Obesity - Introduction

The number of obese people has trebled in the last twenty years. The rise in incidence is due to an increase in consumption of fatty and sugary foods and not enough exercise in our daily lives.

Obesity is estimated to cost the economy over £5 million a day in lost productivity [Corbis].

There are a number of serious health problems associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. A study by the National Audit Office estimated obesity costs the NHS at least £500 million a year - and the wider economy more than £2 billion a year in lost productivity.

Not much is known about the regulation of appetite and the development of obesity. What is known is that in most cases obesity is preventable. Only a small number of people are believed to have a genetic disorder that causes them to overeat.

Animal models play an important role in attempts to understand how the body responds to eating or exercise. It involves a complex interplay between many different organs including the pancreas, muscle and fat cells, and the brain - this cannot be mimicked in a test tube.

More to follow...