Can Antidiabetic Plants Used in Cameroon Play as Key for the Treatment of Childhood, Adolescent and Adult Obesity?

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are defined as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat which can be harmful to health. These are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The channel from obesity to diabetes is made by an enlightened deficiency in insulin secretion coupled with an enlightened rise in insulin resistance. Both insulin resistance and defective insulin secretion appear very prematurely in obese patients, and both worsen similarly towards diabetes. Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, overweight and obesity are now on a dramatic increase in low-and middle-income countries. These are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Once considered a problem only in highincome countries, overweight and obesity are now on a dramatic increase in low-and middle-income countries. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and over were overweight. More than 650 million adults were obese. About 18.5% of children ages 2 to 19 are considered obese in the United States. Cameroon, with 8.6% of its obese population in 2014, is not immune to the upsurge in the number of obese people in the world. In Cameroon obesity is rarely considered as a disease by most traditional healers, especially in the hinterland. Consequently, in this review, we seek to select among antidiabetic plants commonly used in Cameroon those which can play as key for the treatment of childhood, adolescent, and adult obesity. To undertake this objective the below research engines were used to perform a literature search in Google, Google Scholar and PubMed. a.A given antidiabetic plants used in Cameroon influences the childhood obesity. b.A given antidiabetic plants with childhood obesity treatment capability. c.A given antidiabetic plants within adolescence obesity treatment capability. d.A given antidiabetic plants with adult obesity treatment capability. Ten antidiabetic plants currently used in the treatment of obesity in Cameroon were selected. Only Allium sativum was revealed toxic. Four plants among the recorded plants including Achyranthes aspera, Opuntia spp, Momordica charantia and Gymnema sylvesta are more effective for the treatment of obesity. However, preventive measures such as healthy nutrition and exercise habits, lifestyle intervention as part of pregnant women and new-born postpartum follow-up care, as well as natural abilities of the body to control obesity are still the best ways to fight against obesity early naturally.