1. Abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome, and risk of cardiovascular disease / Jean-Pierre Despreis and Vincenzo Di Marzo -- 2. Abdominal obesity in type 2 diabetes / Isabelle Lemieux and Jean-Pierre Despres -- 3. Obesity and hypertension / Paul Poirier and Caroline Rheaume -- 4. Visceral adiposity, liver fat, and atherogenic dyslipidemia / Marja-Riitta Taskinen, Martin Adiels, and Jan Boren -- 5. Visceral adiposity and inflammation / Ulf Smith -- 6. Abdominal obesity and alterations in haemostasis-thrombosis / Irene Juhan-Vague and Marie-Christine Alessi -- 7. Physiological and metabolic characteristics of visceral adipocytes / Alain Veilleux and Andre Tchernof -- 8. The endocrine function of adipose tissue : implications of visceral obesity for patients with cardiometabolic risk / Max Lafontan -- 9. Free fatty acid metabolism in visceral obesity / Asem Ali and Michael D. Jensen -- 10. Animal models of visceral obesity / Derek M. Huffman and Nir Barzilai -- 11. Insulin sensitivity and visceral adiposity : effects of rimonabant / Joyce M. Richey. [et al.] -- 12. Physical activity in the management of visceral obesity and related cardiometabolic risk / Peter M. Janiszewski and Robert Ross -- 13. Can we change the lifestyle of high-risk patients? Lessons from the prevention of diabetes trials / Jaakko Tuomilehto and Jaana Lindstrom -- 14. Can we change the body fat distribution phenotype? Lessons from PPAR agonists / Zubin Punthakee and Hertzel C. Gerstein -- 15. Is there an optimal diet for the management of abdominal obesity and related cardiometabolic risk / Benoit Lamarche and Caroline Richard -- 16. The EC system and central control of energy balance : the hypothalamus / Vincenzo Di Marzo -- 17. The EC system and central control of energy balance : the nucleus accumbens / Tim C. Kirkham -- 18. The EC system and the HPA axis / Daniela Cota -- 19. The EC system and gut-brain interactions relevant to satiety / Richard Jones, Galina Burdyga, David G. Thompson, and Graham J. Dockray -- 20. The endogenous cannabinoid system in the gastrointestinal tract / Angelo A. Izzo -- 21. The EC system in the adipose tissue and endocrine pancreas / Isabel Matias -- 22. The EC system in the immune system and the inflammatory response / Tracy A. Sherwood and Thomas W. Klein -- 23. The endocannabinoid system in the liver / Ariane Mallat and Sophie Lotersztajn -- 24. The endocannabinoid system and cardiovascular disease / Pal Pacher and George Kunos -- 25. The endocannabinoid system, energy expenditure, and thermogenesis / Luigi Bellocchio, Cristina Cervino, Valentina Vicennati, Renato Pasquali, and Uberto Pagotto -- 26. Effects of dietary fatty acids on endocannabinoid signaling in the brain and peripheral organs / Alvin Berger and Vincenzo Di Marzo -- 27. Endocannabinoid overactivity and abdominal obesity / Vincenzo Di Marzo and Jean-Pierre Despres -- 28. CB1 antagonism in the management of abdominal obesity / Luc F. Van Gaal -- 29. Abdominal obesity and the endocannabinoid system CB1 blockade, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes / Andre J. Scheen -- 30. Abdominal obesity as a therapeutic target to manage the atherogenic dyslipidemia and related metabolic abnormalities / Jean-Pierre Despres -- 31. CB1 blockade and hypertension / Luis M. Ruilope -- 32. Future developments 1 : CB1 blockade for weight gain subsequent to smoking cessation / Jaimee L. Heffner and Robert M. Anthenelli -- 33. Future developments 2 : cannabinoid CB1 receptor blockade in weight gain subsequent to psychiatric disorder treatment / Ester Fride, Shimon Rabichev, and Nikolai Gobshtis.