Another reason to drink wine: It could help you burn fat

 

Drinking red grape juice or wine -- in moderation -- could improve the health of overweight people by helping them burn fat better, according to a new study coauthored by an Oregon State University researcher. The findings suggest that consuming dark-colored grapes, whether eating them or drinking juice or wine, might help people better manage obesity and related metabolic disorders such as fatty liver. Neil Shay, a biochemist and molecular biologist in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, was part of a study team that exposed human liver and fat cells grown in the lab to extracts of four natural chemicals found in Muscadine grapes, a dark-red variety native to the southeastern United States. One of the chemicals, ellagic acid, proved particularly potent: It dramatically slowed the growth of existing fat cells and formation of new ones, and it boosted metabolism of fatty acids in liver cells. These plant chemicals are not a weight-loss miracle, cautions Shay. "We didn't find, and we didn't expect to, that these compounds would improve body weight," he said. But by boosting the burning of fat, especially in the liver, they may improve liver function in overweight people. "If we could develop a dietary strategy for reducing the harmful accumulation of fat in the liver, using common foods like grapes," Shay said, "that would be good news." The study, which Shay conducted with colleagues at the University of Florida and University of Nebraska, complements work with mice he leads at his OSU laboratory. In one 2013 trial, he and his graduate students supplemented the diets of overweight mice with extracts from Pinot noir grapes harvested from Corvallis-area vineyards. Some of the mice were fed a normal diet of "mouse chow," as Shay calls it, containing 10 percent fat. The rest were fed a diet of 60 percent fat -- the sort of unhealthy diet that would pile excess pounds on a human frame. "Our mice like that high-fat diet," said Shay, "and they overconsume it. So they're a good model for the sedentary person who eats too much snack food and doesn't get enough exercise." The grape extracts, scaled down to a mouse's nutritional needs, were about the equivalent of one and a half cups of grapes a day for a person. "The portions are reasonable," said Shay, "which makes our results more applicable to the human diet." Over a 10-week trial, the high-fat-fed mice developed fatty liver and diabetic symptoms -- "the same metabolic consequences we see in many overweight, sedentary people," Shay said. But the chubby mice that got the extracts accumulated less fat in their livers, and they had lower blood sugar, than those that consumed the high-fat diet alone. Ellagic acid proved to be a powerhouse in this experiment, too, lowering the high-fat-fed mice's blood sugar to nearly the levels of the lean, normally fed mice. When Shay and his colleagues analyzed the tissues of the fat mice that ate the supplements, they noted higher activity levels of PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma, two proteins that work within cells to metabolize fat and sugar. Shay hypothesizes that the ellagic acid and other chemicals bind to these PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma nuclear hormone receptors, causing them to switch on the genes that trigger the metabolism of dietary fat and glucose. Commonly prescribed drugs for lowering blood sugar and triglycerides act in this way, Shay said. The goal of his work, he added, is not to replace needed medications but to guide people in choosing common, widely available foods that have particular health benefits, including boosting metabolic function. "We are trying to validate the specific contributions of certain foods for health benefits," he said. "If you're out food shopping, and if you know a certain kind of fruit is good for a health condition you have, wouldn't you want to buy that fruit?" The research was supported by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Science at the University of Florida and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The study appears in the January

 

Another breastfeeding benefit: Preparing baby's belly for solid food

 

The moment of birth marks the beginning of a beautiful, lifelong relationship between a baby and the billions of microbes that will soon colonize his or her gastrointestinal tract. In a study published today in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, researchers from the UNC School of Medicine and UNC College of Arts and Sciences found that a baby's diet during the first few months of life has a profound influence on the composition, diversity, and stability of the gut microbiome. These factors, in turn, influence the baby's ability to transition from milk to solid foods and may have long-term health effects. "We found that babies who are fed only breast milk have microbial communities that seem more ready for the introduction of solid foods," said Andrea Azcarate-Peril, PhD, assistant professor in the department of cell biology and physiology and the study's senior author. "The transition to solids is much more dramatic for the microbiomes of babies that are not exclusively breastfed. We think the microbiomes of non-exclusively breastfed babies could contribute to more stomach aches and colic." The discovery adds to the growing awareness that the gut microbiome plays a major role in helping us digest food and fight pathogens, among other functions. "This study provides yet more support for recommendations by the World Health Organization and others to breastfeed exclusively during the first six months of life," said Amanda Thompson, PhD, associate professor in the department of anthropology, a Carolina Population Center faculty fellow, and the study's first author. "We can see from the data that including formula in an infant's diet does change the gut bacteria even if you are also breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding seems to really smooth out the transition to solid foods." For this study, the research team collected stool samples and information about the diets and health of nine babies as they grew from ages 2 weeks to 14 months. Applying genomic sequencing techniques to the stool samples, the scientists deduced the types and functions of the bacteria in the babies' gut microbiomes. The analysis revealed that during the first few months of life there were clear differences between the microbiomes of babies that were exclusively breastfed as compared to those fed both formula and breast milk. This finding is consistent with previous studies. What surprised Thompson and Azcarate-Peril, who is the director of the UNC Microbiome Core Facility, was the drastic genetic differences in stool samples taken after babies began eating solid food. Researchers found differing amounts of about 20 bacterial enzymes in exclusively breastfed babies when compared to exclusively breastfed babies that received solid food. This indicated that some new bacterial species had entered the scene to help process the new food types. In babies fed both formula and breast milk -- and then introduced to solid foods -- the samples revealed about 230 enzymes, indicating a much more dramatic shift in microbial composition. The microbiomes of exclusively breastfed babies tended to be less diverse and were dominated by Bifidobacterium, a type of bacteria considered beneficial for digestion. Babies fed a mixture of breast milk and formula had a lower proportion of Bifidobacterium. The study suggests that the makeup of the microbiome can affect a baby's ability to digest food in the short term and potentially influence long-term health. Although microbiome research is still in its early stages, gut microbes are thought to potentially play a role in obesity, allergies, and gastrointestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome. "The study advances our understanding of how the gut microbiome develops early in life, which is clearly a really important time period for a person's current and future health," said Thompson. The researchers also compared the microbiomes of babies that attended daycare to those that stayed in the home. Attending daycare was also associated with more diverse microbial communities overall, but feeding practices remained the most important factor influencing how the microbiome responded to the introduction of solid foods.

 

Organic food reduces pesticide exposure

 

While health-conscious individuals understand the benefits of eating fresh fruits and veggies, they may not be aware of the amount of pesticides they could be ingesting along with their vitamin C and fiber. A new study to be published in the Feb. 5 edition of Environmental Health Perspectives is among the first to predict a person's pesticide exposure based on information about their usual diet. The study was led by Cynthia Curl, an assistant professor in Boise State University's School of Allied Health Sciences. She recently joined Boise State from the University of Washington. Curl and her colleagues analyzed the dietary exposure of nearly 4,500 people from six U.S. cities to organophosphates (OPs), the most common insecticides used on conventionally grown produce in the United States. OP pesticides are linked to a number of detrimental health effects, particularly among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to the chemicals. Results showed that among individuals eating similar amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who reported eating organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposures than those consuming conventionally grown produce. In addition, consuming those conventionally grown foods typically treated with more of these pesticides during production, including apples, nectarines and peaches, was associated with significantly higher levels of exposure. "For most Americans, diet is the primary source of OP pesticide exposure," said Curl "The study suggests that by eating organically grown versions of those foods highest in pesticide residues, we can make a measurable difference in the levels of pesticides in our bodies." This study included dietary data collected from participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a large, multi-institutional project funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute that is investigating factors that influence the onset of cardiovascular disease. The researchers were able to predict each participant's exposure to OP pesticides based on the amount and type of produce each participant typically ate and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's measurements of pesticide residue levels on those foods. The researchers then compared these predictions to pesticide metabolite levels measured in urine samples from a subset of 720 of these people. While Curl's study is not the first to link organic produce with reduced pesticide exposure, the method she used may have significant implications for future research. By combining self-reported information on typical food consumption with USDA measurements, researchers will be able to conduct research on the relationship between dietary pesticide exposure and health outcomes in bigger populations, without needing to measure urinary metabolites. "If we can predict pesticide exposure using dietary questionnaire data, then we may be able to understand the potential health effects of dietary exposure to pesticides without having to collect biological samples from people," Curl said. "That will allow research on organic food to be both less expensive and less invasive." "The next step is to use these exposure predictions to examine the relationship between dietary exposure to pesticides and health outcomes, including neurological and cognitive endpoints. We'll be able to do that in this same population of nearly 4,500 people," she said. One way people can reduce their pesticide exposure, said Curl, is to eat organic versions of those foods that are listed on the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list, which ranks fruits and vegetables according to pesticide residue level.

