Scientists Redefine Obesity with Discovery of Two Major Metabolic Subtypes, Each with Its Own Physiological and Molecular Features That Influence Health; One Subtype Appears to Result from Epigenetic Changes Triggered by Pure Chance

A team led by Van Andel Institute scientists has identified two distinct types of obesity with physiological and molecular differences that may have lifelong consequences for health, disease, and response to medication. The findings, published on September 12, 2022 in Nature Metabolism, offer a more nuanced understanding of obesity than current definitions and may one day inform more precise ways to diagnose and treat obesity and associated metabolic disorders. The study also reveals new details about the role of epigenetics and chance in health and provides insights into the link between insulin and obesity. The open-access article is titled “Independent Phenotypic Plasticity Axes Define Distinct Obesity Sub-Types.”