Low inflammation and obesity

Comment:

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that people with low levels of inflammation in their bodies were healthier, whether they were obese or not.

The study was based on data from 2,040 participants aged 50 to 69 who were part of the Cork and Kerry Diabetes and Heart Disease Study, Phase II., between 2010 and 2011.

Inflammation is defined as the process whereby the body responds to an attack by mobilising the immune system. However chronic inflammation is a state where the defence response is continuous and start attacking healthy tissues. For example, if inflammation attacks healthy joints it can turn to arthritis and if it attacks the heart it can cause heart disease.

Obesity is generally linked to the risk of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. However not everyone who is obese may also have high inflammation levels. People with low levels of inflammation are described as metabolically healthy. Therefore, you could be obese yet not have high levels of inflammation that could put you at risk of developing complications.

Studying and tracking inflammatory markers in the body like adiponectin will enable researchers to find more targeted solutions for chronic inflammation. 

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/27/inflammation-metabolically-healthy-obese_n_3817996.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003