Metabolically Healthy Obesity Increases the Risks of MASLD and Hyperuricemia

Although metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) is often considered a relatively benign obesity, its association with the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and hyperuricemia remains unclear. This study examined the associations between MHO and other metabolic-obesity phenotypes with MASLD and hyperuricemia, and explored the mediating roles of metabolic indicators.This study included 11,712 and 13,846 participants from a health examination cohort at the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University for MASLD and hyperuricemia analyses, respectively. Participants were classified into four metabolic-obesity phenotypes, with MHO defined as obesity without metabolic syndrome components. The outcomes were MASLD and hyperuricemia. Cox regression and mediation analyses were conducted to assess associations and mediating effects.