 

Malocclusion and dental crowding arose 12,000 years ago with earliest farmers

 

Hunter-gatherers had almost no malocclusion and dental crowding, and the condition first became common among the world's earliest farmers some 12,000 years ago in Southwest Asia, according to findings published (04 Feb 2015) in the journal PLOS ONE. By analysing the lower jaws and teeth crown dimensions of 292 archaeological skeletons from the Levant, Anatolia and Europe, from between 28,000-6,000 years ago, an international team of scientists have discovered a clear separation between European hunter-gatherers, Near Eastern/Anatolian semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers and transitional farmers, and European farmers, based on the form and structure of their jawbones. "Our analysis shows that the lower jaws of the world's earliest farmers in the Levant, are not simply smaller versions of those of the predecessor hunter-gatherers, but that the lower jaw underwent a complex series of shape changes commensurate with the transition to agriculture," says Professor Ron Pinhasi from the School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, the lead author on the study. "Our findings show that the hunter gatherer populations have an almost "perfect harmony" between their lower jaws and teeth," he explains. "But this harmony begins to fade when you examine the lower jaws and teeth of the earliest farmers." In the case of hunter-gatherers, the scientists from University College Dublin, Israel Antiquity Authority, and the State University of New York, Buffalo, found a correlation between inter-individual jawbones and dental distances, suggesting an almost "perfect" state of equilibrium between the two. While in the case of semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers and farming groups, they found no such correlation, suggesting that the harmony between the teeth and the jawbone was disrupted with the shift towards agricultural practices and sedentism in the region. This, the international team of scientists say, may be linked to the dietary changes among the different populations. The diet of the hunter-gatherer was based on "hard" foods like wild uncooked vegetables and meat, while the staple diet of the sedentary farmer is based on "soft" cooked or processed foods like cereals and legumes. With soft cooked foods there is less of a requirement for chewing which in turn lessens the size of the jaws but without a corresponding reduction in the dimensions of the teeth, there is no adequate space in the jaws and this often results in malocclusion and dental crowding. The link between chewing, diet, and related dental wear patterns is well known in the scientific literature. Today, malocclusion and dental crowding affects around one in five people in modern-world populations. The condition has been described as the "malady of civilization."

 

How a basic building block of the body could prevent breast cancer

 

Preventing cancer requires intimate knowledge of how cancer starts, what causes it to grow and flourish, and how to stop it in its tracks. Sometimes this comes in the form of a vaccine (the HPV vaccine for cervical and head and neck cancers), a screening (a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer) or a blood test (the PSA level test for prostate cancer). Carol Fabian, M.D., co-leader of The University of Kansas Cancer Center Cancer Prevention Program and the Morris Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Prevention, is leading a study for women with a higher risk of breast cancer that focuses on two natural approaches to preventing breast cancer: weight loss and omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. "Women in this study have a family history of breast cancer or a previous biopsy showing precancerous breast disease," said Dr. Fabian. "Prior to entering the study, they have their breast tissue tested and are found to have too many cells in the breast ducts, called hyperplasia. Their blood and breast tissues are also tested for other risk factors for breast cancer." All the women in the trial are placed on a calorie-restricted diet, along with support from a nutritionist and online weight loss and exercise tracking tools. Their goal is to lose 10 percent of their body weight in the first six months and maintain it in the second six months. In addition, half of the participants are given a high-dose omega-3 supplement while the other half are given a placebo. Their blood and breast tissue is tested again at six and 12 months. Periodically, the women's biomarker levels will be tested. Research has already shown a link between obesity and breast cancer risk. Abnormal fat cells increase the amount of hormones as well as inflammation in the body. The majority of breast cancers are fueled by hormones such as estrogen, and it is likely that some breast cancers are stimulated by inflammation as well. Previous studies by Dr. Fabian and her team showed that if an overweight or obese person loses at least 10 percent of their body weight, there's a reduction in hormone production and fewer inflammatory biomarkers. "The challenge is keeping those extra pounds off," she said, as anyone who has lost any amount of weight knows. As a result, Dr. Fabian is seeing if higher doses of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA would help with weight loss maintenance as well as favorably reduce risk biomarkers for breast cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids have multiple important body functions, such as cell signaling, proper immune system function and improving cognitive function. Higher dose EPA and DHA (fish oil supplements) are already used for prevention of cardiovascular diseases and to help with inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel disorder. The omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fatty cold water fish such as salmon and leafy green vegetables, which typically aren't eaten in abundance. A schema of Dr. Fabian's omega-3 and weight loss trial and when the presence of breast cancer biomarkers is measured. Dr. Fabian first got the idea to study omega-3 fatty acids and how they might affect cancer after hearing about a "miracle" food for dogs with mammary cancer or lymphoma. "Six years ago I heard about this Topeka, Kan., company named Hill's Pet Nutrition, which was founded by veterinarians and manufactured a special diet dog formulation. It didn't cure cancer, but it helped dogs with these cancers of an advanced stage live for a long time," said Dr. Fabian. "So I asked what was in it, and they said it was a really high dose of omega-3." The specific omega-3 fatty acids that are most beneficial to humans are DHA and EPA, which are mostly found in fatty, cold water fish. The average person only ingests about 100 milligrams of EPA and DHA a day when they should be getting about 30 times that amount. Dr. Fabian has already done a study looking at how omega-3 fatty acids work in pre- and postmenopausal women with an increased risk for breast cancer. The amount of a specific inflammatory biomarker, MCP1, was decreased in the women taking an omega-3 supplement. Previous research has also shown that omega-3 in particular seems to affect similar reward brain pathways as weight loss does. Does this mean taking an omega-3 supplement can help people who have already lost weight keep it off by keeping those brain pathways active? "Omega-3 seems to affect the same pathways in the brain as losing weight," explained Dr. Fabian. "If we could help people who have lost weight from gaining it back, that would be a big help in reducing their cancer risk. We want to see if omega-3 can improve the biomarker risk factor along with the weight loss and if it will make the maintenance phase easier." Several scientists are working with Dr. Fabian on this project, including Bruce Kimler, PhD, in Radiation Biology, and Steve Hursting, PhD, MPH, a basic scientist working on obesity from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Susan Carlson, PhD, is measuring fatty acid levels, Christie Befort, PhD, and Debra Sullivan, PhD, are in charge of the weight loss aspects and Jennifer Klemp, PhD, is examining quality of life. Two unique features of this grant are to determine whether EPA and DHA change bacteria in the colon associated with inflammation and whether these omega -3 fatty acids change reward center responses to food. "Certain types of bacteria increase inflammation in the colon, which increases the risk for colon cancer and likely other diseases too," said Dr. Fabian. "We're seeing if anything changes with the omega-3, and I'm convinced it will." Shadid Umar, PhD, KU Cancer Center member and associate professor in molecular and integrative physiology, is determining whether EPA and DHA have a favorable effect on gut bacteria. Women are also undergoing a functional brain MRI after six months of weight loss with or without the EPA and DHA. Cary Savage, PhD, director of the Center for Health Behavior Neuroscience at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Laura Martin, PhD, associate director of functional MRI and William Brooks, PhD, director of the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, are looking at the brain's response to food after weight loss via MRIs.

