SNT 2023

NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
CHAPTER 6:
OBESITY

Tasneem binti Shaari

tasneem_shaari@msu.ed
u.my

INTRODUCTION
Obesity

is a disorder
of
body
weight
regulatory systems
characterized by an
accumulation
of
excess body fat.

Obesity

is defined as a process where fat

accumulates over a long period of time due
to an increased rate of storage of
triglycerides in adipose tissue.

INTRODUCTION
In

primitive society less favor in storage

of excess calories as fat
High

level of physical activity

Food was only available intermittently

The

people today:

Sedentary

lifestyle obesity epidemic

Abundance and wide variety of palatable,
inexpensive foods

 As

adiposity has increased increased the

risk associated diseases:
Arthritis,

diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular

disease and cancer

Obesity

is a risk factor for non-insulindependent diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis

and hypertension.

 Android

type obesity is a greater risk

factor for these diseases, rather than the
gynoid type obesity.

The

question of why obesity is a risk factor

for these diseases remains mystery, but
probably due to:
Overeating
Eating

too much high-fat food & too few

high-carbohydrate foods
Sedentary habits
Genetics

TYPES OF FAT

WHITE FAT VS. BROWN FAT

Adipose

tissue (fat) consists of a mass of

adipocyte cells (fat cells)
Loosely

Two

held by the collagen fibers

forms of adipocyte tissue:

White

fat
Brown fat

WHITE FAT VS. BROWN FAT

White

fat:

White

or yellow color
Has relatively few nerves and blood vessels
Each cell contains a single large droplets of TG
Role: As a site of energy storage for physical
activity

WHITE FAT VS. BROWN FAT

Brown

fat:

Contains

more nerves and blood vessels

Each cell contains several small droplets of
TG, and large numbers of mitochondria
Role: only for heat production

Occurs in all newborns mammals

Absent in adult humans, but presence in adult
hibernating animals

Does

not respond much to low- or overeating

Mitochondria not for ATP production, but
instead to produce heat.

SUBCUTANEOUS FAT VS. VISCERAL FAT

In

the body, fat can be deposited as either

subcutaneous fat or visceral fat
Subcutaneous fat
Occurs

as a continuous layer throughout the

body (under the skin)
Can be measured using skinfold technique
Distribution is not similar in male and
female

Female has thicker subcutaneous fat at certain

area (e.g. buttock)

SUBCUTANEOUS FAT VS. VISCERAL FAT

Visceral

Deep

fat

fat
Fat that is located within the abdomen

In between organs

Distribution

is similar in male and female

ANDROID FAT VS. GYNOID FAT

Two

body:

types of fat distribution in the

Android

fat
Gynoid fat

Can

ratio

be measured using waist-to-hip

ANDROID FAT VS. GYNOID FAT

Android

fat

Male-type,

central type
Occurs in the abdomen

Excess abdominal and upper body fat

As

men become obese, they tend

accumulate fat in the android pattern.
Occurs above the waistline
In women, waistline is often absent.

to

ANDROID FAT VS. GYNOID FAT

Gynoid

fat

Female-type,

peripheral type
Lower body fat

Excess accumulation of fats around the hips and

thighs, as well as on the arms

Occurs

below the waistline

HYPERTROPHIC
HYPERPLASTIC OBESITY
Hypertrophic

Development

VS.

obesity

of obesity, in which the size of

individual adipocytes cell increases

Hyperplastic

obesity

Development

of obesity, in which the number

of adipocytes cells increase

HYPERTROPHIC
HYPERPLASTIC OBESITY

VS.

As

triacylglycerols are stored, adipocytes can

expand to an average of 2-3 times their normal
volume.
However,

limited.

the ability of fat cell to expand is

Prolonged

overnutrition cause stimulation of

pre-adipocytes within the adipose tissue
pre-adipocytes

will proliferate and differentiate

into mature fat cells, thus increase the number of
adipocytes.

HYPERTROPHIC
HYPERPLASTIC OBESITY

VS.

Most

obesity is due to combination of

hypertrophy (increase in size) and hyperplasia
(increase in number)

Obese

individuals can have up to 5 times the

normal number of fat cells

HYPERTROPHIC
HYPERPLASTIC OBESITY

VS.

If

excess calories cannot be accommodated

within adipose tissue, excess fatty acids spill
over into other tissues (e.g: muscle and liver).

This

is called as ectopic fat. Ectopic fat is

associated with insulin resistance condition.

Weight gain

Weight gain

Weight
loss

Pre-adipocytes
Weight
gain

Weight gain
Weight
loss

SIGNALING PATHWAY FOR

REGULATING ADIPOCYTE
FORMATION
See drawings

TECHNIQUES FOR
MEASURING BODY
COMPOSITION

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

Using

a ruler and scale.

Example:
Seca body
weighing scale

meter,

Tanita

WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO
Measurement

using measuring tape

Circumference of
waist/circumference of hip
Widely used to assess male- and
female-type of obesity
Waist/hip ratio that is associated
with high risk of obesity and
diabetes
Male:

1.0
Female: 0.8

SKINFOLD MEASUREMENT
Skinfold

thickness is measured by
pinching the skin
Using calipers
Measure layers of skin and subcutaneous
fat
This method can be used to measure total
body fat

DENSITOMETRY
Measurement
Principle:

Displacement

of body composition

of air/water as assumption
to body density
Air densitometer example: Bod Pod
Water densitometer

BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE
Involves

and feet

connecting electrodes to the hand

Passing

the body

Give

a mild electric current throughout

and indication of total body fat

OTHER TECHNIQUES
Body

mass index (BMI)

Ultrasound
Computed tomography
Example: CT scan, DEXA

.:: THANK YOU ::.