SECONDARY OBESITY

Secondary obesity is less frequent than primary obesity but shows inte resting aspects of pathogenetic mechanisms and possible therapeutic ap proaches for an improved management of obesity. Among polymalformative obesity, Prader Willi Syndrome is the most frequent and the best stud ied. Body composition analysis and energy metabolism evaluation seem t o underline the important role of activity in preventing excessive wei ght gain. In addition new therapeutic success was gained by the use of biosynthetic GH in reducing body fat and improving fat free mass comp artment. Endocrine obesity that follows hypothalamic hypophyseal lesio ns suggests the importance of neuroendocrine mechanisms in the regulat ion of appetite control and food intake. Overweight in diabetic adoles cents, more evident in girls, outlines the need of a prevention throug h educational intervention in younger age groups. The increasing frequ ency of eating disorders among adolescents must be considered for prev ention.