Abstract

Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions affecting people of all ages of all social groups in the Region of the Americas and the world, increasing mortality and morbidity. The classification of obesity unites anthropometric and clinical descriptors, approaching the concept of “chronic disease” with important clinical consequences, as a multifactorial disease due to genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, important changes in diet, increased caloric intake, pattern of physical activity, sociocultural factors. The causes include the association of intestinal microbiota, energy extraction from food, fatty acid metabolism, synthesis of intestinal hormones, and regulation of body fat deposits, the alteration in GH secretion in obesity is parallel to alterations in body composition and increase in visceral fat, decrease in lean mass and bone mineral density, as well as genetic factors linked to this pathology. Obesity is linked to morbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers and sleep apnea/sleep disordered breathing. Health care utilization and medical costs associated with obesity and related diseases have increased dramatically and are expected to continue to rise. Standardized guidelines exist for the clinical-nutritional diagnosis and multifactorial treatment of obesity with emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles that include balanced nutrition, increased physical activity, and decreased sedentary lifestyles.

Keywords

overweight, obesity, multifactorial disease, healthy lifestyles