Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, and Assessment of Obesity in Adults

摘要

The rising prevalence of obesity has generated extensive investigation into the consequences of, and diseases associated with, obesity. Much has also been learned about how food intake and satiety are regulated in humans and the pathophysiology associated with obesity. Both involve a complex network of central and peripheral pathways and mediators. Before discussing these topics, as well as the assessment of obesity in adults in primary care, it is necessary to understand how obesity is denned. The accepted definition of overweight and obesity, worldwide, is based on body mass index (BMI), which is a better correlate of total body fat than body weight alone, especially on a population basis.1 However, the relationship between BMI and percent body fat is less exact on an individual basis, particularly in men (especially those who are very muscular) and with increasing age. "Overweight" is defined as having a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m~2 and "obesity" applies to patients with a BMI >30.0 kg/m~2.