Central Obesity & Dementia; Diet, Vitamin D, Calcium, & Colon Cancer
October 29, 2008
Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS
Central Obesity & Dementia; Diet, Vitamin D, Calcium, & Colon Cancer
2008-10-05 at 5:09 pm ·
The information in this column is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice or recommendations by the author. Please consult with your physician before making any lifestyle or medication changes, or if you have any other concerns regarding your health.
CENTRAL OBESITY & DEMENTIA
We are, quite plainly, the heaviest society in the recorded history of mankind. More than 60% of adult Americans are overweight, and one-fourth of the U.S. population is frankly obese.
There is ample clinical evidence showing that obesity is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and premature death. Some cancers also appear to be more common among obese patents, including cancers of the breast, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, uterus and kidney.
Although generalized obesity is a risk factor for all of the life-threatening diseases that I have described, the accumulation of excess body fat within and around the abdomen (central obesity) appears to be linked with an especially high risk of obesity-associated illnesses. Now, a new research study, just published in the journal Neurology, suggests that dementia may also be more common among patients with central obesity. ” More on this…
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Food Restriction Increases Dopamine Receptor Levels in Obese Rats
October 17, 2008
Food Restriction Increases Dopamine Receptor Levels in Obese Rats:
“Food Restriction Increases Dopamine Receptor Levels in Obese Rats Evidence for interplay of brain’s ‘reward’ chemical with availability of food in obesity October 25, 2007 Photo of Thanos Peter Thanos
UPTON, NY - A brain-imaging study of genetically obese rats conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory provides more evidence that dopamine - a brain chemical associated with reward, pleasure, movement, and motivation - plays a role in obesity. The scientists found that genetically obese rats had lower levels of dopamine D2 receptors than lean rats. They also demonstrated that restricting food intake can increase the number of D2 receptors, partially attenuating a normal decline associated with aging.
‘This research corroborates brain-imaging studies conducted at Brookhaven that found decreased levels of dopamine D2 receptors in obese people compared with normal-weight people,’ said Brookhaven neuroscientist Panayotis (Peter) Thanos, lead author of the current study, which will be published online in the journal Synapse on Thursday, October 25, 2007.
It’s not clear whether reduced receptor levels are a cause or consequence of obesity: Overeating may chronically reduce receptor levels, which, over the long term, could eventually contribute to obesity. But having genetically low receptor levels may also lead to obesity by predisposing the individual to overeating in an attempt to stimulate a ‘blunted’ reward system. Either way, revving up receptor levels by restricting food intake could enhance the impact of this common strategy for combating obesity.
‘Consuming fewer calories is obviously important for people trying to lose weight, plus improving the brain’s ability to respond to rewards other than food may help prevent overeating,‘ Thanos said. Because food intake can have such a dramatic effect on dopamine receptor levels, ‘this study also provides further evidence for the interplay of genetic factors with the environment in the development of obesity in our society,’ he said.
The finding that food restriction can attenuate the effects of aging on the brain’s ability to respond to dopamine may also help explain why food restriction slows down other changes associated with aging, such as declines in locomotor activity and sensitivity to reward. “
(Via Food Restriction Increases Dopamine Receptor Levels in Obese Rats.)
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Obesity, Abnormal ‘Reward Circuitry’ In Brain Linked: Gene Tied To Dopamine Signaling Also Implicated In Overeating
October 17, 2008
“Obesity, Abnormal ‘Reward Circuitry’ In Brain Linked: Gene Tied To Dopamine Signaling Also Implicated In Overeating ScienceDaily (Oct. 17, 2008) — Using brain imaging and chocolate milkshakes, scientists have found that women with weakened ‘reward circuitry’ in their brains are at increased risk of weight gain over time and potential obesity. The risk increases even more for women who also have a gene associated with compromised dopamine signaling in the brain.”
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All US adults could be overweight in 40 years says study | HEALTH | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz
August 8, 2008
Doctor’s Comment: Maybe this isn’t literally true, but we are well on our way. All US adults could be overweight in 40 years says study | HEALTH | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz: “All US adults to be obese by 2040Aug 7, 2008 12:15 PMIf the trends of the past three decades continue, it’s possible that every American adult could be overweight 40 years from now, a government-funded study projects.The figure might sound alarming, or impossible, but researchers say that even if the actual rate never reaches the 100% mark, any upward movement is worrying; two-thirds of the population is already overweight.’Genetically and physiologically, it should be impossible’ for all US adults to become overweight, said Dr Lan Liang of the federal government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, one of the researchers on the study. “However, she said, the data suggest that if the trends of the past 30 years persist, that is the direction we’re going. (Via All US adults could be overweight in 40 years says study | HEALTH | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz.)