 

Insulin-decreasing hormone discovered in flies, humans

 

An insulin-regulating hormone that, until now, only had been postulated to exist has been identified by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The hormone, called limostatin after the Greek goddess of starvation, Limos, tamps down circulating insulin levels during recovery from fasting or starvation. In this way, it ensures that precious nutrients remain in the blood long enough to rebuild starving tissues, rather than being rapidly squirreled away into less-accessible fat cells. The researchers first discovered limostatin in fruit flies but then quickly identified a protein with a similar function in humans. "Starvation or famine is an ancient, ever-present specter faced by all living organisms," said Seung Kim, MD, PhD, professor of developmental biology. "The ways to deal with it metabolically are likely to be ancient and conserved. This research clearly connects the dots between flies and humans, and identifies a new potential way to regulate insulin output in humans." In particular, members of a family with an inherited mutation in the human analog of limostatin exhibited many of the same physiological characteristics as flies genetically engineered to be unable to produce limostatin -- namely, high levels of circulating insulin, low blood sugar levels and a tendency toward early onset obesity. A paper describing the research findings will be published Feb. 3 in Cell Metabolism. Kim is the senior author, and graduate student Ronald Alfa is the lead author. The metabolic dance Insulin is a key player in the complicated metabolic dance shared by nearly all organisms. Its importance can hardly be overstated. After a meal, animals and humans produce insulin in response to the increase in blood sugars that occur as a meal is digested. This insulin stimulates the storage of circulating sugars into muscle and fat cells for future use. Too little insulin, or an inability of the body to respond correctly to its signal, causes a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. Conversely, too much insulin can cause a rapid drop. Both conditions can be life-threatening, and ongoing swings in blood sugar levels can lead to complications, such as blindness, poor circulation and kidney failure. "This work has critical ramifications for our understanding of metabolism, and has the potential to transform our approach to treating diseases like diabetes," said Domenico Accili, MD, director of the Columbia University Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center and Columbia's Russell Barry Foundation Professor of Diabetes. "The discovery of limostatin, a new hormone that can act to decrease insulin release, is an important advance," added Accili, who was not involved with the research. "The notion that mammals express a related family of intestinal hormones that can affect insulin secretion may inform new efforts to find drugs that combat diabetes in humans." Limostatin was identified by virtue of its response to fasting. Kim and his colleagues withheld food from their laboratory fruit flies for 24-28 hours and looked to see which genes were highly expressed during this time. They narrowed the list to those genes that encoded proteins resembling hormones, which are special signaling molecules that circulate throughout the body to affect the function of distant cells. They observed that one of these, limostatin, caused characteristics of insulin deficiency when overexpressed in flies. More fat cells, shorter life span Kim and his colleagues then genetically engineered a strain of flies unable to express limostatin. They found that these flies had too much circulating insulin. As a result, the animals had abnormally low levels of circulating sugars and more than the usual number of fat cells as they packed on the micro-pounds. Their life span was also shortened. The researchers found that, in flies, limostatin is produced by nutrient-sensing cells in the gut. It then circulates through the animal to reach the cells responsible for producing insulin. In flies, these are in the brain; in humans, insulin is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. Limostatin binds to the cells via a receptor protein on their surfaces, reducing the amount of insulin they secrete. Blocking the expression of this receptor in flies, the researchers found, affected the insects in the same way as if they couldn't express limostatin. Once the researchers had identified the receptor for limostatin in fruit flies, they looked to see if it resembled any human protein. A trail of biological breadcrumbs led them to the receptor for a protein called Neuromedin U. The protein is produced in the brain, and controls a variety of physiological responses including smooth muscle contraction, blood pressure control, appetite and hormone function in humans. Based on their experiments in fruit flies, Kim and his colleagues expected that Neuromedin U might also be important in insulin regulation. They found that the protein is also expressed in the stomach and intestines, and the Neuromedin U receptor is found on insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Neuromedin U and its receptor appeared to neatly connect nutrient sensing in the gut with insulin-producing cells elsewhere in the body. To confirm their finding, the researchers tested the effect of physiological levels of Neuromedin U on human pancreatic beta cells in the laboratory. They found that the hormone bound to the beta cells and blocked their ability to secrete insulin in response to an increase in glucose in their environment. Finally, they were able to connect what they saw in the lab to a naturally occurring mutation in humans. "We found a variant of this hormone that is mutated in a human family," said Kim. "Members of this family who inherited this mutation have early onset obesity and diabetes, and some have abnormally high insulin levels. We predicted that this variant would cause a loss of function in our laboratory assay of insulin secretion, and that is what we found." In short, the same mutant form of Neuromedin U that was shared by affected family members was unable to suppress insulin secretion in the laboratory-grown beta cells. "These experiments were a linchpin linking what we saw in the laboratory to human physiology," said Kim. A 19th-century theory confirmed Limostatin belongs to a class of hormones called decretins, which have been suspected to exist for about 150 years, starting with work by the renowned French physiologist Claude Bernard. In 1932, researchers identified a class of hormones called incretins, which were expressed in the gut after a meal and stimulated insulin secretion. Other metabolic studies, including those on animals and people undergoing starvation conditions, suggested that another class of hormone might function to suppress insulin production during times of famine. A phenomenon was termed "starvation diabetes" to describe how rapid re-feeding with glucose or carbohydrate-rich foods after a fast can cause diabetes-like symptoms of abnormally high blood sugars and low insulin production. The discovery of limostatin, a decretin, further validates the use of fruit flies as a diabetes model, according to Kim. It may also explain a puzzling phenomenon that often occurs after bariatric surgery. The procedure, which removes a portion of the stomach to enable weight loss in obese people, often rapidly reverses ongoing or incipient signs of diabetes long before any pounds are shed.

 

Insulin-decreasing hormone discovered in flies, humans

 

