WHAT IS OBESITY?
Obesity
is defined as excess adipose tissue. There are several different methods for
determining excess adipose (fat) tissue; the most common being the Body Mass
Index (BMI) (see below). A fat cell is an endocrine cell and adipose tissue is
an endocrine organ. As such, adipose tissue secretes a number of products,
including metabolites, cytokines, lipids, and coagulation factors among others.
Significantly, excess adiposity or obesity causes increased levels of
circulating fatty acids and inflammation. This can lead to insulin resistance,
which in turn can lead to type 2 diabetes.
The
biology of food intake is very complex, involving olfaction (smell), taste,
texture, temperature, cognitive and emotional responses and metabolic/autonomic
information, which signal the brain to initiate or cease eating. Recent
scientific studies have identified several substances that act on the brain to
signal a need for an increase in food intake. Likewise, several substances have
been identified that signal the brain to decrease food intake.
Obesity
is increasing around the world. High body mass index now ranks with major
global health problems such as childhood and maternal under-nutrition, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, unsafe sex, iron deficiency, smoking, alcohol and
unsafe water in total global burden of disease.
For
people with obesity, weight loss based solely on lifestyle changes can be very
difficult to achieve and even more challenging to maintain. Supporting
strategies, such as obesity medications, can be important tools for effectively
treating obesity in some individuals. Given the complex nature of the disease,
no single drug is likely to fix the epidemic. Additional research and
development efforts are needed for obesity treatments – as there are more than
100 drugs available for related diseases, like hypertension, but only 6
medications approved for the long-term treatment of obesity.
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