Abstract

Obesity is an inflammatory, chronic, recurrent and progressive disease with a multifactorial aetiology. More than 650 million people live with obesity across the globe, which represents a substantial physical, emotional and economic burden at all levels. Rapid urbanisation, economic growth and globalisation have deeply changed the lifestyles of the Chilean population and have worked in favour of an obesogenic envi-ronment. However, what factors have impacted the development of obesity in Chile? What has been the role of each one in the rise of its prevalence? In Chapter one of this literature review, we will discuss the main non- modifiable risk factors that have influenced its development, from the epidemiological transition that the country experienced in the 1970s to the related endocrine pathologies.