[Dietary bioactive compounds with potential in preventing pathologies related with overweight and obesity;biologically active peptides].

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some types of cancer. The risk for these noncommunicable diseases increase with the increase in body mass index. Dietary proteins are known to carry a wide range of nutritional, functional and biological properties. Nutritionally, the proteins are a source of energy and amino acids, which are essential for growth and maintenance. Functionally, the proteins contribute to the physicochemical and sensory properties of various protein-rich foods. Furthermore, many dietary proteins possess specific biological properties which make these components potential ingredients of functional or health-promoting foods. Many of these properties are attributed to physiologically active peptides encrypted in protein molecules. This paper reviews antihypertensive, antithrombotic, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic peptides originating from different sources and hydrolysis of proteins.