Methil Kannan Kutty - Obesity and its Impact on Health

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The revolution in health in the last century has led to a paradigm shift in disease morbidity. The consequent demographic transition has led to an epidemiological transition from communicable diseases to chronic diseases. Countries are facing insidiously growing phenomena where nations are grappling with the double burden of disease which is a coexistence of communicable and chronic diseases. Obesity is the major risk factor for a variety of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), hypertension, endocrine disorders, endometritis, and cancer.

Over the last 40 years, the global prevalence of overweight and obesity rates has doubled. Approximately, a third of the worlds population is now classified as overweight or obese. Obesity rates have increased across all ages. It ravages both the developed and developing nations. Obesity could be viewed as the merged impact of lifestyles, environmental factors, and individual genetic predisposition. CVD is the major cause of death in the USA and most other countries. Obesity is complex and multifactorial but largely a preventable disease. Hence, it should be dealt with more aggressively to reduce the risks of this problem.

The most common estimate of obesity is the physical measurement by body mass index (BMI) that relates the height and weight of an individual. BMI is defined as a ratio of weight (kilograms) and height (square meters). A BMI between 20 and 25 kg/m2 is normal and associated with the lowest mortality, whereas a BMI of 2530 kg/m2 is considered overweight. World Health Organization declared that changes to lifestyle and an increase in the availability of energy-rich foods are important contributors to global obesity. It is also becoming prevalent in Asia countries, requiring urgent action to combat this epidemic.

This book on Obesity and Its Impact Health by Professor Dr. Methil Kannan Kutty and Dr. Asita Elengoe is a timely reviewed effort to fill this gap. It includes 12 chapters. Chapter describes the computational approach in drug development for obesity. This book will prove to be highly beneficial to the academicians, researchers, and students.

Obesity is an escalating global health problem of colossal magnitude and its incidence is mounting stunningly in several nations including industrialized countries. It has impacted the health of all persons regardless of age, gender, raceethnicity, and socioeconomic status besides many other facets. Obesity is determined by the proportion of body adipose tissue. It is a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2, certain cancers, male and female reproduction system-related diseases (e.g., endometritis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), etc.), kidney-related disorders, osteoarthritis, and digestive problems. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. The issue has grown to epidemic proportions, with over four million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese in 2017 according to the global burden of disease. Rates of overweight and obesity continue to grow in adults and children.

There are many factors that cause obesity such as an unhealthy diet (e.g., fast food like KFC, McDonald, Pizza Hut, etc.), liquid calories (e.g., alcohol and soft drinks), lack of physical activity, family inheritance, certain diseases such as PraderWilli syndrome and Cushing syndrome, social and economic issues, age, stress, lack of sleep, and pregnancy. Currently, many studies are in progress to discover novel mechanisms in the control of the initiation and evolution of the pathological state of obesity.

This book presents 12 chapters. Three of the contributors wrote on obesity to current perspectives on pharmacotherapy, nanotechnology, and computational biology tool. These novel approaches can be a feasible strategy that can combat obesity and prevent its comorbidities. There is a chapter on obesity-linked diseases (comorbidities). We have also attempted to revisit the obesity and skin, obesity and endometriosis, hypogonadism, obesity and cardiovascular system, and impact of obesity on vaccination and imaging as a tool for measuring body fat. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms regarding the development of obesity is vital to design anti-obesity drugs. Economics of obesity seamlessly interlocks to enhance the main theme obesity compliant with the modern era and concept of borderless knowledge.

We highly appreciate our contributors for accepting our invitation and shared their knowledge and research. We produced an excellent quality book with a good teamwork effort. We would like to thank the Springer Nature team, Bhavik Sawhney and John Martyn for their kind cooperation at every stage of the book production.