from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Lilly and Sanofi. J.P.H.W. has acted as a consultant, received institutional grants, and given lectures on behalf of pharmaceutical companies developing or marketing medicines used for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, specifically Astellas, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Mundipharma, Napp, Novo Nordisk, Orexigen, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi and Takeda, and Wilmington Healthcare.

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Cuthbertson, D.J., Wilding, J.P.H. Metabolically healthy obesity: time for a change of heart?. Nat Rev Endocrinol 17, 519–520 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00537-7

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