Obesity is considered a multisystem chronic relapsing progressive disease process adversely affecting almost all physiological functions of the body and leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The increase in the prevalence of being overweight and obese has been attributed to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and a nutritional transition to processed foods and high-calorie diets over the last 30 years. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion (about 39%) adults worldwide were overweight and, among them, about 650 million (about 13%) were obese. We also discuss the interplay between adipose tissue and the cytokines secreted from skeletal muscle and other organs that are known to affect adipose tissue and metabolism.Īccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and reached a global epidemic. In this review, we present research-based evidence supporting the effects of exercise and various diet interventions on preventing obesity and adipose tissue health. The secretion of these molecules called cytokines in response to exercise induces browning of white adipose tissue by increasing the expression of brown adipocyte-specific genes within the white adipose tissue, suggesting that exercise-induced cytokines may play a significant role in preventing obesity.
Furthermore, the benefits conferred by regular exercise to overcome obesity are attributed not only to reduced adiposity or reduced levels of circulating lipids but also to the proteins, peptides, enzymes, and metabolites that are released from contracting skeletal muscle or other organs. Calorie restriction or regular exercise or a combination of the two is accepted as an effective strategy in preventing or treating obesity. The promise to adopt a healthy lifestyle is increasingly important for tackling this global epidemic. The prevalence of obesity continues to rise worldwide despite evidence-based public health recommendations.