Excess body weight: Novel insights into its roles in obesity comorbidities

Excess body weight is a global health problem due to sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet, affecting 2 billion population worldwide. Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic diseases. Notably, the metabolic risk of obesity largely depends on body weight distribution, of which visceral adipose tissues but not subcutaneous fats are closely associated with obesity comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, car-diovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Latest multi-omics and mechanistical studies reported the crucial involvement of genetic and epigenetic alterations, adipokines dysregulation, immunity changes, imbalance of white and brown adipose tissues, and gut microbial dysbiosis in mediating the pathogenic association between visceral adipose tissues and comorbidities. In this review, we explore the epidemiology of excess body weight and the up-to-date mechanism of how excess body weight and obesity lead to chronic complications. We also examine the utilization of visceral fat measurement as an accurate clinical parameter for risk assessment in healthy individuals and clinical outcome prediction in obese subjects. In addition, current approaches for the prevention and treatment of excess body weight and its related metabolic comorbidities are further discussed.

Automated summary

Excess body weight, caused by sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet, is a global health problem affecting 2 billion people worldwide. Obesity, especially visceral adiposity, is closely associated with metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. Recent studies have revealed the involvement of genetic and epigenetic alterations, dysregulation of adipokines, changes in immunity, imbalance of white and brown adipose tissues, and gut microbial dysbiosis in mediating the pathogenic association between visceral adipose tissues and comorbidities. This review explores the epidemiology of excess body weight, mechanisms underlying chronic complications, utilization of visceral fat measurement for risk assessment, and current approaches for prevention and treatment.