ABSTRACT
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Overweight and particularly obesity are still emerging at rapid rates and have now become epidemic throughout the world. Populations in countries with rapidly increasing wealth and changing lifestyles (especially dietary practices) are most vulnerable to obesity. Overweight and obesity are associated with increasing mortality and morbidity. The underlying process is being continuously in a positive energy balance, which in turn triggers weight gain. A positive energy balance only occurs (1) if energy intake is higher than energy expenditure, (2) if energy expenditure is lower than energy intake, or (3) a combination of the two.