A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study
April 15, 2008
Diabetes Study Partially Halted Due to Cardiac Risk
February 8, 2008
Diabetes Study Partially Halted Due to Cardiac Risk: “A new study on Type 2 diabetes was partially halted after research showed lowering blood sugar levels for some high-risk patients increased their chances of dying from a heart attack. The head of the American Diabetes Association details the surprising findings.”
(Via Diabetes Study Partially Halted Due to Cardiac Risk.)
Adiposity and Reporting of Vasomotor Symptoms among Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation
February 7, 2008
It has long been hypothesized that increased adiposity would be associated with decreased vasomotor symptoms during menopause because of conversion of androgens to estrogens in body fat. However, recent thermoregulatory models have postulated that increased adipose tissue would be associated with a greater likelihood of vasomotor symptoms. The authors evaluated these hypotheses in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, a multiethnic, community-based observational study of US women transitioning through menopause. The sample included 1,776 women aged 47-59 years with an intact uterus and at least one ovary who completed bioelectrical impedance analysis for assessment of body composition at the sixth annual study visit (2002-2004). Assessments also included reported vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin-adjusted estradiol (free estradiol index). Results indicated that a higher percentage of body fat was associated with increased odds of reporting vasomotor symptoms (per standard deviation increase in percent body fat, odds ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval: 1.14, 1.42) in age- and site-adjusted models. Associations persisted in fully adjusted models and were not reduced when models included reproductive hormones. These findings support a thermoregulatory model of vasomotor symptoms.
“
Depression, Obesity Coexist in Many Middle-Aged Women - Yahoo! News
February 7, 2008
Depression, Obesity Coexist in Many Middle-Aged Women - Yahoo! News:
Mon Jan 14, 11:47 PM ET
MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) — Obesity and depression often go hand-in-hand in middle-aged women, a new U.S. study found.
The research collected information on the height, weight, dietary and exercise habits, and body image of 4,641 women, ages 40 to 65, enrolled in a health plan. The women also completed a questionnaire used to measure depression symptoms.
Women with clinical depression were more than twice as likely to be obese (a body mass index of 30 or more), and obese women were more than twice as likely to be depressed, the study found.
It also found that women with BMIs of 30 or higher exercised the least, had the poorest body image, and consumed 20 percent more calories than women with ”
(Via Depression, Obesity Coexist in Many Middle-Aged Women - Yahoo! News.)
Obesity surgery seen as diabetes cure
February 7, 2008
Obesity surgery seen as diabetes cure
(AP): “AP - A new study gives the strongest evidence yet that obesity surgery can cure diabetes. Patients who had surgery to reduce the size of their stomachs were five times more likely to see their diabetes disappear over the next two years than were patients who had standard diabetes care, according to Australian researchers.”
(Via Obesity surgery seen as diabetes cure
(AP).)
Nuts and berries fight metabolic syndrome
January 21, 2008
Nuts and berries fight metabolic syndrome: “(NewsTarget) A number of recent studies have indicated that nuts and berries provide great advantages in averting metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms linked to heightened risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Preliminary results from a Spanish study involving 9,000 people suggest that a Mediterranean diet leads to improved levels of cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure, all linked to metabolic syndrome. In particular, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with 15 grams of walnuts, 7.5 grams of hazelnuts and 7.5 grams of almonds per day appeared to provide a long-term 50 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, more than the Mediterranean diet high in olive oil or the low fat diet. The research was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
In another study, researchers found that people who supplemented their everyday diet with 2-3 ounces of pistachios per day for four weeks showed significantly improved cholesterol ratios, perhaps due to their increased intake of fiber and lower intake of saturated fat. This study was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
‘This research challenges the previously held belief that a low-fat diet is best for heart health. Studies now show that a diet with a moderate amount of healthful monounsaturated fat, like the kind found in pistachios, is a more effective way to prevent heart disease than reducing overall fat intake,’ said lead researcher James Cooper.
In a long-term study of 34,000 post-menopausal women published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods such as berries was correlated with lowered incidence of cardiovascular disease over the course of 16 years.
An estimated 50 million people suffer from metabolic syndrome in the United States, placing them at a doubled risk of cardiovascular disease and five times the risk of diabetes compared with those who do not have the syndrome.”
(Via Nuts and berries fight metabolic syndrome.)
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