An insulin-regulating hormone that, until now, only had been postulated to exist has been identified by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The hormone, called limostatin after the Greek goddess of starvation, Limos, tamps down circulating insulin levels during recovery from fasting or starvation. In this way, it ensures that precious nutrients remain in the blood long enough to rebuild starving tissues, rather than being rapidly squirreled away into less-accessible fat cells. The researchers first discovered limostatin in fruit flies but then quickly identified a protein with a similar function in humans. "Starvation or famine is an ancient, ever-present specter faced by all living organisms," said Seung Kim, MD, PhD, professor of developmental biology. "The ways to deal with it metabolically are likely to be ancient and conserved. This research clearly connects the dots between flies and humans, and identifies a new potential way to regulate insulin output in humans." In particular, members of a family with an inherited mutation in the human analog of limostatin exhibited many of the same physiological characteristics as flies genetically engineered to be unable to produce limostatin -- namely, high levels of circulating insulin, low blood sugar levels and a tendency toward early onset obesity. A paper describing the research findings will be published Feb. 3 in Cell Metabolism. Kim is the senior author, and graduate student Ronald Alfa is the lead author. The metabolic dance Insulin is a key player in the complicated metabolic dance shared by nearly all organisms. Its importance can hardly be overstated. After a meal, animals and humans produce insulin in response to the increase in blood sugars that occur as a meal is digested. This insulin stimulates the storage of circulating sugars into muscle and fat cells for future use. Too little insulin, or an inability of the body to respond correctly to its signal, causes a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. Conversely, too much insulin can cause a rapid drop. Both conditions can be life-threatening, and ongoing swings in blood sugar levels can lead to complications, such as blindness, poor circulation and kidney failure. "This work has critical ramifications for our understanding of metabolism, and has the potential to transform our approach to treating diseases like diabetes," said Domenico Accili, MD, director of the Columbia University Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center and Columbia's Russell Barry Foundation Professor of Diabetes. "The discovery of limostatin, a new hormone that can act to decrease insulin release, is an important advance," added Accili, who was not involved with the research. "The notion that mammals express a related family of intestinal hormones that can affect insulin secretion may inform new efforts to find drugs that combat diabetes in humans." Limostatin was identified by virtue of its response to fasting. Kim and his colleagues withheld food from their laboratory fruit flies for 24-28 hours and looked to see which genes were highly expressed during this time. They narrowed the list to those genes that encoded proteins resembling hormones, which are special signaling molecules that circulate throughout the body to affect the function of distant cells. They observed that one of these, limostatin, caused characteristics of insulin deficiency when overexpressed in flies. More fat cells, shorter life span Kim and his colleagues then genetically engineered a strain of flies unable to express limostatin. They found that these flies had too much circulating insulin. As a result, the animals had abnormally low levels of circulating sugars and more than the usual number of fat cells as they packed on the micro-pounds. Their life span was also shortened. The researchers found that, in flies, limostatin is produced by nutrient-sensing cells in the gut. It then circulates through the animal to reach the cells responsible for producing insulin. In flies, these are in the brain; in humans, insulin is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. Limostatin binds to the cells via a receptor protein on their surfaces, reducing the amount of insulin they secrete. Blocking the expression of this receptor in flies, the researchers found, affected the insects in the same way as if they couldn't express limostatin. Once the researchers had identified the receptor for limostatin in fruit flies, they looked to see if it resembled any human protein. A trail of biological breadcrumbs led them to the receptor for a protein called Neuromedin U. The protein is produced in the brain, and controls a variety of physiological responses including smooth muscle contraction, blood pressure control, appetite and hormone function in humans. Based on their experiments in fruit flies, Kim and his colleagues expected that Neuromedin U might also be important in insulin regulation. They found that the protein is also expressed in the stomach and intestines, and the Neuromedin U receptor is found on insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Neuromedin U and its receptor appeared to neatly connect nutrient sensing in the gut with insulin-producing cells elsewhere in the body. To confirm their finding, the researchers tested the effect of physiological levels of Neuromedin U on human pancreatic beta cells in the laboratory. They found that the hormone bound to the beta cells and blocked their ability to secrete insulin in response to an increase in glucose in their environment. Finally, they were able to connect what they saw in the lab to a naturally occurring mutation in humans. "We found a variant of this hormone that is mutated in a human family," said Kim. "Members of this family who inherited this mutation have early onset obesity and diabetes, and some have abnormally high insulin levels. We predicted that this variant would cause a loss of function in our laboratory assay of insulin secretion, and that is what we found." In short, the same mutant form of Neuromedin U that was shared by affected family members was unable to suppress insulin secretion in the laboratory-grown beta cells. "These experiments were a linchpin linking what we saw in the laboratory to human physiology," said Kim. A 19th-century theory confirmed Limostatin belongs to a class of hormones called decretins, which have been suspected to exist for about 150 years, starting with work by the renowned French physiologist Claude Bernard. In 1932, researchers identified a class of hormones called incretins, which were expressed in the gut after a meal and stimulated insulin secretion. Other metabolic studies, including those on animals and people undergoing starvation conditions, suggested that another class of hormone might function to suppress insulin production during times of famine. A phenomenon was termed "starvation diabetes" to describe how rapid re-feeding with glucose or carbohydrate-rich foods after a fast can cause diabetes-like symptoms of abnormally high blood sugars and low insulin production. The discovery of limostatin, a decretin, further validates the use of fruit flies as a diabetes model, according to Kim. It may also explain a puzzling phenomenon that often occurs after bariatric surgery. The procedure, which removes a portion of the stomach to enable weight loss in obese people, often rapidly reverses ongoing or incipient signs of diabetes long before any pounds are shed.

 

Five-year outcomes following bariatric surgery in patients with BMIs of 50 to 60

 

The bariatric surgical procedure biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch resulted in more weight loss and better improvement in blood lipids and glucose five years after surgery compared with usual gastric bypass surgery but duodenal switch was associated with more long-term surgical and nutritional complications and more adverse gastrointestinal effects, according to a report published online by JAMA Surgery. Duodenal switch and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass are surgical procedures used to treat severe obesity, although there is no consensus on the preferred procedure. The article by Hilde Risstad, M.D., of Oslo University Hospital, Norway, and coauthors reports on the five-year outcomes from a clinical trial that included 60 patients between the ages of 20 and 50 with a body mass index (BMI) of 50 to 60 (31 underwent gastric bypass and 29 underwent duodenal switch). Five years after surgery, the average reductions in BMI were 13.6 after gastric bypass and 22.1 after duodenal switch, according to study results. Remission rates of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, changes in blood pressure and lung function were similar between the two groups. However, reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting glucose were greater after duodenal switch compared with gastric bypass. Health-related quality of life was similar for both groups but nutritional complications and adverse gastrointestinal effects were more common with duodenal switch. Patients who underwent duodenal switch also had more surgical procedures related to the initial procedure and more hospital admissions compared with patients who underwent gastric bypass. "We recommend that duodenal switch be used with caution owing to a higher rate of additional surgical procedures and risk of nutritional complications," the authors conclude. Commentary: Weighing the Risks, Benefits of Bariatric Surgery In a related commentary, Oliver A. Varban, M.D., and Justin B. Dimick, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, write: "Given the high complication rates of duodenal switch in the study by Risstad et al, it is difficult to recommend duodenal switch as a first-line weight loss procedure. At the very least, patients seeking this procedure should receive ample warning regarding the very high risks of adverse nutritional outcomes and the high reoperation rate. Patients with poor compliance and poor follow-up should not be offered this procedure because they could be at risk of fatal complications if postoperative problems are not addressed in a timely fashion."

 

Rapid and unexpected weight gain after fecal transplant

 

A woman successfully treated for a recurrent Clostridium difficile infection with stool from an overweight donor rapidly gained weight herself afterwards, becoming obese, according to a case report published in the new journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is a promising treatment for relapsing C. difficile infections, a common cause of antibiotic-related diarrhea that in severe cases may be life-threatening. The case suggests that clinicians should avoid selecting stool donors who are overweight. The report also raises questions about the role of gut bacteria in metabolism and health. At the time of the woman's fecal transplant in 2011, her weight was stable at 136 pounds, and her Body Mass Index (BMI) was 26. Then 32 years old, she had always been of normal weight. The transplant used donor stool from the woman's overweight but otherwise healthy teenage daughter, administered via colonoscopy, to restore a healthy balance of bacteria in the woman's gut, curing her C. difficile infection. Sixteen months later, the woman weighed 170 pounds, and her BMI was 33, meeting medical criteria for obesity. The weight gain persisted despite a medically supervised liquid protein diet and exercise program. Continuing efforts to diet and exercise did not lower her weight: Three years after the transplant, she weighed 177 pounds with a BMI of 34.5, and she remains obese today. "We're questioning whether there was something in the fecal transplant, whether some of those 'good' bacteria we transferred may have had an impact on her metabolism in a negative way," said Colleen R. Kelly, MD, of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, who wrote the case report with Neha Alang, MD, of Newport Hospital in Rhode Island. Such a link between bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and weight is supported by previously published animal studies, where transfer of gut bacteria from obese to normal-weight mice can lead to a marked increase in fat. In light of the case and the animal data, the authors recommend selecting stool donors who are not overweight for fecal transplants. Importantly, the FMT was not the only possible cause of the woman's weight gain. In addition to treatment for C. difficile, she had also been treated with several antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori infection. Other possible contributing factors in the woman's weight gain include the resolution of her C. difficile infection, genetic factors, aging, and stress related to illness. However, as noted above, she had never been overweight before. The case raises many questions about donor selection and highlights the importance of studying long-term outcomes of FMT, according to Ana A. Weil, MD, and Elizabeth L. Hohmann, MD, both of Massachusetts General Hospital, who wrote a related editorial. "Careful study of FMT will advance knowledge about safe manipulation of the gut microbiota," they wrote. "Ultimately, of course, it is hoped that FMT studies will lead to identification of defined mixtures of beneficial bacteria that can be cultured, manufactured, and administered to improve human health." Fast Facts Fecal transplants are a promising approach for treating recurrent C. difficile infections, a common cause of potentially life-threatening diarrhea. In this case report, a woman successfully treated for a relapsing C. difficile infection with a fecal transplant rapidly became overweight for the first time in her life. The stool donor, the woman's daughter, was overweight. The report suggests that donor screening for these transplants should exclude those who are overweight.

