Objective: Weight loss among metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals may be unnecessary or result in elevated cardiometabolic risk. We studied the effects of exercise- or diet-induced weight loss on cardiometabolic risk among MHO and metabolically abnormal obese (MAO) adults.

Research Design and Methods: Sixty three MHO and 43 MAO adults participated in 3-6 months of exercise- or diet-induced weight loss intervention. Changes in anthropometry, adipose tissue distribution and cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed.

Results: Body weight, waist circumference and total, abdominal and visceral adipose tissue were reduced in all subjects (P < 0.05). Improvements in insulin sensitivity were observed in MHO and MAO men and women (P<0.05), but was greater in the MAO (P<0.05). Fasting insulin was the only other cardiometabolic improvement among MHO (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Lifestyle-induced weight loss among MHO subjects is associated with a reduction in total and abdominal obesity and improvement in selected cardiometabolic risk factors.