Obesity is now considered a global epidemic. A new term 'globesity' has been recently coined to refer to this phenomenon. It is no more a disease of affluence observed in the developed world. This epidemic is also rapidly manifesting itself in many developing countries, accompanying the rapid nutrition and lifestyle transition. Above a billion adults worldwide are overweight, and at least 300 million of them are obese. The rising prevalence of obesity in developing countries is largely due to rapid urbanization and mechanization which has made life easier than ever. The energy expenditure has reduced relative to a significant increase in energy intake. The poorer people of the developing world are also prone to purchase low cost high fat, energy-dense fast foods. The health impact of obesity is expressed by an increased risk for multiple chronic diseases and conditions including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, coronary heart disease, asthma, arthritis, cancers, and many others. It is often a

Preface vii

Chapter I An Approach to Examine the Contribution of Waist Circumference to the Health Risks Attributed to Obesity in Adults 1

Chapter II Metabolic Cause of Obesity: The Role of Alanine Transaminase in Increasing BM1, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure and Blood Glucose 13

Chapter III Genetic and Environmental Determinants of Obesity Related and Physiometric Traits among the Northwest Indians 37

Chapter IV Human Obesity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine 55

Chapter V Role of Anthropometry in Assessment of Excess Adiposity and Metabolic Disorder in Asian Indians 71

Chapter VI Menarche, Linear Growth, Nutritional Status and Central Obesity in 9 to 15-Year Old Girls in Merida, Mexico 85

Chapter VII The Association of Central Fat Distribution with Health Outcome in 14-Year-Old Boys and Girls in Wroclaw, Poland 95

Chapter VIII Secular Changes in Fat Topography in Children of the Russian North 113

Chapter IX Central Obesity and Socio-Economic Status of School Children (10-12 Years) of Kolkata 135

Chapter X Impact of Age and Socio-Economic Status on Waist Circumference among Male Urban Slum-Dwellers Near Kolkata, West Bengal, India 151

Chapter XI Factor Analysis of Anthropometric Variables As Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes: With a Special Reference to Central Obesity 163

Chapter XII Central Obesity and Hypertension in Urban Middle Class of Punjab 171

Chapter XIII Relationship between Obesity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness among the Office Workers 185

Chapter XIV Sleep Duration and Central Obesity among the Adults: A Case Study in Udaipur, Rajasthan 207

Index 215

中国医科院医学信息研究所