The global obesity epidemic has been described by the World Health Organization (2002) as one of the most blatantly visible but yet most neglected, public health problems that threatens to overwhelm both more and less developed countries. There is a concern for public health, as excess bodyweight is now the sixth important risk factor contributing to disease worldwide and increased level of obesity may result in a decline in life expectancy in the future.
Obesity, one of the most significant health risks of modern society, is now recognized as a chronic disease with a multifactorial etiology. It has reached an alarming stage, current figures in New Delhi indicate that every second person fulfils the criteria of obesity or has excess abdominal fat. Besides being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and type II diabetes, obesity has also been suggested to be a risk factor for periodontitis. Investigation from the United States, using the large NHANES III database, supported association between body fat and periodontal disease.
Obesity may be considered as a low-grade systemic inflammatory disease. Obese children and adults have elevated serum levels of C-reactive proteins, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-a and leptin which are known as markers of inflammation and are closely associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. Therefore, these findings indicate rationalized bases for association between obesity and periodontal disease, which is also an inflammatory disease resulting from complex interaction between pathogenic microbes and host immune response.
It has been observed that the incidence of obesity and related health hazards is continuously increasing in the urban population. Many recent studies have indicated that there is a positive correlation between obesity and periodontal disease.
Several studies have shown association between obesity and periodontal disease in different populations. 3 rd National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) has reported that there is an increasing tendency of obesity in Indian population.
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