Understanding Obesity informs readers about contributing factors to obesity: from social and behavioral determinants throughout the life course, influences from before we are born to what we eat (nutrients and food contaminants which impact body weight), gut bacteria, and the way accumulated energy from nutrition is spent. Chapters will also inform readers about adipose tissue (the dynamic role of the adipose tissue during obesity development, the pressure put on to its remodeling and differences in obesity phenotypes regarding association with pathological outcomes as well as the latest advances in finding biological markers of adipose tissue dysfunction) and the latest treatment options for obesity. Special topics, such as the bidirectional relationship of stress with obesity and the influence of aging on the onset of metabolic disorders that lead to obesity are also discussed. Understanding Obesity is a valuable reference for health researchers, practitioners (endocrinologists, family physicians, nurses), as well as decision-makers in healthcare and other professional settings who are seeking a holistic understanding about the causes of obesity and ways to address it. Key Features: - 17 chapters cover obesity from a diverse range of perspectives - medical information is presented (adipose physiology and different disease conditions relevant to obesity) - educational, social and psychological issues as central when caring for obesity patients are emphasized - the latest information on obesity treatment options (including medical, pharmaceutical and surgical options) is included - bibliographic references have been provided for further reading

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex metabolic disorder characterized by impaired glucose metabolism and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. No effective treatments are available for T2D, although there have been many developments in the therapeutic arena. Nitric oxide (NO) is an endocrine agent with multiple and important biological roles in most mammalian tissues. NO has emerged as a central regulator of energy metabolism and body composition. NO bioavailability is decreased in T2D. Several of the pharmaceuticals used in T2D affect the NO system and perhaps even more so by the drugs we use to treat diabetic cardiovascular complications. Experimental works in animal models of T2D show promising results with interventions aimed to increase NO signaling. However, translation into human studies has so far been less successful, but more large-scale prolonged studies are clearly needed to understand its role. This book is a collection of reviews that deal with the role of nitric oxide in type 2 diabetes, providing a unique overview of NO signaling, and pointing out key areas for more detailed research. The book includes contributions about the pathophysiology of T2D, a brief history of discovery and timeline of NO research, a comprehensive overview of impaired NO metabolism in T2D, precursors of NO (i.e., L-arginine, L-citrulline, nitrate, nitrites, and NO donors), NO and T2D from genetic points of view, NO and diabetic wound healing, NO and osteoporosis, NO and hyperuricemia, NO and Alzheimer's Disease, therapeutic applications of NO and NO donors in T2D. The compilation is of great value to anyone interested in the biochemistry of NO and its relationship to diabetes.