Sugars can pass through breast milk
Researchers from the University of Southern California have found that fructose, a sugar that is linked to obesity and diabetes, can be passed from mother to baby via breast milk. The study itself involved 25 mothers and infants and also found that even a small amount of fructose daily could be associated with increased body weight. The sugar itself is found in fruit and processed food and beverages, it is not found naturally in breast milk, instead it is derived from the mother’s diet.
Exposing these children to higher amounts of sugar during growth and development can lead to problems with cognitive development as well as lifelong risks of obesity, diabetes, heart, and fatty liver disease. Unfortunately, the researchers of this study did not collect dietary data from the mothers so were unable to correlate the types of foods that the mothers consume to the levels of fructose in their breast milk, they are now undertaking this stage of their research. They are also keen to highlight the fact that caregivers should be aware and prepared to give advice to mothers about what sugars they do consume during pregnancy.
Read MoreExercise-induced hormone involved in bone metabolism
Irisin, a fat-burning, exercise-induced hormone has been shown to increase the formation and thickness of bone in mice. Researchers from Tufts University observed that after two weeks of voluntary wheel running mice expressed more of the hormone, further to this, when the hormone was administered systemically, the same bone effects were seen. This research is helping to further our understanding of how beneficial exercise might be for the skeletal system. Irisin has already been shown to convert white fat tissue into calorie-burning brown fat, it has also been shown to improve glucose intolerance, however little is known about where the hormone is produced.
The researchers in this study were able to isolate irisin and found that it was expressed in several different bone regions. They also found that irisin can directly increase the production of osteoblasts – cells that synthesise bone – and inhibit the production of osteoclasts – cells that break down bone. This study has shown that whilst irisin is capable of promoting the browning of white adipose tissue, it is also involved in the regulation of bone metabolism, the researchers are hoping to investigate it’s effects more thoroughly to assess its therapeutic potential.
Read MoreThe heavier you are the slimmer your chances of receiving hospice care
A new study from the University of Michigan has found that the heavier a person is, the less likely they are to receive a place at a hospice or die at home. The researchers analysed data from 5,677 elderly people taking part in a long-term health study. They found that people with a higher BMI were not only less likely to use a hospice, but when they did they were in it for less time than their normal weight counterparts. The findings have become pertinent as the increasingly overweight American population ages.
The study itself did not analyse the reasons why people with obesity received less hospice care, but the researchers did put forward several factors. Normally, it takes a larger team to care for an overweight individual due to the co-morbidities associated with increased weight, furthermore obesity may mask the changes that signpost to clinicians when a person should begin to receive hospice care. For example, a major change in body weight is generally more noticeable in leaner individuals, cachexia (‘wasting away’) is a common sign seen towards the end of a person’s life. The researchers also suggest that there is a bias against people who are overweight amongst healthcare professionals, however they were not able to measure this phenomenon during their study, this is something they are hoping will be investigated in the future.
Read MoreT2DM prevented in 80% of at-risk patients
A team from Imperial College London have repurposed the drug liraglutide and have found that it can help to prevent the progression of ‘prediabetes’ to diabetes. Prediabetes itself is characterised by slightly increased blood sugar levels and can often lead to T2DM, it is curable with exercise and a healthier diet, but once it progresses to diabetes it is significantly harder to treat. Liraglutide is already used to treat obesity and diabetes – it works by activating the areas of the brain that control appetite and eating – however researchers found that when combined with diet and exercise it can help prevent progression to diabetes in those that are prediabetic.
The study itself included 2,254 obese adults across 27 countries; they were split into two groups, with one group administered liraglutide via injection, alongside diet and exercise, whilst the other group did not receive any medication. They found that the patients given liraglutide were 80% less likely to develop diabetes than those in the placebo group. The drug was also linked to greater sustained weight loss over the course of three years. The researchers are particularly excited at the fact that treatment with liraglutide could save the healthcare system millions by preventing diabetes developing in many people.
Read MoreKeeping an eye out for medications that can cause weight gain
In a study published in Gastroenterology researchers have urged physicians to be mindful of drugs that can increase weight gain in patients that are already obese. This must be done by evaluating the potential side effects of medications that are prescribed to this group of patients and familiarising themselves with the alternatives that may limit weight gain. Medications such as steroids or contraceptive pills are commonly given to obese patients; however, these drugs may sometimes exacerbate the weight problems of the individuals.
The researchers want to highlight that each practitioner has a goal in mind, for example, a cardiologist may want to lower blood pressure, however the drug that they prescribe may in turn affect weight. Therefore, physicians must make themselves aware of the interactions between drugs and the potential alternatives that they may be able to use. In addition to this, there are some drugs that can minimise the bad effects of others; however this becomes difficult as patients get prescribed more and more medications. In summary, the researchers are hoping that their study will help physicians pay more attention to the overall side effects that medication has on individual patients.
Read MoreGenetic link between body shape and heart disease
A study originating from Massachusetts General Hospital has found that a pattern of gene variants associated with certain body shapes increases the risk of T2DM as well as heart disease. This ‘apple-shape’ describes when weight is commonly deposited around the abdomen, rather than the hips and thighs. The researchers were aiming to discover whether a genetic predisposition to abdominal adiposity was associated with the risk of T2DM and coronary heart disease, they concluded that it certainly does.
