الفهرس 
Environmental influencesOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Obesity is a rapidly prevailing problem in many industrialized nations. it usually results from a
disorder in the body energy balance that occurs when energy intake chronically exceeds energy
expenditure this excess in energy intake is stored as adipose tissue. Analysis of the distribution
of fatness in families suggests that a few major genes may act on polygenic and environmental
background. The discovery of the obese gene and its protein product, leptin has provided renewed
stimulus for research into obesity (/Joac/tartl, 1994).
The obesity protein, termed ”leptin” from the greek word ”leptos” meaning thin, is produced in
adipose tissue. Lepitn is a 16 - KDa (kilodalton) protein that may act as a sensing hormone, or
lipostat responding to the mass of adipose tissue. It is thought to be a blood - born signal that
acts on afferent satiety signal in a feedback loop that putatively affects the appetite and
satiety centers of the brain. The ultimate effects of this loop is to regulate fat mass (Rohner and
Bernartl, 1996).
Leptin receptors are widely distributed in the brain and in many other peripheral tissues
suggesting that this peptide may provide a wide range of tissues with information about fat stores
(Bray and York, 1997).
At the present time a vareity of techniques are available for effective weight loss such as, low
caloric diet, behaviour modification, exercise, drugs, acupuncture treatment and surgery
(Atkinson, 1993).
Restriction of energy to low or very low levels is a common treatment for obesity. A low calorie
diet provides between I 0-20 kcal per day of desirable weight, while the very low calorie diet provides I0 kcal
or less per kg of desirable weight (Atkinson, 1989). The diet must be nutritionally adequate.
Because of the long-term requirement for a diet, it must be tailored to a person’s tastes and
habits (Pi-Sunger, I992).
Physical activity is an important adjunct in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Incorporation
of regular exercise into weight reduction program improves the chances that the patient will
maintain the weight loss (Pi-Sunger, I992). Successful weight loss requires a caloric imbalance
such that energy expenditure exceeds caloric intake. Caloric deficit can be achieved by increased
physical activity and decreased caloric consumption (Brehm ami Keller, I 990).
Scientific advances in acupuncture research have promoted acupuncture usage dramatically in the
last decade. It is estimated that over one half million practitioners outside china administer
acupuncture treatment. Appetite suppression and weight reduction has been achieved by stimulating
certain acupuncture points (.Stux, I 988).