Obesity is defined as weight gain above the normal limit due to excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the body. Obesity is determined by the body mass index (BMI), which is calculated as the ratio of body weight in kilograms to the square of body height in metres. The increasing prevalence of obesity is a major health problem in virtually all developed countries of the world. In the Czech Republic, more than half of the adult population is overweight (defined as a BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2 ) or obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2 ), and the number is increasing.
Far from being an aesthetic problem, obesity is a very serious disease, the presence of which significantly reduces life expectancy, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke), certain cancers (liver cancer, gynaecological tumours), lipid metabolism disorders (so called lipid metabolism disorders), and other diseases. Dyslipidaemia) and especially type 2 diabetes mellitus (diabetes mellitus), which typically occurs in middle to older age and is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. The cost of treating obesity and its complications accounts for up to 20% of total healthcare costs and is steadily rising.
The best way to combat obesity remains the familiar principles of a healthy lifestyle, especially more exercise and dietary modification. But this is often not enough. Surgical treatment of obesity (bariatrics) is expensive and does not always lead to the elimination of the adverse effects of obesity on metabolism and health. Therefore, obesity remains a significant treatment problem because there are still no drugs with proven long-term safety and efficacy that can achieve substantial weight reduction and long-term weight maintenance.
dana.hruskova@ikem.cz
