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.
Read MoreSugar substitute may not promote weight loss
A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have found a possible mechanism that may help explain why aspartame, a sugar substitute, does not help promote weight loss. Their report was published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, and it explains that phenylalanine, a breakdown product of aspartame may interfere with the actions of an enzyme which prevents metabolic syndrome. Using mouse models, the researchers found that a diet with aspartame actually increases weight, whilst a non-aspartame diet does not.
During this study, a series of experiments was carried out, with one showing that the activity of an enzyme, known as IAP, was greatly reduced when added to a solution containing an aspartame sweetened drink, this was not the case in the sugar sweetened drink. This is particularly worrying as sugar substitutes are often used to promote weight loss by limiting the consumption of sugar. Now a number of epidemiological studies are looking into whether these substitutes are genuinely effective. The researchers want to highlight that other mechanisms may be involved, and this is only one such mechanism that may point to the use of artificial sweeteners being counter-productive.
Read MoreLarge BMI increase during puberty may predispose to death by cardiovascular disease later in life
A study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology has found that boys with a large increase in BMI during puberty are at an increased risk of death due to CVD in later life. The study itself included over 37,000 men born between 1945 and 1961, and the change in BMI was calculated using BMI values at 8 and 20 years of age. The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of BMI for cardiovascular mortality, with the focus being the developmental period of puberty.
There was no increase in cardiovascular risk for those who were overweight before puberty, or those whose BMI normalised during puberty. BMI normally increases during puberty, however this study found that when BMI increases by more than 7 units, the risk of cardiovascular mortality later in life is also increased; this is by 22 per cent for every extra BMI unit. The researchers are now urging schools to monitor their students’ BMIs to ensure that they do not suffer from cardiovascular complications in the future.
Read MoreDoes fatty food cause mental health issues?
A recent study published in Molecular Psychiatry has found that excess fatty intake can affect the cognitive function of brains. This study was conducted in mice, and found that diets rich in fat reduce levels of an important protein called reelin that helps synapses in the brain signal to one another, resulting in possible cognitive and psychiatric issues. Reelin deficiency is also a feature of brain disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers saw changes as early as four weeks into the experiments, after the mice had been fed high-fat diets. The cognitive results were evident even before the animals started gaining weight. Interestingly, the results were only seen in mice that were adolescent and not fully adult mice.
The changes were mostly evident in the prefontal cortex of the mice, in humans, this is associated with decision making, expressing personality and controlling social behaviour. With the supposed drop in the quality of diets over the past few decades, this study has found some worrying results. Furthermore, the study found the results to be particularly pronounced in adolescent mice, in humans this is a period where people will start to make their own decisions about food, especially with increased calorific needs, the researchers have suggested that more education must therefore be provided about the potential pitfalls in choosing high fat diets.
Read MoreDiet and exercise improves kidney function in fatty liver patients
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterised by excess fat in the liver that can cause inflammation and scarring. This may progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer; it can also compromise kidney function. A recent study has found that patients with confirmed NASH, who were put on a low-calorie/fat diet and participated in an exercise programme, experienced reduced liver inflammation and an improved kidney function.
These results were seen after controlling for compounding factors such as diabetes, hypertension and medications. However, the exact mechanism by which these outcomes were made is not fully understood yet. The researchers have hypothesised that oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity,inflammation, and vascular endothelial function all have roles to play. Hopefully, more research will be done in this area to fully understand the therapeutic benefits of such programs for patients with NASH.
Read MoreNot eating breakfast or getting enough sleep can make children overweight
Mothers smoking in pregnancy, children skipping breakfast, and children not getting enough sleep, all appear to be important factors in predicting whether a child will become overweight or obese. Researchers from UCL have published a paper in Pediatrics that calls for prompt intervention in order to slow the growth of overweight and obesity in children. The paper looked at data from 19,244 families over a 9 year period, using the Millennium Cohort Study. The researchers were using observational information, meaning that they cannot draw firm conclusions, however the sample size was large and they were able to take into account a range of lifestyle factors that could impact the results.
It is already known that children of obese parents are more likely to be overweight themselves; this could be due to their obesogenic environment, or a genetic predisposition. However, this research also highlights the importance of lifestyle choices that can greatly contribute to the risk of obesity. Disrupted routines, as well as a lack of sleep, can increase appetite and the consumption of energy dense foods. Overall, the researchers were hoping to increase parental education with their findings, so that the growth of overweight and obesity can be curbed.
Read MoreGastric bypass patients have reduced risk of death after 10 years
Patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery have a reduced risk of death from obesity or other disease by up to 48% after 10 years. In a Obesity. new study researchers followed almost 2,700 gastric bypass patients over a period of 10 years and found that mortality benefits became apparent after only two years post-surgery. The biggest reduction in risk was found in patients over 60 and in patients that suffered from diabetes before the surgery. The lead author of the study attributed this to the fact that improvements in long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health would be made
Bariatric surgery has been shown, previously, to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity, and the reduction in weight does result in lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis, high blood pressure and many other diseases and conditions. The results from this study show that rather than being discouraged from having surgery, people of an older age should be supported and offered the option of surgery.
Read MoreDoes brain volume predict successfulness at weight loss?
Scientists at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre claim that they are able to predict an individual’s chances of success at weight loss with a simple brain scan and have published their findings in Obesity. The researchers used MRI scans to assess the amount of white and grey matter in the participants and were able to predict weight loss with 78% accuracy based on the brain volume. The study was performed with 52 people between the ages of 60 and 79, all participants were overweight or obese. They were scanned and then split into three separate groups, diet only, diet plus exercise, and diet plus resistance exercise. The scan results were then compared to their actual weight loss after 18 months.
The researchers hope to continue assessing people who want to lose weight, as those with a higher chance of losing weight may respond to less intensive treatments, whilst those with a lower chance may have to resort to more intensive routes. The study itself had a small sample size, therefore the researchers are hoping to perform follow-up studies with more people and to broaden the types of intervention used in order to improve the predictive nature of the scans.
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