# Research on Obesity: A Quarter-Century Experience from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

## TL;DR

This paper summarizes 25 years of research on obesity in Tehran, showing rising obesity rates and their links to health issues like diabetes and heart disease.

## Contribution

The study provides population-specific obesity cut-offs and insights into obesity's complex relationship with cardiometabolic diseases in a transitioning population.

## Key findings

- General and abdominal obesity rates have increased significantly among adults and children in Tehran.
- Obesity phenotypes are strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease.
- Metabolic health is more critical than weight status alone in predicting health outcomes.

## Abstract

This paper aims to synthesize a quarter-century of research on obesity from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), a large prospective population-based cohort.

A comprehensive literature search identified original studies from the TLGS investigating obesity indices, body composition, obesity phenotypes, and their associations with cardiometabolic outcomes.

Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study findings demonstrate alarming increases in the prevalence and incidence of general and abdominal obesity among Tehranian adults and children. The studies have established population-specific anthropometric cut-offs, revealed the complex associations of various obesity phenotypes with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease, and highlighted the critical role of metabolic health over weight status alone.

This substantial body of evidence provides crucial insights for crafting effective public health strategies and future research in transitioning populations.