by div2001 » Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:37 am
Obesity medically is defined on the basis of Body Mass Index which is the individual's body weight divided by the square of their height in kg/m2. So, a BMI of 18.5 to 25 may indicate optimal weight; a BMI lower than 18.5 suggests the person is underweight while a number above 25 may indicate the person is overweight; a BMI below 17.5 may indicate the person has anorexia or a related disorder; a number above 30 suggests the person is obese (over 40, morbidly obese).
So technically speaking, those with their body mass index of 30 and above tend to fall in the high risk zone. It arises from the accumulation of excess fat in the body from over consumption of fatty foods and is now one of the most common nutritional disorders in the world.
Latest studies have corroborated the fact that obesity is a silent killer. It is associated with cardiovascular disease, especially angina and myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis leading to cerebrovascular accidents/ strokes.
Acomplia (Rimonabant), marketed by Sanofi-Aventis is a selective CB1 endocannabinoid receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of obesity.
Its mechanism of action is to block the endogenous cannabinoid binding to neuronal CB1 receptors.
Acomplia [Rimonabant] taken for up to two years in conjunction with diet and exercise produces greater weight loss than the placebo, although most of the weight loss occurs in the first year.
