Seven out of ten obese people suffer serious sequelae. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy have been now commissioned by the EU to lead an international research project that will develop methods to identify individuals who are at risk.
The proportion of people with obesity is increasing rapidly worldwide. Today it is estimated that half a million Swedes are obese – twice as many compared to 1990 among both men, women and children.
About 70 percent of all obese people suffer from complications linked to obesity, particularly diabetes type-2, which in turn is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
The European pharmaceutical companies association EFPIA, which collects 1,900 pharmaceutical manufacturers and research institutes, is now investing research funds and resources of approximately SEK 140 million with the EU to develop methods for early identification of individuals with obesity who have the greatest risk of developing complications.
The project is led by Professor Ulf Smith at the University of Gothenburg, and involves researchers at the Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research and the Wallenberg Laboratory.
– The fact that more and more people around the world become sick as a result of obesity does not only mean that more people are at risk of premature death. Obesity is also an economic problem for society. Only in Sweden it is estimated nursing interventions on obesity amount to approximately SEK 3 billion per year, says Ulf Smith.
Research on diseases related to metabolism and obesity has long held a very strong position in Gothenburg with many successful teams.
– Now we get the opportunity to work together with twelve other leading research groups in Europe, which will hopefully lead to improved treatment, says Professor Jan Borén at the Sahlgrenska Academy, one of the researchers.
An example of the specific research fields is the fundamental studies of how excess fat is accumulated and distributed in the body, as well as its impact on metabolism and risk of disease development.
