the-BA : The X Factor: Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Wednesday 18 June, The Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors predicting diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which could affect up to a quarter of adults in the UK. Preventing and treating obesity is central to public health policy to control this epidemic.

Some evidence suggests that the typical Western diet of nutrient-poor, high fat, refined-carbohydrate rich, low-fibre foods can trigger the development of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Others believe that it is a lack of fitness that really matters. What are the real causes? What are the true health risks and implications for public health? How can clinical managers tackle this potentially lethal cocktail of risk factors?

Speakers

Dr Nick Wareham, Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow in Clinical Science, The Institute for Public Health
Dr Susan Jebb, Head of Nutrition and Health Research, MRC Human Nutrition Research
Professor Peter Kopelman, The Royal Hospitals NHS

Forum background information

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Sponsored by the Medical Research Council

Other links
MRC Human Nutrition Research
National Obesity Forum

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