31^st European Nutrition and Dietetics Conference

Cardiovascular risk and obesity

It is well known that obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and one of the main causes of the increased risk of diseases such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, high blood pressure (HBP), hypertension, and atherosclerosis both in adults and children. Obesity and increased adipose tissue influence the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The adipose tissue, which is in fact a dynamic organ, is divided in white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) and is associated with metabolic and inflammatory systems, with protective effects on energy homeostasis. WAT secretes peptides and proteins that act by control physiological and biological conditions and play an important role in obesity, immune functions, insulin resistance, inflammatory cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis.