Obesity: Science, Medicine and Society

The prevalence of obesity is rising in both developed and non-developed countries across the globe. This constitutes a major public health problem with significant social and fiscal implications: obesity has a range of co-morbidities including type 2 diabetes and its complications, respiratory problems including sleep apnoea and asthma, and osteoarthritis.... read moreIt is also frequently associated with mental distress, including depression. It is easy to dismiss obesity as a condition caused by some combination of greed, laziness and poor self-control, but in fact, when severe, it is a very complex medical condition that is highly intractable to current treatment – in many cases, the only really effective therapy is surgery. In this series of lectures we take an in-depth look at this very complex disease, considering its pathogenesis, co-morbidities, therapeutic approaches and public health measures. Our objective is to give course participants an up-to-date and well-rounded view of the topic, including consideration of future prospects for prevention and treatment of this chronic, progressive, disfiguring and disabling condition.