Genomic Medicine and Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial disorder characterized by a disproportionately high adipose tissue content in the body, accompanying disequilibria in the energy balance equation in which energy intake is greater than energy expenditure. A fat content higher than 25% of the body weight in men and 33% in women are often arbitrarily considered as cut-off points to identify a subject as obese, which is commonly associated with excessive weight-for-height. Another aspect to be ascertained is the regional distribution of the weight as fat, since the abdominal fat deposition or "android obesity" is an increased risk factor for disease as compared to "gynoid obesity," in which fat is more evenly and peripherally distributed around the body and upper regions of the legs. Obesity is associated with a number of pathological dysfunctions and disturbances with important implications for the health of the individual and community like hyperinsulinemia, diabetes, hypertension, immunological alterations, certain cancer types, etc. This is further worsened by the growing rates of obesity prevalence. The degree of excess of fat, its distribution within the body, and the associated health consequences depend on the genetic background. Therefore, it is important to adequately assess the obesity phenotype not only for diagnosis, but also for therapeutic purposes. Thus, the graded classification of overweight and obesity aims for a meaningful comparison of weight status among populations and identification of individuals/groups at risk, which helps to set up the intervention. © 2010 Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.