Characteristics of obese subjects submitted to post-mortem examination at the autopsy service of the Department of Pathology of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo: a retrospective study

• Grant number: 12/25332-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Principal Investigator: Beatriz Helena Carvalho Tess
• Grantee: Caio Giusti Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increasing incidence of obesity in the Western modern societies has been impacting on public health indicators and several scientists have warned that life threatening comorbidities may reduce life expectancy of the affected populations. Current scientific knowledge about obesity has demonstrated that this disease involves complex physiological and pathological mechanisms including the interaction of genetic, psychological and lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity. Its complexity is still poorly understood and studies describing demographic and clinical characteristics of obese populations, particularly of obese individuals who died, may contribute to a better understanding of the diversity of obesity clinical and pathological manifestations. The Department of Pathology of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo (DP-FMUSP) performs autopsies since 1924 and, recently, their medical autopsy reports became available for teaching and research. This study aims at describing the social, demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics of obese adult subjects who underwent full postmortem examination between dates of 01/01/2000 and 31/12/2012. This is a descriptive and retrospective study which will be based on existing demographic and clinical information recorded in the medical autopsy reports of the DP-FMUSP. The results of this study may contribute to the understanding of the extent and the diversity of obesity manifestations and its related pathologies, locally.