Factors predisposing to obesity: a review of the literature

The rising prevalence of obesity is a worldwide problem affecting not only the developed world but also developing nations such as South Africa. Excess body fat deposition is caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure and there are many genetic and environmental factors that can influence this balance. The present article will describe these factors and discuss the complex interaction between the environment and the human genome that may underlie the current obesity epidemic.