Diet and Obesity

Abstract

Obesity can be defined as a state of excess body fat or body energy stores in excess of physiological needs. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically throughout the world. Despite the greater understanding of the physiologic mechanisms regulating body weight and energy balance, the causes of human obesity poorly understood. Much of human obesity is multifactorial and usually involves relative over-consumption of food. And, consumption of high-fat diets is implicated in the etiology of obesity. Fat-derived energy intake has increased in Korea. Changes in gastric motor and sensory functions can be associated with development of obesity. A High-fat diet may facilitate adaptive changes that contribute to the development of obesity through reduced postprandial satiation in persons with a high baseline maximum tolerated volume. A high fat intake may influences the central control of appetite and behavioral choices in food intake. Further well-controlled large studies with a longer preload duration in Koreans to elucidate the presence and extent of gastrointestinal sensory, motor, absorptive, and behavioral adaptations to diets enriched with specific macronutrients. (Korean J Med 2012;82:291-297)