Chapter 3: The Importance of Overall Body Fat in Human Health

Obesity is a chronic disease of multifactorial origin that involves genetic as well as environmental determinants. It is characterized by altered body composition having an increased adipose component. In most cases, this augmented level of adipose tissue deposits is accompanied by greater body weight and an increased risk of comorbidities that affect the life expectancy and quality. The development of abdominal-visceral obesity is combined with unfavorable metabolic activity and an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Although obesity treatment is associated with a high degree of therapeutic failures, a small amount of weight loss can be a great benefit for patient health, if we consider the control of comorbidities as a priority objective.