 

Newly discovered protein has link to gestational diabetes

 

For at least 40 years, scientists who study how the body metabolizes sugar have accepted one point: there are four enzymes that kick-start the body's process of getting energy from food. The discovery of these four catalysts for energy production, called hexokinases, generated more research into how the body metabolizes carbohydrates, and how interfering with those enzymes through medications could help manage metabolic disorders such as diabetes. But this biochemical foursome may not deserve all of the credit. According to research by scientists at Duke and Northwestern universities, the hexokinase team actually has a fifth player. The findings appear in the online journal Nature Communications. "This swims against the past 40 years of research and what we thought we knew," said Tim Reddy, Ph.D., a senior author of the study and assistant professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at Duke. "Hexokinases are critical to basically all of our energy production. Finding a fifth one opens the door to more study into how we metabolize sugar, as well as genetic links to metabolic disorders." The new protein is called HKDC1, and the researchers report that this enzyme may be a genetic predictor for whether an expectant mother develops hyperglycemia, or excess blood sugar, during pregnancy. Hyperglycemia is a potentially harmful environment for a growing fetus and can contribute to obesity and diabetes later in the child's life. While at least 4 percent of pregnant women develop diabetes during pregnancy, as many as 400,000 women each year in the U.S. have gestational hyperglycemia, which equals about 10 percent of expectant mothers. Hyperglycemia during pregnancy may have many of the same harmful long-term health effects as full-blown gestational diabetes, according to a landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008. "We know that these children may be more likely to be born large and be subject to health impacts down the road, such as obesity and diabetes," Reddy said. Doctors have counseled expectant mothers on the risks of high blood sugar and the benefits of proper diet and exercise to lessen the risk. But there currently isn't a method to screen women for their risk of developing high blood sugar while pregnant. Often, mothers are diagnosed too late, after they have developed diabetes. While all humans have this fifth hexokinase, it appears during pregnancy, women with less of this gene are not able to metabolize glucose as well, the study showed. Researchers hope the new findings could lead to a test for pregnant women that indicates their potential for developing hyperglycemia. "The discovery of this gene creates a path forward to better predicting a woman's risk," Reddy said. "Knowing that there is this new hexokinase at play could also give us more information on how to inhibit or activate it, and anything we can to do disrupt the cycle would be an important advance to stem the epidemic of diabetes we see today." Further investigation into the enzyme could create potential targets for new therapies for metabolic conditions, said William Lowe, M.D., a senior author of the study and professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "This study shows the benefit of large-scale genetic studies as they begin to shed light on new molecules that are important for metabolism," Lowe said. The idea that this enzyme has been hidden in the human genome all these years is somewhat shocking, said Christopher Newgard, Ph.D., an author of the paper and director of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute. "It's ancient history in the field of carbohydrate biochemistry that there were four members of the family," Newgard said. "Something like 40 years goes by, and then here comes this cowboy, showing up late to the party."

 

New study postulates the role of dietary advanced glycation end products in the risk of Alzheimer's disease

 

A new paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease provides evidence that cooking foods at high temperatures increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This study looked at the content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in national diets and clinical studies comparing and compared total AGEs to Alzheimer's disease rates. AGEs are a group of compounds that are combinations of sugars and proteins and other large molecules. They can be formed in the body, and there is a large body of literature on AGEs and Alzheimer's disease. However, AGEs are also formed when food is cooked at high temperatures or aged for a long time such as in hard cheese. AGEs increase the risk of various chronic diseases through several mechanisms including increased inflammation and oxidative stress. They can also bind to the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). RAGE transports beta-amyloid proteins across the blood-brain barrier and contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Our newly published paper is the first that estimated the AGE content of diets from observational studies in various countries, which estimated the link between dietary factors and risk of Alzheimer's disease. For this purpose, the values for AGE for many types of food were taken from a study by researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. They cooked 549 foods by different methods and measured the AGE content of the cooked food. They found that the higher the cooking temperature, the higher the AGE content. For example, 100 grams of raw beef had 707 kU of AGEs, but 100 grams of roast beef had 6071 kU. To use their findings in our study, we obtained information from observational studies in which diet was assessed using food frequency questionnaires or from national dietary supply values from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. We then used either a range of cooking temperatures or methods for the observational studies or an estimate of average cooking methods and temperatures for the national dietary supply data. In typical national diets, we found that meat made the highest contribution of AGEs, followed by vegetable oils, cheese, and fish. Foods such as cereals/grains, eggs, fruit, legumes, milk, nuts, starchy roots, and vegetables generally make low contributions to the total amount of AGEs in a diet, either because they are generally prepared at low temperatures or since they comprise smaller portions of diets. According to Drs. Jaime Uribarri and Weijing Cai of The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, "This epidemiological study supports our previous findings in animals and humans of an important role for dietary AGEs in Alzheimer's disease. We found that mice kept on a diet high in AGEs, similar to Western diet, had high levels of AGEs in their brains together with deposits of amyloid-β, a component of the plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, while at the same time developed declines in cognitive and motor abilities. The mice fed a low AGE diet remained free of these conditions. In addition, clinical studies have shown that subjects with higher blood AGE levels, in turn resulting from high AGE diets, are more likely to develop cognitive decline on follow up. The findings point to an easily achievable goal that could reduce the risk of dementia through the consumption of non-AGE-rich foods, for example, foods that cooked or processed under lower heat levels and in the presence of more water, raising the importance of not just what we eat, but also how we prepare what we eat."

 

FDA approves new drug for binge eating disorder (BED)

 

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, under the brand name Vyvanse, to treat moderate to severe binge eating disorder (BED) in adults, a first of its kind prescription drug specifically indicated for BED. "TOS has long supported new tools to assist with treating obesity," says Martin Binks, PhD, TOS Secretary Treasurer and Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University. "Given that if untreated, BED has shown in some people to lead to reduced long-term success in behavioral weight-loss programs and following bariatric surgery, this new tool may prove useful in the obesity treatment setting." For clinicians, TOS says that understanding the differences between obesity and BED is important. BED is an eating disorder that affects only a portion of those with the medical disease obesity. While as many as 30% of people seeking obesity treatment may report some degree of binge eating, those who meet clinical criteria for BED likely represent only 7-10% of all obesity treatment seekers. "It is important to consider treating BED in the context of other treatments specifically targeting obesity," says Susan L. McElroy, MD, a TOS member who specializes in both obesity and BED treatment, and Chief Research Officer, Lindner Center of HOPE and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "Vyvanse is approved for treating BED, but it is not approved for weight-loss or obesity treatment and should not be considered a replacement for this treatment." Research shows that obesity is a far more complex condition than simply being a matter of eating less and exercising more. In most cases, obesity is chronic and challenging to treat and puts individuals at risk for more than 30 health conditions. "For the subset of people with obesity who also have binge eating disorder the availability of this new, safe and effective tool to treat BED may provide some long-awaited support," said Dr. McElroy, who previously coordinated clinical research on Vyvanse.

