Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease

The accumulation and dysfunction of adipose tissue may be characterized as adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD). Beyond simply defining obesity through anthropomorphic measures such as body mass index (BMI), the four-stage system outlined by ABCD recognizes persons at risk (stage 1), those with predisease (stage 2), those with disease (stage 3), which is the condition of obesity and adipose dysfunction, and those with complications of obesity (stage 4), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiometabolic disease, etc. This definition recognizes adipose tissue as a highly endocrine and metabolic regulatory organ that may develop pathologic function, as well as an understanding that for certain populations, BMI is not predictive for cardiometabolic disease. The high and continually rising prevalence of ABCD and associated costs in modern populations compels a comprehensive lifestyle approach to patients at all stages of this condition.