Naglaa Hussein
Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY Professor of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology & Rehabilitation, Alexandria University, Egypt
Title: Weight management in cardiac rehabilitation; evaluation, assessment, & interventions: Mini-Review
Biography
Biography: Naglaa Hussein
Abstract
Obesity is one of the most common and important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. That is equally applicable for both sexes. Obesity, itself is considered independent risk factor as well as lead to exaggeration and amplifications of other common risk factors as diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Evaluation of obesity, and different interventional methods should be part of any structured cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Obesity has been determined to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease among men and women, although specific data on racial/ethnic minorities are lacking.
Obesity appears to interact with or amplify the effects of other risk factors by mechanisms that as yet remain frontier for further research.
Alarming data from the National health and Nutrition exam surveys show that the prevalence of obesity among Americans has increased over the past 20 years, such that an estimated 47 million adults American are deemed to be overweight.
Thus, obesity should be viewed vas a prevalent, serious, and, to date, refractory health problem.
In large consecutive series of patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation programs, the prevalence of obesity in nearly 50%.
Surprisingly, weight management and obesity, despite their strong link to other risk factors, have not been a primary focus in cardiac rehabilitation. This is evidenced by the sparsity of scientific data of this subject in cardiac rehabilitation literature.
It is very clear however, that more data are needed and that additional focused interventions must be performed