Significado clínico de la obesidad abdominal

Central obesity is clinically more important than peripheral obesity, because intraabdominal fat is more metabolically active than peripheral fat. Intraabdominal fat releases free fatty acids and adipokines, which cause lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders, facilitating insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Central obesity is an essential component of the metabolic syndrome and a major risk factor for the development of both type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.