Insulin resistance is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. While obesity and insulin resistance coexist in most humans, up to 30 % of obese individuals are insulin-sensitive, depending on the definition/study. Longitudinal studies suggest that obese insulin-sensitive individuals are protected from diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared with their insulin-resistant peers.

The main open questions in the field are: (1) Does insulin sensitivity in obesity persist over time and (2) which features of the insulin-sensitive obese phenotype determine metabolic protection. With the rising epidemic of obesity world-wide, it is of paramount importance to identify factors that protect the obese from metabolic disease. These may serve as future therapeutic targets to promote health and minimize the impact of obesity.

The talk will focus on the epidemiology of insulin-sensitive obesity, the potential metabolic factors that contribute to the phenotype and suggest future directions to close the gap in understanding metabolic health in obesity.