ABSTRACT
Obesity is increasing rapidly throughout the world (Flegal et al. 2002; World Health Organization 1998). As it does so, it leads to an increased disease burden (Must et al. 1999; Pi-Sunyer 1993a), leading to an increased mortality (Allison et al. 1999) and shortened life span (Fontaine et al. 2003). It brings with it an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Some of the conditions named have recently been clustered together and named the “metabolic syndrome” by U.S. (Adult Treatment Panel III 2003) and international (Alberti and Zimmet 1998) expert groups. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and World Health Organization (WHO) definitions of the metabolic syndrome are shown in Table 10.1 and Table 10.2. The aim of this chapter is to relate weight loss to changes in these conditions. Type 2 diabetes mellitus will be discussed initially and then dyslipidemia. (Hypertension, although very important, will not be discussed here because it is covered in another chapter.) Cardiovascular disease will be cited next and then other disease risks will be mentioned.
