Health risks associated with overweight and obesity

Abstract

The intra-abdominal visceral deposition of adipose tissue,which characterizes upper body – central – obesity(assessed by waist circumference and/or waist : hip ratio)is a major contributor to the development of hypertension,elevated plasma insulin concentrations and insulin resis-tance, hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia (metabolic syn-drome). The concept of the metabolic syndrome refers tothe phenomenon of risk-factor clustering – a collection ofmetabolic traits occurring in the same individual with theclustering presumably reflecting a unifying underlyingpathophysiology that requires a holistic approach to theirmanagement (5–7).Many of the health risks associated with increasing bodyweight begin to appear in children and young people. Ofgreat concern is the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetesand associated medical complications in childhood (8–10).This early onset needs to be reflected by active managementand research priorities to reduce the consequential healthand economic burdens (11).