Due to the many factors that contribute to the development of heart disease the researchers had to employ a method called Mendelian randomisation, which measures whether an inherited gene variant can cause the development of a disease. They used previous research which identified 48 different gene variants as responsible for abdominal adiposity and developed a genetic risk score. They combined this with data from the UK Biobank to determine any association. Whilst they found an association between genetic predisposition to abdominal adiposity and heart disease, they did not find any between lifestyle factors and genetic risk score. This therefore confirmed that the gene variants responsible for body shape were associated with cardiometabolic risk. The results may allow physicians to use body shape as a predictor for heart disease and T2DM in the future, however further research must be undertaken to identify any other gene variants that may be responsible.
Read MoreChildhood weight is 35-40% inherited
A new study from the University of Sussex has found that 35-40% of a child’s BMI is inherited from their parents. For obese children this proportion rises to approximately 55-60%. The research used data from 100,000 children and their parents across the globe and found that intergenerational transmission of BMI is around 0.2, or 20% each from the mother and father. Interestingly, the results were consistent across the different countries, with varying lifestyle factors coming into play, suggesting that this is not just an isolated phenomenon.
The study also found that the effect was more pronounced when a child was heavier. The ‘parental effect’ was higher in more obese children; for thin children, the association is likely to be 10% each from the mother and father, for the heavier child this could go up to 30%. The results highlight that obesity is not only due to lifestyle factors but also genetic and family factors, and therefore it may be wise to monitor the weight of children especially if their parents are overweight or obese.
Read MoreBody shaming linked to multiple health risks
People who suffer from obesity are often the subject of stereotyping from the people around them. A new study published in Obesity has described how this form of prejudice can actually increase the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease amongst people with obesity. Some schools of thought support the theory that stigma can help motivate the individuals to lose weight, however this study has found that it might in fact have the opposite effect. The research involved 159 adults with obesity who completed questionnaires measuring depression, body shaming and the internalisation of this stigma.
It was found that ‘weight bias internalisation’ (which occurs when people apply negative stereotypes to themselves – such as laziness) and diagnosis of metabolic syndrome correlated. Furthermore, those who had been subject to body shaming were more likely to internalise weight bias, and therefore this exacerbated their weight problem. Dr Tom Wadden, co-author of the study, wanted to highlight that health care providers and the media play an important role in promoting weight loss and should therefore be aware that shaming people will have a negative effect on their overall health; in summary, patients with obesity need to be treated with respect and supported in order to improve their health and bring them back to a healthy weight.
Read MoreMajority of health workers in Houston are obese
A recent study involving health workers in Houston hospitals has found that 78% of them are overweight or obese. 924 employees across six different hospitals took part in the research. Dr Shreela Sharma, lead author, explained that these results were above the national average and also worrying as obesity is linked to so many chronic diseases. Whilst intake of fruit and vegetables was consistent across all weight groups, it was the intake of fatty foods and sugary beverages that really separated each group.
Many of the participants in the study were classed as hospital administrators and technicians and lead sedentary lifestyles, furthermore 48% of participants reported not having any moderate physical activity during the week. Dr Sharma suggested that there is such a high number of overweight hospital workers due to the ‘nurturer effect’, where those who look after others are less likely to look after themselves. In addition to this, many of the workers were dissatisfied with their worksite wellness programs, saying that not much was being done to look after employees’ health. Overall, Dr Sharma stressed that hospital employers must also look after their own workforce whilst also caring for the public.
Read MoreNew guidelines on paediatric obesity
The Endocrine Society has published a new set of guidelines to cover the prevention, treatment, and assessment for paediatric obesity. In the USA paediatric obesity costs an estimated £14.1 billion covering drugs prescriptions, emergency visits as well as outpatient appointments. Therefore there is a drive to identify those children at risk and the address these risks appropriately.
The clinical guidelines provide recommendations on how to evaluate children for medical and psychological complications. They also provide information on when to evaluate children for rare genetic causes of obesity, as well as when to consider medication and different surgical techniques for adolescents. The guidelines state that around 7% of children with severe obesity may suffer from a rare genetic mutation, and specific testing should be carried out if there is early onset obesity (before 5 years of age), an increased drive to eat food, or a family history of severe obesity.
Read MoreImpulsive personalities may lead to obesity
A new study conducted at the University of Texas at Dallas has found a link between impulsive personalities and the incidence of high body mass indices. The findings from this study have been published in Obesity. The study included 45 individuals and used different modalities to study their impulsivity such as self-reporting, neuropsychological testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging. By evaluating whether an individual’s decision making-style was more impulsive or cautious, using images on screens and measuring responses, the researchers were able to determine that participants with high BMI exhibited altered neural function compared to their normal weight counterparts.
The researchers originally thought that an inability to inhibit impulsive thoughts would be the driving factor behind the development of obesity, however it soon became clear that it was the inherent impulsive personality trait that is the mediating factor. Given these findings, the researchers hope that more will be done to develop treatments that provide coping skills or cognitive strategies for people to overcome impulsive behaviours. Further to this the increased self-awareness of impulsive behaviours may also help to control weight in certain individuals.
Read MoreCouples with obesity take longer to conceive
Couples with obesity could take from 55 to 59% longer to conceive than their normal weight counterparts. This is the outcome of a study performed at the National Institute of Health. Many studies up until now have focused on the weight status of the potential mother, but this study looked at the impact of the father’s body composition as well. The study itself included 501 couples from across the USA and the follow-up period ran for four years.
The BMI status was measured for each couple and the probability of conception was also measured using a statistical measurement called fecunadbility odds ratio. Factors such as age, smoking status, physical activity, and cholesterol levels were accounted for and it was found that obese couples take far longer to conceive on average. The authors explain that fertility experts may want to take into account the weight status and body composition of both the male and the female when counselling about pregnancy.
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