 

FDA approves new drug for binge eating disorder (BED)

 

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, under the brand name Vyvanse, to treat moderate to severe binge eating disorder (BED) in adults, a first of its kind prescription drug specifically indicated for BED. "TOS has long supported new tools to assist with treating obesity," says Martin Binks, PhD, TOS Secretary Treasurer and Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University. "Given that if untreated, BED has shown in some people to lead to reduced long-term success in behavioral weight-loss programs and following bariatric surgery, this new tool may prove useful in the obesity treatment setting." For clinicians, TOS says that understanding the differences between obesity and BED is important. BED is an eating disorder that affects only a portion of those with the medical disease obesity. While as many as 30% of people seeking obesity treatment may report some degree of binge eating, those who meet clinical criteria for BED likely represent only 7-10% of all obesity treatment seekers. "It is important to consider treating BED in the context of other treatments specifically targeting obesity," says Susan L. McElroy, MD, a TOS member who specializes in both obesity and BED treatment, and Chief Research Officer, Lindner Center of HOPE and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "Vyvanse is approved for treating BED, but it is not approved for weight-loss or obesity treatment and should not be considered a replacement for this treatment." Research shows that obesity is a far more complex condition than simply being a matter of eating less and exercising more. In most cases, obesity is chronic and challenging to treat and puts individuals at risk for more than 30 health conditions. "For the subset of people with obesity who also have binge eating disorder the availability of this new, safe and effective tool to treat BED may provide some long-awaited support," said Dr. McElroy, who previously coordinated clinical research on Vyvanse.

 

Older adults: Double your protein to build more muscle

You are what you eat, especially when it comes to how your body builds protein. It is well known that consuming protein stimulates the body's cells to build protein. However, getting older combined with eating less protein can lead to a decline in the body's muscle-building efficiency. Maintaining and building muscle is especially important for older individuals. Increased muscle mass can contribute to a healthier weight, better fitness and an improved quality of life. New research in the American Journal of Physiology -- Endocrinology and Metabolism explores whether the amount and timing of protein consumption make a difference in the body's net protein gains. Current US recommendations for daily dietary protein intake are 0.8 grams/kilogram of body weight (roughly 62 g of protein per day for a 170-pound person). Previous research has shown that older adults need a protein intake of at least 0.40 g/kg of body weight at each meal (roughly 31 g of protein per meal or 93 g per day for a 170-pound person) to encourage maximum protein synthesis. This represents a significantly higher amount of protein than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) suggests. Researchers at the Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences set out to measure whether daily protein intake greater than the average American adult consumption leads to a greater net protein gain in older adults. They also examined whether the timing of protein intake made a difference in protein synthesis -- the process by which cells make protein -- and net protein gains. The research team studied 20 healthy adults between 52-75 years of age, randomly assigning them to one of four groups over a four-day test period. Two groups ate the RDA of 0.8 g/kg per day of protein: one group had even protein distribution across meals (33% of total protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner) and the other had an uneven protein distribution at meals (15% at breakfast, 20% at lunch and 65% at dinner). The other two groups ate double the RDA (1.5 g/kg day of protein) following the same even and uneven protein distribution patterns as the first two groups. The group that consumed double the RDA was supplemented with a pre-weighed milk protein concentrate (equal parts whey and casein) to ensure that they achieved daily protein goals of 1.5 g/kg day. All meals were prepared in prepared in the Metabolic Kitchen at University of Arkansas Translational Research Institute. The subjects recorded time and other details about the food they ate. The research team found that while the distribution of protein across meals did not make a significant impact, total amount of protein consumed did. "Although there was no clear effect of the pattern of protein intake in our study, we observed a definitive effect of a higher amount of protein intake in mixed meals on whole body net protein balance and muscle protein synthesis," the authors wrote. "Whole body net protein balance was greater with protein intake above recommended dietary allowance." The article "Quantity of dietary protein intake, but not pattern of intake, affects net protein balance primarily through differences in protein synthesis in older adults" is published in the American Journal of Physiology -- Endocrinology and Metabolism. It is highlighted as one of this month's "best of the best" as part of the American Physiological Society's APSselect program.

 

FDA Panel Backs Appetite-Curbing Implant for Severely Obese

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay ReporterLatest Diet & Weight Management NewsFDA Panel Backs Appetite-Curbing Implant for ObeseWhen School's Out, Weight Can Pile OnIs Breakfast the Key to Weight Control?Health Tip: If You Aren't Hungry, Don't EatDiabetes Drug Spurs Weight Loss in NondiabeticsWant More News? Sign Up for MedicineNet Newsletters!

TUESDAY, June 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new implant designed to curb the appetite by electrically stimulating stomach nerves may have moved closer to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval on Tuesday.

The device is aimed at severely obese adults who have failed to slim down using traditional methods, but don't want, or can't have, weight-loss surgery, the device's manufacturer, EnteroMedics Inc., said in its application for FDA approval.

The FDA's nine-person Gastroenterology and Urology Devices Panel -- a key advisory committee -- voted 8 to 1 that the Maestro Rechargeable System is safe when used as designed, and 6 to 2 (with one abstention) that the device's benefits outweighed its risks.

The panel was less decisive on a third vote, on whether the device would be effective for patients: On that vote, 4 panelists voted yes while 5 voted no.

The FDA is not obligated to follow the decisions of its advisory committees, but it usually does.

In the United States, more than one-third of adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This increases their risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, depression and cancer, experts say.

Despite this, "we have very few tools at our disposal compared with other chronic diseases," said Martin Binks, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University who was scheduled to testify before the FDA panel on behalf of the Obesity Society.

"We certainly are encouraged by the FDA's recent willingness to review treatments for obesity," Binks said.

The Maestro Rechargeable System sends electrical signals to nerves around the stomach that help control digestion. These signals block the nerves, decreasing hunger pangs and making the person feel full, the St. Paul, Minn.-based manufacturer said.

In clinical trials, obese people with a Maestro implant lost an average 8.5 percent more weight than others who received a fake implant, the device maker said.

"The Maestro Rechargeable System is a safe and effective treatment option for obese individuals who have failed more conservative weight reduction interventions such as diet/exercise and pharmacotherapy, but are not able or willing to undergo more aggressive bariatric surgical options," the device company said in FDA briefing papers.

The Maestro consists of a "pulse generator" surgically implanted under the skin of the chest wall. This delivers high-frequency electrical pulses to leads laid along two trunks of the vagus nerve, which helps control the function of many organs in the abdomen.

The device is intended in use for people with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40, which is extremely obese. BMI is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight.

EnteroMedics said the Maestro also could be used in people with a BMI of at least 35 who have health problems related to their obesity and have failed to lose weight through other programs. (A BMI of 30 is the threshold for obesity.)

The FDA advisory committee's review included results from a clinical trial that involved more than 200 morbidly (severely) obese people in the United States and Australia. Of those, 157 received a Maestro implant and 76 received a fake implant.

All of the participants then went through a standard weight management program, which consisted primarily of 15-minute counseling sessions. The program did not include more intense interventions such as very low calorie diets, mandatory exercise programs or portion-controlled meals.

Over the course of a year, study participants with the Maestro implant lost just over 24 percent of their excess weight on average, compared with nearly 16 percent of excess weight loss for people who received fake implants.

More than half the participants lost at least one-fifth of their excess weight, and 38 percent lost at least one-quarter of their excess weight, according to the researchers.

EnteroMedics added that people with fake implants regained about 40 percent of the weight they had lost within six months of the trial's end, while the people with the Maestro device appeared to sustain their weight loss.

