title: Obesity: pathophysiology and intervention.
abstract: Obesity presents a major health hazard of the 21st century. It promotes co-morbid diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Excessive energy intake, physical inactivity, and genetic susceptibility are main causal factors for obesity, while gene mutations, endocrine disorders, medication, or psychiatric illnesses may be underlying causes in some cases. The development and maintenance of obesity may involve central pathophysiological mechanisms such as impaired brain circuit regulation and neuroendocrine hormone dysfunction. Dieting and physical exercise offer the mainstays of obesity treatment, and anti-obesity drugs may be taken in conjunction to reduce appetite or fat absorption. Bariatric surgeries may be performed in overtly obese patients to lessen stomach volume and nutrient absorption, and induce faster satiety. This review provides a summary of literature on the pathophysiological studies of obesity and discusses relevant therapeutic strategies for managing obesity.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. zhangyi@life.xidian.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. liuju@life.xidian.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. yaojianliang@life.xidian.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Xijing Gastrointestinal Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China. jigang@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. qianlong2008@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. wangjingwroolafd@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. zhangguansheng66@126.com.
authors.forename: Guansheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China. tian@ieee.org.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Xijing Gastrointestinal Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China. nieyongzhan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yongzhan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 South Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. zhangyi@life.xidian.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yi Edi
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 South Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. msgold@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 South Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. yijunliu@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D066249:Craving; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones