Genes and human obesity

Abstract

Obesity has increased dramatically over the last few decades. Since 1990 the prevalence of obesity has more than tripled and by 2007 approached one-third of the population, with another third that was overweight (CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/NCCDPHP/dnpa/obesity/trend/index.htm). Highest rates are found in the United States and the United Kingdom among developed countries, and in the Middle East and Pacific Islands in the developing world (WHO: http://www.who.int/infobase/comparestart. aspx). The increase in obesity rates in developing countries has coincided with westernization [1-3]. Life in the developed and developing world has become increasingly sedentary while relatively inexpensive, highly palatable food with high caloric content has become widely available. Although many lifestyle factors have been suggested to contribute to the dramatic obesity increase, the primary cause is, as one would expect, excess caloric intake [4, 5]. Diet accounts in part for national differences, but change within countries appears to be driven primarily by overall food availability [6]. Food is readily available and people are overeating. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.