El reto de curar la obesidad, otra de las pandemias del siglo XXI

The "la Caixa" Foundation is organising a new CaixaResearch - Research and Health Debate this Thursday 27 May at 7pm, this time focusing on the challenge of curing obesity, a 21st century pandemic.

During the debate, researcher Miguel López, from the CiMUS NeurObesity Group at the University of Santiago de Compostela, and researcher Sonia Fernández Veledo, from the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV), the Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona and CIBERDEM, will discuss this chronic metabolic disease.

Obesity is characterised by an excessive accumulation of body fat and constitutes a public health problem that is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and some types of cancer, among others. In addition, the debate will discuss its link to the development of severe COVID.

Experts will explain the differences between overweight and obesity, address the different dimensions of this complex disease and comment on its causes, which are not only genetic or food intake-related, but also include social factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, lack of sleep, stress and social class.

According to the WHO, 39% of the world's population is overweight and 13% obese (more than 700 million people), and the rate has tripled since 1975. Every year 2.8 million people die due to obesity and overweight. In Spain, 22% of adults are obese, so we will also discuss what is happening in our country, also in relation to the role of different diets, including the Mediterranean diet.

Today, campaigns to promote physical exercise and healthy eating, which are becoming increasingly important, are the main pillars in the fight against this disease.

The debate will focus on the studies that exist to make progress in the cure of this disease. Specifically, Sonia Fernández Veledo will analyse the relationship that seems to exist between the intestinal microbiota and obesity, and will explain how her group has studied the role of succinate, a molecule produced by intestinal bacteria that seems to be involved in obesity, and how faecal transplants or the use of probiotic bacteria could help to treat this disease.

For his part, Miguel López will explain how the brain may be one of the gateways to curing this disease and the mechanisms that deregulate the action of the hypothalamus on the control of appetite and body weight.
 
The CaixaResearch - Research and Health Debates give a voice to leading scientists whose research has been supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation.

The event can be followed via this link: https://fundacionlacaixa.org/es/debates-caixaresearch-reto-curar-obesidad