Warning: file_get_contents(https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=41341825
&cmd=llinks): Failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 429 Too Many Requests
in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\kidney.de\httpdocs\pget.php on line 215
More evidence of the health risks of normal weight obesity: the association with
systemic inflammation
#MMPMID41341825
Liu-Galvin R
; Orlando FA
; Saguil AA
; Jo A
; Smith KB
; Miller AM
; Nelson DS
; Sanders EC
; Mainous AG 3rd
Front Med (Lausanne)
2025[]; 12
(?): 1695935
PMID41341825
show ga
BACKGROUND: Normal weight obesity (NWO) - a normal body mass index (BMI) with
high body fat percentage (BF%) - has been linked to increased cardiometabolic
risk. This study examined whether NWO is associated with systemic inflammation.
METHODS: Using 2017-2018 NHANES data, we categorized adult respondents aged 18-59
with BMI ? 18.5 into four groups:Reference: Normal BMI (18.5-24.9) with normal
BF% (< 25% males/ < 35% females)NWO: Normal BMI with high BF% (? 25% males/ ? 35%
females)Elevated BMI (? 25) with normal BF%Elevated BMI with high
BF%Survey-weighted logistic regression examined associations with elevated hs-CRP
(> 3.0 mg/L), adjusting for age and race/ethnicity. Sex-stratified analyses were
also conducted. RESULTS: Inflammation prevalence was 32.7% overall, highest among
individuals with elevated BMI and high BF% (43.6%). Compared to the reference
group, individuals with NWO had over 3-fold increased odds of inflammation [AOR
3.34 (95% CI: 1.83, 6.08)]; individuals with elevated BMI and high BF% had over
6-fold increased odds [AOR 6.19 (95% CI: 3.66, 10.50)]. Elevated BMI with normal
BF% was not significantly associated with inflammation.In sex-stratified
analyses, NWO was associated with inflammation in both males [AOR 4.44 (95% CI:
1.62, 12.10)] and females [AOR 2.78 (95% CI: 1.40, 5.52)]. Elevated BMI and high
BF% was also associated with inflammation in both sexes. CONCLUSION: In this
cross-sectional study, NWO was associated with inflammation, although causality
cannot be inferred. Reliance on BMI alone may misclassify cardiometabolic risk
therefore BF% should be considered in clinical assessments.