Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders

Obesity has significant implications for healthcare, since it is a major risk factor for both type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a common and complex disorder combining obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance. It is associated with high atherosclerotic c...

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Main Author: Paul Holvoet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Scientifica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.6064/2012/205027
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author Paul Holvoet
author_facet Paul Holvoet
author_sort Paul Holvoet
collection DOAJ
description Obesity has significant implications for healthcare, since it is a major risk factor for both type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a common and complex disorder combining obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance. It is associated with high atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk, which can only partially be explained by its components. Therefore, to explain how obesity contributes to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, more and better insight is required into the effects of personal and environmental stress on disease processes. In this paper, we show that obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease, which has many molecular mechanisms in common with atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we focus on the role of oxidative stress associated with obesity in the development of the metabolic syndrome. We discuss how several stress conditions are related to inflammation and oxidative stress in association with obesity and its complications. We also emphasize the relation between stress conditions and the deregulation of epigenetic control mechanisms by means of microRNAs and show how this impairment further contributes to the development of obesity, closing the vicious circle. Finally, we discuss the limitations of current anti-inflammation and antioxidant therapy to treat obesity.
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spelling doaj-art-dbe3f997953141f5bc5b26a6c62386042025-02-03T05:54:18ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2012-01-01201210.6064/2012/205027205027Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular DisordersPaul Holvoet0Atherosclerosis and Metabolism Unit, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 705, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumObesity has significant implications for healthcare, since it is a major risk factor for both type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a common and complex disorder combining obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance. It is associated with high atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk, which can only partially be explained by its components. Therefore, to explain how obesity contributes to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, more and better insight is required into the effects of personal and environmental stress on disease processes. In this paper, we show that obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease, which has many molecular mechanisms in common with atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we focus on the role of oxidative stress associated with obesity in the development of the metabolic syndrome. We discuss how several stress conditions are related to inflammation and oxidative stress in association with obesity and its complications. We also emphasize the relation between stress conditions and the deregulation of epigenetic control mechanisms by means of microRNAs and show how this impairment further contributes to the development of obesity, closing the vicious circle. Finally, we discuss the limitations of current anti-inflammation and antioxidant therapy to treat obesity.http://dx.doi.org/10.6064/2012/205027
spellingShingle Paul Holvoet
Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
Scientifica
title Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
title_full Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
title_fullStr Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
title_full_unstemmed Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
title_short Stress in Obesity and Associated Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders
title_sort stress in obesity and associated metabolic and cardiovascular disorders
url http://dx.doi.org/10.6064/2012/205027
work_keys_str_mv AT paulholvoet stressinobesityandassociatedmetabolicandcardiovasculardisorders