Adipokines in health and disease

Abstract

Obesity has become a major public health problem [1]. It is currently estimated that more than 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight [body mass index (BMI) >25] and 400 million are obese (BMI >30). The incidence of obesity in children is also very high [1]. The obesity epidemic is attributed mainly to excessive intake of foods rich in fat and sugar, and lack of exercise [1]. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, sleep apnea, cancer, and various diseases; therefore, there is enormous interest in understanding the pathogenesis of obesity [1, 2]. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.