Health Consequences of Obesity: A Review

Abstract

Obesity is a global epidemic that threatens to deplete health-care resources by increasing the prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. Obesity is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, affecting both adults and children. Obesity has two effects: an increase in the bulk of adipose tissue and an increase in pathogenetic product release by larger fat cells. This view of obesity as a disease allows for a straightforward distinction between the negative effects of obesity caused by fat bulk and those caused by fat cell metabolic effects. Obesity stigma causes social difficulties, sleep apnea is caused in part by increased parapharyngeal fat deposits, and osteoarthritis is caused by the wear and tear on joints caused by carrying an enlarged quantity of fat fall under the first category. A wide range of policy issues could have an impact on food ecosystems. Fiscal food policies, obligatory nutrition panels on the formulation and reformulation of manufactured foods, food and nutrition labelling implementation, and limiting marketing and advertising prohibitions on unhealthy foods are among these topics. In this review, we overview current evidences on health consequences of obesity.