The device appears to be largely safe, with only about 4 percent of patients suffering a health problem because of the implant, the FDA's report on Maestro said.

However, the Maestro is unsafe during MRI scans and would have to be removed if a person needed an MRI, according to the FDA.

How much weight should I lose?

 

The amount of weight each person should lose is partly a personal choice. So in some ways aim to lose the weight you want to lose. For some people it may be a matter of losing a couple of pounds for others it may be a lot more.

If you do not have a personal goal and are unsure how much weight loss to aim for, there are ways to work it out.

Below we have summarised some of the methods, most commonly used to classify people according to their weight and body measurements. These methods can help you determine if you are overweight, obese or even within a healthy weight range. These classifications are only a guide and they do come with their flaws so do use them as they intended; as a guide.

How to set your personal weight loss goals

1. Do not attempt to lose more than 1-1.5 kg per week

Regardless of how much weight you want to lose don’t aim in losing more than 1-1.5 kg per week. When it comes to weight loss ‘too much too fast’ is not recommended for health reasons. It may sound like a dieter’s heaven but trust me it is usually not good.

2. Do not fall on the underweight classification.

You may be on your ideal weight or even slightly underweight but you know that there is a bit of a tummy, or an annoying big bottom etc. Well maybe it is not weight loss what you should be looking for. Maybe just eating the right foods, or adding some exercise to firm the areas which bother you could be the answer. On the other hand it could just be the shape of your body, and learning to love what you got is even better.

3. The 2 most important things about weight are your health and being happy.

You may need to lose 200 lbs in order to reach your ideal weight but you don’t particularly want to be America’s next top model. Have the weight you feel comfortable with and happy with even if slightly over the line, as long as this does not affect your health. The truth is thin does not always mean healthy.

4. Don’t get obsessed with numbers such as your weight, your body mass index (see below), calories etc.

Firstly being obsessed may not be a good place to be, secondly all these numbers are guides and not a setting stone. You may find that you don’t lose pounds but inches and fat. How is that possible? Well weight loss can be more complicated than just losing weight; your body’s composition can change, as well as other factors.

Body measurements and classifications

Here we have summarized the following, body mass index (BMI) measurement, waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference. You can use them as a guide to help you find your ideal range of weight. It is always best to use a combination of them for a better picture of your body’s weight.

For example, you may be within your ideal weight range but you may have a high waist circumference which could indicate a high risk to specific health conditions. In simple words you could be carrying a high amount of fat in your belly and this is linked to developing some diseases/conditions. Or on the other hand you could be exercising and carrying a lot of muscle which can lead to a high BMI (i.e. very common with athletes). This doesn’t mean you are overweight.

Ideally you can have direct body composition measurements, such as bioelectrical impedance, which can determine the percentage of fat, lean mass, and water in the body. However, this can be costly and sometimes hard to get.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a simple way to classify individuals within ranges according to their weight and height.

BMI does not actually measure or show the amount of fat and non-fat mass in the body.

You can calculate BMI as follows:

BMI = (Mass (kg))/(Height (m))^2

BMI = weight divided by (height x height)

For example: If your weight is 60kg and your height is 1.70m then:

60 ÷ (1.70 x 1.70) → 60 ÷ 2.89 = 20.76

Your BMI is 20.76.

Once you have calculated your current BMI then you can look on the table below to see at which category you are. You can also look at table 2 to see height and weight recommended ranges.

Classification

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Underweight

<18.50

Severe thinness

<16.00

Moderate thinness

16.00 – 16.99

Mild thinness

17.00 – 18.49

Normal range

18.50 – 24.99

Overweight

≥25.00

Pre-obese

25.00 – 29.99

Obese

≥30.00

Obese class I

30.00 – 34.99

Obese class II

35.00 – 39.99

Obese class III

≥40.00

Female Height to Weight Ratio

Height

Low

Target

High

4′ 10″

100

115

131

4′ 11″

101

117

134

5′ 0″

103

120

137

5′ 1″

105

122

140

5′ 2″

108

125

144

5′ 3″

111

128

148

5′ 4″

114

133

152

5′ 5″

117

136

156

5′ 6″

120

140

160

5′ 7″

123

143

164

5 ’8″

126

146

167

5′ 9″

129

150

170

5′ 10″

132

153

173

5′ 11″

135

156

176

6′ 0″

138

159

179

Male Height to Weight Ratio

Height

Low

Target

High

5′ 1″

123

134

145

5′ 2″

125

137

148

5′ 3″

127

139

151

5′ 4″

129

142

155

5′ 5″

131

145

159

5′ 6″

133

148

163

5″ 7″

135

151

167

5′ 8″

137

154

171

5′ 9″

139

157

175

5′ 10″

141

160

179

5′ 11″

144

164

183

6′ 0″

147

167

187

6′ 1″

150

171

192

6′ 2″

153

175

197

6′ 3″

157

179

202

Waist –To – Hip Ratio (WHR)

WHR is often used to determine the overall health risk. Increased abdominal fat has been linked with increased risk of developing some conditions. WHR is another simple way of categorising individuals’ health risk according to the circumference of their waist and hip.

It is calculated as:

WHR =Divide the circumference of the waist with the circumference of the hips.

Place the tape around the waist and hips to the areas shown on the picture. The point at which the tape measure meets is the reading of the circumference.

Once you have calculated your WHR you can look at the table below to see if you are within a range which increases risk of developing health conditions. As mentioned it can be used in combination with the BMI.

For example if you are on a normal range BMI but have a high WHR you could be looking at losing weight from your abdominal area (belly). This could be easily achieved with a healthy diet and some exercise. Therefore your weight loss goal could only be a few pounds and even less than a stone but your concentration would be more in what foods you eat and how you can improve the condition of your belly.

Waist to Hip Ratio Chart

Male

Female

Health Risk Based only on WHR

0.95 or bellow

0.80 or bellow

Low Risk

0.96 – 1.0

0.81 – 0.85

Moderate Risk

1.0 +

0.85 +

High Risk

Waist circumference is a simplified way of the WHR measurement. Just measure the circumference of your waist as above. Waist Circumference it is often used to determine overall health risks in relation to the circumference of a person‘s waist. Waist circumference can be recommended for those people who may be classified within a healthy range with using BMI measurements but may have excess fat on their abdomen.

The table below shows the classifications of waist circumference in relation to the health risk. As mentioned earlier in the case where you need to lose abdominal fat, a healthy balance dietmay be most adequate. In addition you may not be measuring weight loss in terms of pound/kilos weight in general but in inches.

Classification

Waist Circumference

Men (cm)

Waist Circumference

Women (cm)

Risk of metabolic complications

Neither overweight nor obese

<94

<80

None

Abdominally overweight but not obese

≥94 and <102

≥80 and <88

Increased

Abdominally obese

≥102

≥88

Significantly increased

How much weight should you lose? 10 tips to help you decide

1. There is not one fits them all answer when it comes to translating measurement (i.e. BMI) with pounds to lose. There are a number of changes that your body will make during a day, a month and even more during a weight loss regime. There are different body types, genetics, ages, and 100s of other factors which are all pointing to one thing:

Everybody is an individual with different needs and circumstances. Even 2 people who appear to have the same height do not necessarily mean that they would have the same weight. Moreover, no one has a stable weight through all their day let along their whole life.

2. Use the calculations and measurements above to find in what range and category you are in. Are you overweight, in a risk of having a lot of abdominal fat, within normal weight range? But don’t forget they are a guide not a setting stone.

3. Once you have an idea of your body measurements you can start planning on what you need to concentrate on. This could be just losing a couple of pounds to feel more comfortable in yourself, or losing some inches of your tummy or losing more weight to get within a normal range of weight.

