Weight reduction and cardiovascular and metabolic disease prevention: clinical trial update.

ABSTRACT

In children and adults, weight gain is accompanied by the early and more aggressive manifestations of well-recognized risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Because insulin resistance and the later development of type 2 diabetes mellitus also accompany weight gain, the term cardiometabolic risk is now commonly used to describe this emerging global health problem. Weight loss will improve cardiometabolic risk. However, less is known about the effect of weight loss on the development of disease and, most importantly, type 2 diabetes and CVD outcomes in the form of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. This review describes current clinical research that uses health-promoting lifestyle interventions, new drugs, and even surgery, which are all aimed at weight loss, reduction in disease manifestations, and improved outcomes. These anticipated data are essential for the future development of effective CVD prevention strategies. Results are awaited with great interest.