The ‘Slow Burn’ Phenotype: How Relative Caloric Intake Reveals Hidden Cardiovascular Risk Beyond Body Mass Index (BMI)
Main finding · 3P-MACEResult — go to the resultAdjusted hazard ratio 1.07 95% CI 1.01–1.14Authors' conclusion
Relative caloric intake identifies a high-risk 'Slow Burn' phenotype, characterised by increased cardiovascular risk despite lower-than-expected caloric intake.
Study context
- Population
- White/European participants from the UK BiobankUK Biobank
- Participants
- 160,905 participants
- Exposure
- Low vs normal vs high relative caloric intake
- Outcome
- 3-point MACE: MI, stroke and cardiovascular (CV) mortality
Main finding
3P-MACE
Adjusted hazard ratio
1.07
95% CI 1.01–1.14
LIvs NI
aHR 1.07 (95% CI 1.01–1.14)
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | aHR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| MILIvs NI | 1.15 (1.06–1.25) | |
| 3P-MACE, normal-weight stratum: NW-LI (Normal-Weight Slow Burn)vs NW-NI reference | 1.17 (1.04–1.33) | |
| 0.512Adjusted hazard ratio (log scale) |
Mediation of excess risk in normal-weight stratum
- Proportion mediated by low muscle strength
- 5.2% (95% CI 1.6%-17.7%)
- MASLD showed no evidence of mediation
Future weight gain · longitudinal
- NW-LI participants more prone to future weight gain than NI counterparts
Original publication
The ‘Slow Burn’ Phenotype: How Relative Caloric Intake Reveals Hidden Cardiovascular Risk Beyond BMI. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 5 August 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →