Abstract

OBESITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A GROWING PROBLEM

Battu Rakesh* and Jaladi Himaja

ABSTRACT

Purpose of review This review examines the rise of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially obesity, in developing countries because of sedentary lifestyle. Imbalance between increased energy intake (diet) and energy expenditure (physical activity) is the major cause of obesity. Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. Westernization of diets has been part of the problem. Obesity has reached global epidemic proportions in both adults and children and is associated with numerous comorbidities, including hypertension (HTN), Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, dyslipidaemia and major cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Because of its maladaptive effects on various Cardiovascular risk factors and its adverse effects on cardiovascular structure and function, obesity has a major impact on cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure (HF), coronary heart disease (CHD), sudden cardiac death and atrial fibrillation and is associated with reduced overall survival. This review summarizes the adverse effects of obesity on CV disease risk factors and its role in the pathogenesis of various CV diseases, reviews the obesity paradox and potential explanations for these puzzling data, and concludes with a discussion regarding the current state of weight reduction in the prevention and treatment of CV diseases.

Keywords: Physical Inactivity, Obesity, Comorbidities, Cardiovascular diseases and maladaptive effects.