Obesity is when someone has too much body fat. It can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes and raised blood pressure. More and more people are suffering from it, including children. Despite this there are currently only two medicines available to treat obesity. However, there are several others being researched by the pharmaceutical industry.
Disease: Obesity
Last update: July 2009
Intro
FAQ:
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What is it?
Obesity is defined as an excessive amount of body fat, rather than excessive weight. It is a potentially serious health problem as obese people have a markedly higher chance of death compared to someone of the same age and normal weight.
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Who gets it?
In most European countries, 10-20 per cent of men and 15-25 per cent of women are obese. These numbers are growing rapidly. Also children are increasingly confronted with obesity.
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What can be done about it?
Diet is one way of addressing obesity. However, in severe cases of overweight, diet will not suffice.
Though the condition is widespread there are currently only two medicines available for obesity: one stops the body absorbing dietary fat, the other acts on the brain to make the person feel full. -
What does the future hold?
Trials are underway into compounds that stop the body from feeling hungry. Research is also continuing into medicines that raise the metabolic rate and burn off excess calories.