Metabolically obese normal weight phenotype in children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years: a systematic review - Takeaways - MDSpire
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Systematic Review of the Metabolically Obese Normal Weight Phenotype in Children and Adolescents Aged 3 to 18 Years

  • By

  • Mariyam Farooqui

  • Sumithra Selvam

  • Rebecca Kuriyan

  • April 24, 2026

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  • 1

    The metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) phenotype in children can lead to increased cardiometabolic risks despite normal BMI.

  • 2

    Prevalence of MONW in children ranges from 10.6% to 56.2%, influenced by varying diagnostic criteria and population characteristics.

  • 3

    Children with MONW exhibit higher visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, and low-grade inflammation despite normal BMI.

  • 4

    Early-life determinants of MONW include extremes of birth weight, rapid infant weight gain, and unhealthy dietary patterns.

  • 5

    The review emphasizes the need for harmonized definitions of MONW and suggests integrating metabolic assessments beyond BMI for screening.

Original Source(s)

Metabolically obese normal weight phenotype in children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years: a systematic review

  • by Mariyam Farooqui, Sumithra Selvam, Rebecca Kuriyan

  • April 24, 2026

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