Obesity-Related Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Obesity is a complex condition characterised by excess adiposity that significantly elevates the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. While overall body fat plays a role, the distribution of adipose tissue—particularly visceral deposition—drives a cascade of metabolic and inflammatory disturbances. Central accumulation of adipocytes fosters insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and a pro-inflammatory milieu through the secretion of adipokines and cytokines. These mediators contribute to endothelial dysfunction, hypertension and pro-thrombotic states, accelerating atherogenesis and impairing vascular homeostasis. Moreover, obesity-associated alterations in cardiac structure and haemodynamics, including left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic impairment, compound the burden of disease. The clinical impact is global in scale, with rising prevalence in both high-income and low-income countries. Early identification of high-risk phenotypes, informed by imaging modalities and biomarker profiling, enables personalised interventions. Lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy and, where appropriate, surgical approaches can mitigate cardiovascular risk by targeting weight reduction, adipose distribution and inflammatory pathways.

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Obesity-Related Cardiovascular Risk Factors publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Visceral adipose tissue: Fat stored within the abdominal cavity, surrounding internal organs, strongly linked to metabolic and cardiovascular risk.

Subcutaneous adipose tissue: Fat located beneath the skin, generally less metabolically active than visceral fat.

Adipokines: Bioactive proteins secreted by adipose tissue that regulate metabolism, inflammation and vascular function.

Insulin resistance: Impaired cellular response to insulin that leads to elevated blood glucose and lipid disturbances.

Endothelial dysfunction: Impairment of the vascular endothelium’s capacity to regulate blood flow and maintain haemostasis.

Atherogenic dyslipidaemia: A lipid profile characterised by elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and small dense low-density lipoprotein particles, promoting atherosclerosis.

References

1. Analysis of volume and topography of adipose tissue in the trunk: Results of MRI of 11,141 participants in the German National Cohort. Science Advances (2023).
2. Visceral adipose tissue and residual cardiovascular risk: a pathological link and new therapeutic options. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2023).
3. Obesity and Coronary Artery Disease: An Updated Systematic Review 2022. Cureus (2022).
4. Cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of obesity. Frontiers in Physiology (2015).