Pre-conception health and obesity

Currently obesity is one of the biggest challenges for healthcare providers. According to the WHO 23% of women and 20% of men in Europe are now obese (BMI > 30) and the prevalence is rising rapidly. As well as exacerbating chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, asthma and hypertension, both sexes suffer from the many life-threatening conditions to which obesity contributes, including several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However obesity causes additional problems for women, affecting their fertility, the outcome of any pregnancies and the health of their children. Thus ideally the optimal time for appropriate health interventions is prior to a first pregnancy.
Obesity reduces a woman