Highlights on Obesity: Pathophysiology, Obesity in Diabetes and Maternal Obesity

Abstract

Obesity ranks among the most important public health problems in our modern world with a threat to life expectancy. The body mass index (BMI) represents a simple technique to measure overweight and obesity, by dividing weight by the square of height. BMI is used in screening obesity in general populations, as well as in epidemiological studies and clinical practice. Indeed, as per the different studies, obesity is associated to increased risk of hypertension, ischemic cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases including diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease , musculoskeletal disease, Osteoarthritis, respiratory diseases, digestives problems. The WHO statistics, the global prevalence, of overweight and obesity, in adults, were 35% and 11%, respectively. The highest prevalence was recorded in the WHO Regions of Americas with 26% of obesity and 62% of overweight in both sexes, versus 3% and 14%, respectively, in the WHO Regions of Southeast Asia, the lowest.