Obesity: A Brief Approach to this New Pandemia

Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it has an adverse effect on physical, mental and/or social health. The global prevalence of obesity increased substantially in the past four decades regardless of age, gender, race, and ethnicity. Unlike other pandemics, obesity does not cause disease directly but instead functions as a potent independent risk factor for a number of pathologies, including type-2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer, inducing immense harm in both health and economic terms. These pathologies are associated with the metabolic changes observed in the obesity, such as insulin resistance, and the inflammation and the evoked oxidative stress seem to be to a great extent the pathogenic elements. Human adipose tissue is a dynamic organ that profoundly contributes to the regulation of several (patho-) physiological processes, including embryonic development, systemic endocrine/metabolic homeostasis, immunomodulation, and it has been recognized as an organ with endocrine properties. Since a high number of non-pharmacological interventions are discussed, pharmacological interventions are not within the scope of this review. This review focuses comprehensively on obesity causes, consequences, and the role in obesity-related metabolic disorders of several adipokines.