We have located links that may give you full text access.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
REVIEW
[The "problem obesity": viewpoint of the internist].
Annali Italiani di Chirurgia 2005 September
The prevalence of obesity has reached epidemic dimension in industrialized countries and it is known that obesity is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Commonly, obesity is defined by the Body Mass Index (BMI). However, BMI fails to consider body fat distribution. The relationship between the risk of metabolic-cardiovascular diseases and body fat distribution indices such as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and the waist circumference, rather than measures of the degree of body fatness as expressed by BMI, has long been recognized. Recently, clinical and epidemiological research has found waist circumference to be the best anthropometric indicator of both total body fat and intra-abdominal fat mass. Android or visceral obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through a variety of molecular mechanisms possibly linking the metabolic syndrome to hemostatic and vascular abnormalities. Obesity guidelines suggest the need for weight reduction using behavioural change to reduce caloric intake and increasing physical activity. A realistic goal for weight reduction is to reduce body weight by 5% to 10% over a period of 6 to 12 months. Combined intervention of a low calories diet, increased physical activity, and behaviour therapy provides better outcomes for long-term weight reduction and weight maintenance than programs that use only one or two of these modalities. The drugs used to promote weight loss have been anorexic drugs or appetite suppressants. All classes of anorexic drugs affect neurotransmitters in the brain. The new agent sibutramine has norepinephrine and serotonin effects. Another new agent, orlistat, has a different mechanism of action, the reduction of fat absorption. Weight loss drugs approved by the FDA for long-term use may be useful as an adjunct to diet, physical activity and behaviour therapy for patients with a BMI of > or =30 with no concomitant obesity-related risk factors or diseases, and for patients with a BMI of > or =27 with concomitant obesity-related risk factors or diseases.
Full text links
Related Resources
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app