Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome in Developing Countries

CONTEXT: Prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is rapidly increasing in developing countries, leading to increased morbidity and mortality due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Literature search was carried out using the terms obesity, insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, dyslipidemia, nutrition, physical activity, and developing countries, from PubMed from 1966 to June 2008 and from web sites and published documents of the World Health Organization and Food and Agricultural Organization. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: With improvement in economic situation in developing countries, increasing prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is…