Differences in Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Different Degrees of Obesity
Abstract
Background
The current obesity epidemic inevitably affects the health of patients and leads to a deterioration in their quality of life. According to scientific literature, obesity per se leads to multiple metabolic abnormalities. However, it is still not clarified what the precise interrelations between the degree of obesity and the presence of various metabolic and hormonal disturbances are, especially in women.
Objective
The present study aimed to compare the differences in metabolic parameters between premenopausal women with overweight and obesity, thus evaluating the role of obesity in the occurrence of metabolic imbalance.
Materials and methods
We conducted a retrospective study of a total of 352 overweight and obese patients (18-50 years) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2. The obesity classification of the selected cohort of patients was based on the WHO criteria for BMI. Clinical, anthropometric, and metabolic parameters were extracted from the medical records and analyzed.
Results
In the investigated women, BMI increase correlated significantly with higher levels of uric acid (p = 0.019) and alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.015), as well as with elevated fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance index (p<0.001). Conversely, lipid profile parameters, prevalence of carbohydrate abnonrialities, and hypertension did not differ between patients with slight, moderate, and severe obesity (p>0.05). Patients with severe obesity had slightly higher TSH levels (2.8 vs. 2.5 mIU/L, p = 0.041), and significantly increased fatty liver index (p<0.001) compared to leaner women.
Conclusions
The increase of fat mass deposition in premenopausal women is associated mainly with enhanced insulin resistance, hepatic disturbances, and uric acid elevation, which could be the earliest markers of metabolic dysfunction. Screening and monitoring of metabolic parameters in obese pre-menopausal women is essential for the prevention of further health complications.
© 2026 M. Gavrailova, A. Elenkova, R. Robeva, published by Medical University - Sofia
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