Cardiometabolic Health Indices and Obesity Dynamics

Cardiometabolic health indices have emerged as essential tools for quantifying the interplay between adiposity, lipid metabolism and glycaemic control, providing a more nuanced view of metabolic risk than body mass index alone. Central to this field is the recognition that the distribution of adipose tissue—particularly visceral fat—drives a cascade of inflammatory and hormonal changes which amplify the risk of insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Obesity dynamics encompass both the temporal patterns of weight gain and loss and the shifting balance between subcutaneous and visceral fat depots. These dynamics are influenced by genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity, and broader socioeconomic determinants. Advances in anthropometric and biochemical indices—among them the cardiometabolic index (CMI), the visceral adiposity index and the metabolic score for visceral fat—have refined risk stratification, enabled early detection of subclinical dysfunction and informed targeted interventions. Globally, the rise in obesity prevalence and its metabolic sequelae underscores the imperative to integrate these indices into public health strategies and clinical practice to stem the tide of cardiometabolic disease.

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Cardiometabolic Health Indices and Obesity Dynamics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cardiometabolic health indices and obesity dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Cardiometabolic index (CMI): A composite measure defined by the product of triglyceride‐to‐HDL cholesterol ratio and waist‐to‐height ratio, used to estimate the joint impact of dyslipidaemia and central adiposity on metabolic risk.

Insulin resistance: A pathological state in which peripheral tissues such as muscle and liver exhibit reduced responsiveness to insulin, leading to impaired glucose uptake and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia.

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG): A prediabetic condition characterised by fasting plasma glucose levels that exceed the normal range but remain below the threshold for diabetes diagnosis.

Visceral fat: Adipose tissue deposited within the abdominal cavity, surrounding internal organs and exerting potent endocrine and inflammatory effects that exacerbate cardiometabolic risk.

Systemic inflammation: A chronic, low‐grade increase in circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins that contributes to endothelial dysfunction and metabolic perturbations.

References

1. Is systemic inflammation a missing link between cardiometabolic index with mortality? Evidence from a large population-based study. Cardiovascular Diabetology (2024).
2. Non-linear associations of cardiometabolic index with insulin resistance, impaired fasting glucose, and type 2 diabetes among US adults: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Endocrinology (2024).
3. Mechanisms and Effect of Increased Physical Activity on General and Abdominal Obesity and Associated Metabolic Risk Factors in a Community with Very High Rates of General and Abdominal Obesity. Antioxidants (2023).