Obesity as a predictor of pre-morbidity and clinical manifestations of the somatic domain

I.V. Kochetkova

N.N. Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University, Voronezh

Background: after the age of 40, obesity becomes a significant concern, exacerbating age-related changes and increasing the risk of chronic diseases. Obesity is associated with disturbances in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), metabolically-associated fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. Obesity induces chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and accelerating the onset of age-related pathologies — such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, osteoarthritis, and cancer.

Aim: to assess the association between obesity and disorders of the somatic domain.

Materials and Methods: indicators of somatic health were evaluated, including anthropometric data, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), complete blood count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), biochemical parameters, glomerular filtration rate, echocardiography (ECG) data, data from the "Cardiovisor" system (Russia), and mean weighted variation of rhythmogram (MWVR). Medication regimens, musculoskeletal status (FRAIL scale, Katz index, grip strength, SARC-F, bioimpedance analysis), sensory ocular dominance, cognitive function (MMSE), psychological status (Beck and ASS), and nutritional status (MNA) were also analyzed.

Results and Discussion: one hundred women aged 40 years were examined. The prevalence of physical inactivity was 70%, and smoking was reported in 23%. Accommodation spasm was identified in 37% of participants, glaucoma in 1 (1%) and cataract in 1 (1%) patient. The prevalence of prehypertension was 19%, and arterial hypertension (AH) was 6%. Overweight was observed in 28%, obesity in 11%, DM2 in 3%, and age-related memory decline in 7%. Obesity was found to be associated with prehypertension (p=0.118), AH (p<0.001), prediabetes (p=0.003), and DM2 (p=0.001). Asthenic syndrome was not statistically associated with obesity (p=0.449).

Conclusion: obesity increases the risk of age-related pre-diseases and diseases. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these associations is essential for planning prevention and treatment tactics. An integrative approach — including lifestyle change, pharmacotherapy, and early detection of pre-disease states — is crucial for improving the health of the aging population.

Keywords: domains, obesity, women, prediabetes, prehypertension.

For citation: Kochetkova I.V. Obesity as a predictor of pre-morbidity and clinical manifestations of the somatic domain. RMJ. 2025;5:17–20. DOI: 10.32364/2225-2282-2025-5-4