Abstract

Obesity is the failure of weight-homeostasis that controls body weight by a balance between energy intake and consumption. It is suggested that the causes of obesity are genetic variants, environment, loss of satiety, decreased energy consumption, failure of appetite control, and metabolic imprinting. It is necessary to actively treat obesity since it caninduce hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and osteoarthritis. According to the classification of obesity by the Asia-Pacific region of the World Health Organization, the aim of treatment is to achieve a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5∼22.9 kg/m² and a waist circumference less than 90 cm in males and less than 80 cm in females. Conservative therapies include diet control, exercise, behavior modification, and medication. In the case of Asian individuals, surgery is considered with a BMI over 35 kg/m², or over 30 kg/m² with comorbidity, after failure of conservative therapy. Paradoxically, obese patients can have nutritional deficienciesof vitamin A, C, D, folate, and calcium. Bariatric surgery, especially as a malabsorptive procedure, can cause protein and micronutrient deficiencies or most commonly anemia (10∼74%). Thus, nutritional support is necessary in obesity, including multivitamins, calcium, and iron. Prevention, involving restriction of overeating, a balanced diet with good quality food, and appropriate physical activity, are more important than treatment. (SMN 2010;1:12-16)

• Keywords: Obesity, Metabolism, Nutrition