DOI 10.1186/s13098-015-0063-y

Obesity with metabolic abnormality is associated with the presence of carotid atherosclerosis in Korean men: a cross-sectional study Ha‑Na Kim, Se‑Hong Kim, Young‑Mi Eun and Sang‑Wook Song* Background: Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but metabolic disturbances can also lead to the devel‑ opment of this disease. Therefore, we investigated the associations between obesity subtype, considering both body weight and metabolic disturbances, and carotid atherosclerosis as a predictor of cardiovascular disease in Korean men. Methods: Data from a total of 980 men were analysed in this study. Obesity subtypes were classified as normal weight without metabolic syndrome (metabolically healthy normal weight; MHNW), obesity without metabolic syndrome (metabolically healthy, but obese; MHO), normal weight with metabolic syndrome (metabolically abnor‑ mal, but normal weight; MANW) and obesity with metabolic syndrome (metabolically abnormal obese; MAO). Carotid intima‑media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque were assessed using a high‑resolution B‑mode ultrasound system