Obesity is a multi-factorial disease, in which an excess of accumulated body fat can reach levels capable of affecting health. It results from an interplay between environmental factors, eating behavior, genes, epigenetics, and neuronal stimuli. The main aim of this book is to provide a state-of-the-art revision about the molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of obesity, reviewing the current knowledge in areas like monogenic and polygenic obesity forms, but also providing an updated view of the emerging knowledge about epigenetics, nutrigenomics, and neuronal aspects that also contribute to obesity.

Global health has been challenged with the dawning of the era of the obesity epidemic, and thus as a consequence, strategies to reduce obesity have become public health priorities. According to the United Nations, obesity has been identified as a concern for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Obesity is a serious health problem with an increased risk of several common diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Although the fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an imbalance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure, the underlying biochemical and metabolic processes that cause obesity are not fully understood. Two earlier volumes dedicated to the subject of obesity, published in the series “Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease” focused on the pathophysiology of obesity-induced health complications and the biochemistry of cardiovascular dysfunction in obesity. This book brings together contributions from international experts in the field to describe advancements on the mechanisms leading to development of obesity and related complications. There are 21 chapters in two different parts in this book, comprising of Part I: Pathophysiologic Mechanisms of Obesity (11 chapters) and Part II: Therapeutic Mechanisms of Obesity (10 chapters). This book will serve as a resource and be of interest to health professionals, medical students, fellows, residents and graduate students. It will also evoke innovative research and effective approaches for the prevention of obesity. This volume will accentuate that obesity is a major health hazard in its own right and that appropriate public health measures should be implemented to prevent or reduce or even reverse the impact of this global chronic disease.

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and its associated complications, a major socio-economic burden for health care systems. The worldwide prevalence of obesity doubled since 1980 and as a consequence the number of patients with diabetes has been continuously rising with more than 450 Mio. people suffering from this disease at the present time. Substantial progress has been made in understanding the molecular pathways leading from excessive fat accumulation to metabolic perturbation and finally diabetes manifestation. This edition of the "Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology" aims to analyze new insight into the pathophysiology of obesity, to decipher the complex links to diabetes and its complications, and to collect most recent information on new strategies for prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes.

Mitochondria produce the chemical energy necessary for eukaryotic cell functions; hence mitochondria are an essential component of health, playing roles in both disease and aging. More than 80 human diseases and syndromes are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction; this book focuses upon diseases linked to these ubiquitous organelles. Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage results in mitochondrial dysfunction through two main pathways. Mutation in mitochondrial DNA causes diseases such as Kearns-Sayre syndrome and Pearson syndrome. Mutation in chromosomal DNA causes diseases such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. These and many other diseases are reviewed in this book. Key Features Presents the detailed structure of mitochondria, mitochondrial function, roles of oxidants and antioxidants in mitochondrial dysfunction. Includes summary of both causes and effects of these diseases. Discusses current and potential future therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction diseases Explores a wide variety of diseases caused by dysfunctional mitochondria.

No detailed description available for "Configuring Contagion".

This textbook offers a fresh approach to health psychology through the theory and practice of behaviour change. Using an array of case studies from around the world, it discusses how we can develop and evaluate behaviour change interventions. The book encourages active engagement with contemporary discussions about health behaviours, covering areas of emerging importance such as weight stigma, vaping, nudges, vaccine hesitancy and paleo-inspired lifestyles. With a focus upon critical thinking, this book will equip students for success in their research projects and beyond. Ideal for students of Health Behaviour Change and Health Psychology, this textbook is also relevant to those taking courses in related fields such as Nursing and Public Health.

CVD, or cardiovascular disease, is a general term that describes a disease of the heart or blood vessels. It is one of the most common causes of death. Statins are a group of medicines that can help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. LDL cholesterol of often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’, and statins reduce its production in the liver. Having a high level of LDL is potentially dangerous as it can lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries (NHS). Comprising nearly 1000 pages, this book is a comprehensive guide to the latest advances in statin therapy and its clinical application for cardiovascular disease. Divided into 29 sections, the text begins with clinical aspects of CVD, dyslipidemia (the imbalance of lipids such as cholesterol), and the use of statins for treatment. The next sections provide detailed discussion on the use of statins for different types of CVD, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, and more. The following chapters cover statin use for other systemic diseases such as obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, ocular disorders, skin conditions and many more. The book concludes with an insight into future therapies, with emphasis on PCSK9 inhibitors, a new treatment for lowering cholesterol in the blood.

In addition to its metabolic and endocrinologic effects, obesity and adipose tissue have now been shown to be associated with low grade inflammation resulting in cellular and humoral inflammatory factors of which the latter may act by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. These inflammatory mediators have increasingly been suggested as contributing to the obesity link to carcinogenesis and cancer promotion. This volume of Energy Balance and Cancer will focus on recent developments and cutting edge research pointing to inflammation and inflammatory factors as key mediators of this linkage. The volume first provides information on inflammation as an important link between obesity and insulin resistance, which is in itself linked to promotion of cancer through hyperinsulinemia. The volume then covers some of the most important mechanisms by which obesity leads to inflammation, including the novel inflammasome concept, alterations in chromatin structure, circulating inflammatory factors, unique cellular interactions between adipocytes and macrophages and the direct link of dietary fat to inflammation and cancer. Overall, this volume will provide important insight to help understand how inflammation may help modulate the linkage between obesity and cancer and serve as a platform for developing future research in this area.

Get a quick, expert overview of the many key facets of obesity management with this concise, practical resource by Dr. Jolanta Weaver. Ideal for any health care professional who cares for patients with a weight problem. This easy-to-read reference addresses a wide range of topics – including advice on how to "unpack" the behavioral causes of obesity in order to facilitate change, manage effective communication with patients suffering with weight problems and future directions in obesity medicine. - Features a wealth of information on obesity, including hormones and weight problems, co-morbidities in obesity, genetics and the onset of obesity, behavioral aspects and psychosocial approaches to obesity management, energy and metabolism management, and more. - Discusses pharmacotherapies and surgical approaches to obesity. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource.