Disentangling Clinical and Preclinical Obesity: Their Distinct Impacts on All-Cause Mortality Risk in the UK Biobank Study

Clinical obesity, defined by obesity-related dysfunctions plus excess anthropometric measures, shows a strong association with all-cause mortality.
Preclinical obesity without dysfunction also contributes to a modest but significant increase in mortality risk.
Risk stratification across clinical and preclinical states suggests the need for early screening and management of obesity-related dysfunctions.
Findings reinforce the heterogeneity of obesity phenotypes and their distinct prognostic implications over a mean 13.4-year follow-up.