Obesity as a risk factor for various diseases: necessity of lifestyle changes for healthy aging

Recent research observations indicate that obesity is a significant independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (particularly coronary heart disease and stroke). Aside from the metabolic abnormalities, there are severe social and psychological consequences of obesity. It is clear that obesity is associated, to a large extent, with lifestyle. There is no single best way to treat obesity. In general, the lifestyle therapies include behavioral modification, nutritional adjustments, and exercise conditioning. In treating obesity, the major emphasis is particularly placed upon decreasing energy intake and, to a lesser extent, upon increasing energy expenditure. However, food restriction induces a decline in resting energy expenditure which is related to the decline in body mass. Numerous reports indicate that, although decreasing energy intake is undoutedly the most obvious and effective way to reduce fat, it also induces a significant amount of fat-free tissue loss. Regular exercise is a significant variable to consider in understanding and treating obesity, since it is the principal discretionary component of energy expenditure. In particular, aerobic exercise definitely plays an important role in preventing obesity in most persons. This article reviews the importance of lifestyle behaviors such as regular exercise and proper diet for prevention and maintenance of chronic diseases, along with definitions of some important words and multidimensional information regarding the epidemiology of obesity. Strategies for weight reduction are discussed.