Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults as well as in obese children. This book will provide a description of the impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system and increased predisposition to CVD. It will identify the major biochemical mechanisms that lead to the occurrence of myocardial abnormalities and vascular alterations in obesity. We will also have some discussion on the biochemistry of the so-called obesity paradox in relation to CVD. The contributors to this book are international experts on obesity and associated cardiovascular complications. This book is also uniquely positioned as it focuses on the biochemistry of obesity-induced cardiovascular dysfunction. There are 20 chapters in 2 different parts in this book, comprising of Part A: Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Complications in Obesity (11 chapters) and Part B: Modification of Cardiovascular Dysfunction in obesity (9 chapters). The intent of this volume is to provide current and basic understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of obesity induced cardiovascular dysfunction that will be of value not only to cardiologists and other allied health professionals, but will also stimulate and motivate biomedical researchers and scientists to find the way to prevent the epidemic of obesity associated cardiovascular abnormalities. Furthermore, this book will serve as a highly useful resource for medical students, fellows, residents and graduate students with an interest in the cardiovascular system. In summary, this book covers a broad range of biochemical mechanisms of obesity-induced cardiovascular complications. We hope that the reader will understand that obesity is linked to an increase in the risk and occurrence of fatal CVD. Furthermore, the underlying message presented in the book is that the cause of obesity related disorders is complex and that understanding the biochemistry of cardiovascular dysfunction may contribute to the development of novel interventions for the prevention and treatment of obesity associated comorbidities.

Global health has been challenged with the dawning of the era of the obesity epidemic, and thus as a consequence, strategies to reduce obesity have become public health priorities. According to the United Nations, obesity has been identified as a concern for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Obesity is a serious health problem with an increased risk of several common diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Although the fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an imbalance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure, the underlying biochemical and metabolic processes that cause obesity are not fully understood. Two earlier volumes dedicated to the subject of obesity, published in the series “Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease” focused on the pathophysiology of obesity-induced health complications and the biochemistry of cardiovascular dysfunction in obesity. This book brings together contributions from international experts in the field to describe advancements on the mechanisms leading to development of obesity and related complications. There are 21 chapters in two different parts in this book, comprising of Part I: Pathophysiologic Mechanisms of Obesity (11 chapters) and Part II: Therapeutic Mechanisms of Obesity (10 chapters). This book will serve as a resource and be of interest to health professionals, medical students, fellows, residents and graduate students. It will also evoke innovative research and effective approaches for the prevention of obesity. This volume will accentuate that obesity is a major health hazard in its own right and that appropriate public health measures should be implemented to prevent or reduce or even reverse the impact of this global chronic disease.

Obesity is a hugely expensive and increasing problem worldwide,leading to disability, reproductive problems, depression andaccelerated metabolic and vascular diseases in a large proportionof men, women and children. The ABC of Obesity is a newguide which will aid its effective management, addressing issuessuch as dieting, exercise, self esteem, drug treatment and surgery.Recent evidence is used to highlight frequent problems, successfultreatment options, and the most common causes. Written by leading experts, this is a widely accessible text andan indispensable guide for all general practitioners, juniordoctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who areinvolved in the treatment and research of this commoncondition.

The heart has a very high energy demand but very little energy reserves. In order to sustain contractile function, the heart has to continually produce a large amount of ATP. The heart utilizes free fatty acids mainly and carbohydrates to some extent as substrates for making energy and any change in this energy supply can seriously compromise cardiac function. It has emerged that alterations in cardiac energy metabolism are a major contributor to the development of a number of different forms of heart disease. It is also now known that optimizing energy metabolism in the heart is a viable and important approach to treating various forms of heart disease. Cardiac Energy Metabolism in Health and Disease describes the research advances that have been made in understanding what controls cardiac energy metabolism at molecular, transcriptional and physiological levels. It also describes how alterations in energy metabolism contribute to the development of heart dysfunction and how optimization of energy metabolism can be used to treat heart disease. The topics covered include a discussion of the effects of myocardial ischemia, diabetes, obesity, hypertrophy, heart failure, and genetic disorders of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism on cardiac energetics. The treatment of heart disease by optimizing energy metabolism is also discussed, which includes increasing overall energy production as well as increasing the efficiency of energy production and switching energy substrate preference of the heart. This book will be a valuable source of information to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and investigators in the field of experimental cardiology as well as biochemists, physiologists, pharmacologists, cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and other health professionals.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.

The second edition of this book on lipids, lipoprotein and membrane biochemistry has two major objectives - to provide anadvanced textbook for students in these areas of biochemistry,and to summarise the field for scientists pursuing research inthese and related fields. Since the first edition of this book was published in 1985 theemphasis on research in the area of lipid and membrane biochemistry has evolved in new directions. Consequently, thesecond edition has been modified to include four chapters on lipoproteins. Moreover, the other chapters have been extensivelyupdated and revised so that additional material covering the areas of cell signalling by lipids, the assembly of lipids andproteins into membranes, and the increasing use of molecular biological techniques for research in the areas of lipid, lipoprotein and membrane biochemistry have been included. Each chapter of the textbook is written by an expert in the field, but the chapters are not simply reviews of current literature. Rather, they are written as current, readable summaries of these areas of research which should be readily understandable to students and researchers who have a basic knowledge of general biochemistry. The authors were selected fortheir abilities both as researchers and as communicators. In addition, the editors have carefully coordinated the chapters sothat there is little overlap, yet extensive cross-referencing among chapters.

The Impact of Nutrition and Statins on Cardiovascular Diseases presents a summary of the background information and published research on the role of food in inhibiting the development of cardiovascular diseases. Written from a food science, food chemistry, and food biochemistry perspective, the book provides insights on the origin of cardiovascular diseases, an analysis of statin therapy, their side effects, and the role of dietary intervention as an alternative solution to preventing cardiovascular diseases. It focuses on the efficacy of nutrition and statins to address inflammation and inhibit the onset of disease, while also providing nutrition information and suggested dietary interventions.