Archive for the ‘obesity’ Category

Science has long known that visceral fat, the fat surrounding your abdominal organs, aka the “beer belly”, is the worst place for you health. Fat in this location has been associated with increased rates of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and potentially even cancer.

Beer Belly fat releases inflammatory molecules like c-reactive protein (CRP) that are released into your bloodstream, resulting in damage to your heart, blood vessels and other organs over time. This is less true with fat deposited on your hips or other parts of the body.

Now a new study from the University of Illinois, published in the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, shows that modest exercise alone will decrease visceral fat inflammation, even without a change in diet. Mice were stuffed with a high fat diet for six weeks, then put in four different groups. These included a sedentary group, an exercise group, a low fat diet group and a a group that combined  exercise and a low fat diet.

Interestingly, the exercise alone group performed almost as well as the combination of diet and exercise group. The exercise routine comprised a  1/4 of a mile 5 days a week which upscaled to humans would be around 30-45 minutes of exercise 5 days a week- precisely the recommended exercise routine by the American College of Sports Medicine  (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

So does this mean that as long as you are exercising regularly you can pig out at your local fast food joint? Absolutely not.  Remember that this study only looks at inflammatory levels. There are numerous published good studies that show that weight loss reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, not to mention a reduction in diabetes and cancer, and plenty of studies that show that obesity people have higher rates of diseases along with poorer quality of life.

This study does show however that if you have difficulty controlling your diet, don’t despair and stop exercising- you can still benefit from regular modest exercise alone. Eat sensibly and exercise five times per week and you may prevent all of these illnesses from happening to you!

Source:

This study is funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and was published in the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism. Co-authors are V.J. Vieira, R.J. Valentine, K. Wilund, N. Antao, T. Baynard, and J.A. Woods

Via Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147483.php

Here’s another great benefit to white tea- it decreases fat uptake by new fat cells as well as tells existing fat cells to breakdown and release their stored fat.

A new study published today in “Nutrition and Metabolism” reports these findings. They added a white tea extract containing polyphenols, methylxanthines and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to preadipocytes that eventually turn into fat cells. They measured the gene expression of transcription factors that initiate fat cell genesis.

Amazingly, the study found that the white tea extract decreased triglyceride (a type of dietary fat) uptake into new fat cells without affecting cell viability. It also stimulated existing fat cells to metabolize their fat stores. This effect was on both a genetic and protein building level.

Polyphenols and EGCG are powerful antioxidants that may prevent certain cancers and maybe even cardiovascular disease. Methylxanthines like caffeine relaxes your lung and blood vessel smooth muscles, and are also mild central nervous system and cardiac stimulants. These substances are found in other tea like green tea but they are thought to have higher concentrations in white tea. White tea is the least processed version of the tea plant Camellia sinensis from which both green tea and black tea are also derived.

Here is a great picture from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University outlining the tea processing method:

What does this mean to you? It’s hard to say if this will be a useful or safe weight loss tool and more studies need to be done in humans to evaluate this but it is reasonable to drink more white tea both for antioxidant properties and/or if you are on a weight loss program prescribed or recommended by your physician.

My wife, an avid tea drinker, is going to love these findings!

Source:

Nutrition & Metabolism 2009, 6:20
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/6/1/20

Linus Pauling Institute http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/

New research by University of Calgary, Faculty of Kinesiology researcher Dr. Raylene Reimer has shown that in rats if fed high protein diets when they are babies, and then fed a typical Western diet as adults, are more likely to become obese, have heart disease and diabetes than rats fed a high fiber diet.

This may explain the rapid increase in obesity in Western society, a pace which has exceeded that of evolution of our DNA. The major change has been a switch from low calorie/low nutrition diet of hunter gatherers to a high calorie/high fat “Western” diet.

There is building evidence that our childhood diet and even our mother’s diets while pregnant may have an impact on our gene expression, possibly putting us at risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The high protein diets do nothing to the actual DNA themselves, but may change the expression of the metabolism and obesity genes themselves. High fiber diets in contrast result in expression of other genes like pro-glucogon that result in decreased food intake.

Reimer’s study published in the current Journal of Physiology (London,) compares three groups of baby rats. One group was fed a high protein diet, one group was fed a high fiber diet and a third group was fed a control diet. When the rats became adults, they were switched to a high fat, high sugar diet similar to a typical western diet.

Reimer says that “This study clearly indicates that diet composition alone can change the trajectory of circulating satiety hormones and metabolic pathways that influence how we gain weight or control blood sugar as adults.”

What’s the bottom line? Pregnant mothers should follow the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG), “Nutrition during Pregnancy” guidelines, and mothers should feed their children a high fiber diet rather than a high protein diet. See the original press release here.

Welcome to my new blog “Shape up!” As a sports medicine physician, an athlete and a huge proponent for preventative health, I am naturally interested in bringing practical fitness and well being knowledge to you, my readers. In my years in the medical world, I have noticed that much of the focus of medical training and patient care is based in “reactive” medicine- that is, the problem has occurred, and the goal of therapy is damage control, and if possible to cure.

Many of the cases I see clinically, I realize could have been prevented or controlled with healthy living based in regular physical activity, stress reduction, striving to be at an optimum weight and healthy nutrition. Unfortunately obesity is an epidemic that results in numerous health risks and conditions and is a direct result of poor nutritional choices and a lack of physical activity as well as genetic predispositions. I hope to, in small part, prevent obesity and promote physical activity in you, my readers.

Please understand that Kosmix, and myself are not liable for anything that may happen to you and that this blog does not substitute for regular medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from your personal physician or health care provider. Never delay seeking medical treatment based on anything you read or see on this blog. Your use of or reliance on any information on this blog is solely at your own risk.  Please consult with your health care provider before attempting anything described in this blog and call 911 in case of emergency.

My hope is to present the latest news in the world of exercise, fitness, obesity and preventative health, as well as “core topic” posts about common sports medicine problems that I see in my clinic. Hopefully we can together learn and promote the underlying truth that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!” The result is more cost-effective health care for you and the country, and a happier, productive life. I hope you enjoy my posts, and I am open to feedback. Let’s “Shape Up!”

–Sincerely, Rowan Paul, M.D.