OBESITY – THE NEW PANDEMIC. A CARCINOGENIC RISK FACTOR AFFECTING LONGEVITY AND IMPACTING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

A representative public health issue of the 21st century is the obesity pandemic, a medical condition that affects people of all age groups worldwide, with severe impacts on health. This paper is a narrative review about obesity and its consequences, aiming to highlight the magnitude of the effects of excess weight by analyzing numerous representative references from the specialized literature. The main objectives focused on identifying the mechanisms involved in the carcinogenic process and their interference with chemotherapy pharmacokinetics, assessing prognosis and the impact on reduced life expectancy, analyzing economic effects, and the necessity of initiating public health policies. The initiative stemmed from the recognition of the phenomenon embodied by the severity of obesity from the association with multiple chronic diseases to its transformation into a redoubtable factor in the increased incidence of neoplasms (13 types of cancers). This approach supports clinicians in improving disease management while also raising awareness among the population about the dimensions of the obesity pandemic. The collection of data on the economic impact of obesity and its associated costs highlights the urgent need for fiscal measures and policies aimed at mitigating the severity of obesity’s effects and improving quality of life.