ABSTRACT. The worldwide epidemic of excess body weight, including overweight and obesity, is associated with the increased prevalence of cardiovascular risks including hypertension – a condition that promotes stroke, heart disease and end-stage organ damage which are major causes of death and disability. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) of 25–29.9 kg/m2 are diagnosed as overweight, and those with BMI = 30 kg/m2 as obese. Epidemiological studies have shown that the prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasing worldwide and that the two pathologies are closely associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension. The close relationship between excess adipose mass and hypertension is well documented, with population-based studies showing excess adiposity as the strongest known risk factor for hypertension in male and female subjects of different ages and races. In particular, patients with visceral or abdominal obesity are at the highest risk of developing hypertension and other cardiovascular risks. However, there are many factors that influence the blood pressure response to weight change, leading to substantial interindividual variations. In this regard, accumulating evidence suggests that genetic variants may impact the sensitivity to weight loss as well as the blood pressure response to weight change. pp. 185–189

Keywords: obesity; hypertension; cardiovascular risk; brain mechanisms; renal mechanisms; pharmacological approach