4. Don’t obsess over numbers. Above all is your health and satisfaction. Lowering the risk of developing health conditions and being at the weight you feel satisfied is a good place to start. If you are however borderline underweight or your goals bring you to an underweight range do reconsider. Your health is important and skinny does not translate to healthy. Start thinking that maybe you should start loving your own body.

5. It is important to think what is it you want to achieve. Regardless of what measurements say what is your own goal? Do you just want to go down a couple of dress sizes even if you are still in an overweight range? How much do you weigh then? For example if you are a dress size 18 and want to just go down to a size 16 your goal could be losing 1-2 stones.

This is only an example as each person’s body is different. The point is, do think where you want to be. Set your goal and review your progress.

6. Losing weight versus losing fat. Yes you don’t always have to see it on the scales. There is such a thing as losing fat mass but not necessarily translating to pounds but more in inches or sometimes it is not as clear at all. You could be putting lean mass on. Keeping a record of your measurements sometimes can give you a guide of what is going on. But don’t over obsess.

7. This brings us to the point of don’t just look at finding an exact weight goal from day one. Keep in mind that you did not put on the weight in one day so it is unlikely that you will lose it in one day.

If you have quite a lot of weight to lose set a 2 week goalsto start from. It takes about 2 weeks for your body to make long term changes and adapt (this can vary depending on each individual).

Monitor your diet and weight loss and body changes (i.e. lost inches, lost pounds, to hard diet to follow etc.). After that, set your weekly goals and monthly goals. For example you want to lose 10lbs in one month, so you will aim for approximately 2lbs per week. It may be that one week you lose 1lb and one week you lose 3lbs but overall you have reached your monthly goal.

Over the time you will know at which point you are happy with what you have achieved.

8. Do it healthy. I think I have already said that a few times. Well here it goes once again. Being healthy is more important than being thin and thin does not always mean healthy. Aiming for a healthy body state, a change towards a healthier diet and lifestyle rather than stressing about how many pounds you should be is probably a better thing to do.

9. If your weight loss is for mainly health reasons then it is also advisable to consult an appropriate medical professional. A medical professional should provide you with the guidance you need regarding your health and weight.

I know that sometimes physician may tell you that you must lose weight for your health but often don’t tell you how or how much. Insist in guidance. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and more information. It is your health and this is their job.

10. In that matter it is always recommended to advise a medical professional before taking any exercise or diet regime, especially if you there are pre-existing health complaints.

How much weight should I lose?
Hara Hagikalfa
Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:47:44 GMT

Do You Know How to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat?

 

Do you know how to lose stubborn belly fat? Take the following multiple choice quiz and see if you know all there is to know about how to shrink you waistline and keep the inches off.

(1) What types of foods contribute to excess fat in the abdominal area?

(a) Foods high in monounsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds and dark chocolate.
(b) Fried foods
(c) High protein foods
(d) All of the above

Answer: (b) Fried foods often add unwanted inches to the abdominal area as the majority of their calories come from saturated fat. This type of fat is made from animal products and is also known to raise the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Therefore, fried foods are not only bad for your waistline but for the health of your heart as well. Foods high in monounsaturated fats are actually good for the abdominals if they are consumed in conservative portions. High protein foods speed up the metabolism and therefore help burn fat.

(2) What types of foods should be eliminated from the diet if you want to lose stubborn belly fat?

(a) Eliminate all sugary foods such as doughnuts and pastries.
(b) Toss out any foods that contain trans fats, such as chips from the vending machine.
(c) Remove low-fat dairy foods.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

Answer: (d) – Both (a) and (b) are the correct answers. Low-fat dairy foods, such as yogurt or skim milk are actually helpful in getting rid of belly fat as they release fat from fat cells in the abdominals and therefore reduce the amount of fat that is absorbed.

(3) Which food actually increases the body’s capacity to burn calories and therefore reduces belly fat?

(a) Chili peppers
(b) Oat or rice bran
(c)  Asparagus
(d) None of the above

Answer: (a) Chili peppers. Hot peppers of any kind contain capsaicin which increases the capacity for the body to burn calories by as much as five to ten percent.

(4) What is the best way to speed up the metabolism and therefore reduce fat from the belly?

(a) Eat foods high in protein, such as egg whites, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds as well as certain berries.
(b) Consume nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
(c) Drink plenty of water.
(d) All of the above.

Answer: (d) All of the above. Combined, all of the above approaches work as they speed up the body’s ability to burn calories and therefore reduce belly fat.

(5) When trying to lose weight, it’s helpful to detox the system to flush out any impurities so you can burn fat more efficiently. Which of the following fruits then is particularly useful in flushing out the kidneys?

(a) Kiwi
(b) Apple
(c) Cranberries
(d) Apricots

Answer: (c) Cranberries are specifically helpful in flushing any impurities from the kidneys. In fact, they are often used in clearing infections from the urinary tract.

(6) By adding fiber to your diet, you can significantly lose belly fat. Therefore, by simply doubling your fiber intake, how much weight, on average, can you lose in a year?

(a) 5 pounds
(b) 15 pounds
(c) 10 pounds
(d) None of the above. You can’t lose weight by merely doubling the amount of fiber you consume.

Answer: (c) 10 pounds. It’s been shown that if you simply alter your eating habits and include foods that contain more fiber, you will also see a lower number on the bathroom scale.

(7) Which of the following exercises is the best exercises to lose belly fat?

(a) Crunches
(b) Lifting Weights
(c) Running
(d) Both (b) and (c)

Answer: (d) Both (b) and (c) are the correct answers. Although crunches are good for toning and strengthening the abdominal area, they will not necessarily reduce the fat. The only way to burn fat is by speeding up the metabolism. A cardio workout like running assists in increasing the heart rate and the body’s ability to burn fat and calories.

Used in conjunction with resistance trainingor an anaerobic exercise such as weightlifting, you will indeed lose weight in the abdominal area. That’s because resistance training causes you to keep burning calories even after you’ve completed your session of exercise.

(8) Which of the following beverages will aid in reducing one’s waistline?

(a) Skim milk
(b) Coffee
(c) Green tea
(d) Both (a) and (c)

Answer: If you said (d) – both (a) and (c), you are correct. Skim milk is a low-fat dairy product. Any low-fat dairy product is helpful in lowering the amount of absorbed fat in the abdominal region and therefore reduces any accumulation of fat. Green tea too is a good beverage to consume if you want to reduce inches from your waist as it’s been proven to boost the metabolism and therefore burn fat. On the other hand, coffee dehydrates the system and is not a good choice if you want to lose weight in the abdominal area. It’s important to keep hydrated when you want to burn calories and lose excess weight. So coffee isn’t the best choice when it comes to something to drink.

(9) Which of the following foods is not rich in fiber and not necessarily helpful in weight reduction?

(a) Chick peas
(b) Strawberries
(c) Potatoes with skins
(d) None of the above.

Answer: (d) None of the above. All of the foods listed are rich in fiber and can help you lose weight if consumed in conservative portions.

(10) If you must cave in to temptation, which of the following treats would be best to eat if you want to keep your belly washboard flat?

(a) One or two bites of dark chocolate with almonds.
(b) An ice cream sandwich.
(c) Pork rinds.
(d) None of the above.

Answer: (a) Believe it or not, it’s been found that you can eat a small amount of dark chocolate without any adverse effects. If you wrap it around a protein like almonds, then you’ll even obtain more benefits. Dark chocolate contains monounsaturated fat, which is produced from plants and is an acceptable food to eat provided you consume only a small portion as it’s also dense calorically.

How do you “weight in” when it comes to belly fat? Did you get most of the above answers right or do you need to do some more homework? Regardless of your score, remember to keep a healthy perspective, which is the best way to lose belly fat. You’re already on your way to losing weight if you can maintain a positive outlook.

Do You Know How to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat?
Hara Hagikalfa
Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:24:20 GMT