Leaving college with more than just a degree
A recent study has examined the weight trajectories of US college students and has found that, on average, a college student gains an extra 10 pounds during their studies. Published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, the study measured student BMI at the beginning and end of their first and second years, then once again after their fourth year. Twenty three per cent of the students were overweight when they started college, whilst 41% were by the end of their senior year. The increase in weight was not the only worry for the study authors, who highlighted that obese young adults are at risk of a variety of health conditions.
The authors also found that weight gain was observed over all four years of college, not limited to a particular year. Meaning that weight loss interventions need to be able to target multiple cohorts of students, rather than just the first year, which is what many of the current interventions do. Fruit and vegetable intake of the students was also below the recommended intake. The study authors hope that new behavioural strategies will target the college population in order to help curb the obesity epidemic.
Read MoreNarcolepsy drugs could help food addicts
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes people to fall asleep at inappropriate times, and now a recent study has found that a drug that is used in the condition may help food addicts lose weight. Recent evidence has shown that obesity is not just caused by a behavioural disorder, but many overweight people are physically addicted to foods rich in fat and sugar. When we consume good tasting food the reward centres in our brain release a chemical called dopamine which is involved in pleasure pathways. Some obese people are deficient in a certain type of dopamine, meaning that they have to eat more in order to release higher amounts of the chemical.
Scientists from the University of Warwick and Imperial College London have found that a drug called Modafinil, which is used in narcolepsy, may help reduce impulsivity and therefore food addiction. They have published their findings in Personality and Individual Differences. Food addicts are known to act impulsively, especially when it comes to choices about their diet. By giving these people more control, they may be able to manage their weight. Many food addicts know that they need to lose weight however, their desire for more food is overwhelming and this can commonly lead to psychological issues. The authors of this study hope that more research will be undertaken in order to better understand the potential uses of Modafinil in food addiction.
Read MoreNew potential therapeutic target receptor identified
A team of scientists from King’s College London and Imperial College London have identified a receptor called FFAR2 that may be used in the fight against obesity, publishing their study in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. They tested a high fat diet, containing fermentable carbohydrate, against a control diet on mice. The results showed that the mice on the fermentable carbohydrate diet were protected against obesity. However, this protection was lost in FFAR2 knockout mice; those with the FFAR2 receptor showed an increase of 130% in satiety, this was associated with increased levels of hormone peptide YY and PYY, which furthers the feeling of fullness.
It is already known that supplementation of a diet with non-digestable carbohydrates can reduce appetite, however this is one of the first studies to identify a specific receptor in relation to its role in reducing food intake and protecting against obesity in this way. The study authors are hoping to further explore this area, with the hope of creating either a dietary or pharmaceutical means to change the cellular make up and involved FFAR2 in a therapeutic way. Further to this, work can now begin on developing a food system, with this knowledge, that is attractive to the general population.
Read MoreUntreated Obesity causing cost increase
The Milken Institute recently released figures that displayed the economic cost of obesity to the USA. Obesity now costs the USA $1.4 trillion dollars, the vast majority of the money arises from the complications that are associated with a higher BMI. This in turn relates to the diseases that are common for untreated obesity. Interestingly, the evidence-based medicine expenditure was negligible in comparison to the other costs. Furthermore, the $64 billion dollars spent on diet and weight loss products was seen to be having little impact in the long-term.
The data shows that more must be done in the way of evidence-based research so that the prevention of obesity becomes a reality as does the avoidance of complications. Whilst the report calls for a collaborative effort by stakeholder, it also acknowledges the complexity of the problem as a whole. Therefore, the report goes on to say that whilst big actors must develop preventative measures, it is also down to personal responsibility in order to help make the change within the world.
Read MoreLife expectancy in the USA drops
Recently released statistics have shown that the life expectancy within the USA is 78.8. This is a drop on last year’s figure of 78.9, although the drop is small, it is the first time that life expectancy has actually decreased in the USA since 1993, when HIV/AIDS and influenza combined knocked the trend for one year. Many experts believe that one of the major contributing factors for the plateau and now small decrease in life expectancy has been the obesity epidemic. Over a decade ago, scientists were warning of the long term effects of overweight and obesity, and the USA has a large proportion of its population above what is considered a ‘normal BMI’.
Professor Stephen Jay Olshansky, of the University of Illinois, even produced a controversial paper in 2005 explaining that if the rise in obesity wasn’t curbed soon, then an effect on life expectancy would be seen, not many believed him at the time, however now it seems as though he may not have been wrong at all. Obesity itself is not a disease that kills, it is the multiple co-morbidities that are associated with it, such as heart disease, cancers, T2DM, and kidney disease, to name a few. It is these conditions that people are falling prey to, and it is these conditions that must be stopped, one way of doing this would be to focus on obesity. Unfortunately, it will take another year to see if this is becoming a trend, either way, it is clear that the obesity epidemic is having an effect and must be addressed.
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