Researchers Further Define the Risks and Benefits of Gastric Bypass and Gastric Band Surgeries

As the obesity problem reached epidemic proportions both in the United States and around the world, increasing numbers of people are taking extreme steps to help maintain a healthy weight. The prevalence of surgical procedures designed to severely limit the amount of food that can be eaten has increased substantially in recent years. In 2006, it is estimated that over 200,000 people underwent some form of gastric surgery as part of a weight loss effort, and that number is expected to skyrocket over the next five years.

These types of procedures physically constrain the stomach, making it virtually impossible to overeat without experiencing extreme discomfort nd, in some cases, prompting unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. As such, patients who have had gastric surgery typically lose weight rapidly and, in most cases, do not gain it back.

However, although these procedures are clearly linked with successful, rapid weight loss, they have also prompted some controversy. Many researchers and physicians have asserted that the long-term consequences of weight-loss surgeries are not yet fully understood. This week, we?ll take a look at some of the most recent research findings pertaining to gastric bypass and gastric band surgeries.

New Assessment Procedure Allows Surgery Risk to be Predicted More Accurately

One of the most controversial aspects of gastric weight-loss surgery is the high risk of mortality and morbidity associated with the procedures. According to one well-known 2005 study, as many as one in fifty gastric bypass patients died within a month of surgery. However, these risks have not deterred obese patients from seeking out the procedures; indeed, demand for the surgeries have only increased in recent years.

In order to minimize the risk associated with gastric weight-loss surgeries, a team of researchers at Duke University analyzed the records of thousands of patients who had undergone the procedures. Using this data, they were able to identify five risk factors that were associated with a patient having a greater risk for morbidity, mortality, and other post-surgery complications.

The five risk factors that were linked with the greatest chance of adverse outcomes from gastric weight-loss surgery included:

• Being male

• Being over the age of 45

• Having a body mass index of more than 50

• Having high blood pressure

• Having a high risk for developing blood clots in the lungs

The researchers said that this risk assessment tool would help identify not only which patients should avoid the surgery, but also those who may need increased after-care during the recovery process. It is believed that the widespread application of this tool will reduce the risks associated with the increasingly popular procedures.

Gastric Band Surgery Increases Insulin Sensitivity in Diabetics

Gastric band surgery, which entails placing a restrictive elastic band around the stomach to limit food intake, has been shown to be a very successful method of promoting lasting weight loss. In addition, the findings of a recent study indicate that the procedure may hold promise as a treatment for diabetics.

In a study conducted by researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, diabetic patients who underwent the gastric banding procedure began to display signs of responding to insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar in the blood. Most diabetics lose their sensitivity to insulin, and thus, their body?s ability to naturally regulate the blood sugar.

However, in the experiment, the diabetic patients had regained 60% of their insulin sensitivity within six months of undergoing the gastric banding surgery. In addition, the researchers reported that the effect was still observable even if the patients were still technically obese. In the future, similar procedures may be established as part of a standard treatment protocol for overweight patients with diabetes or insulin insensitivity.

Link between Gastric Bypass Surgery and Several Serious Neurological Conditions Probed

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock recently reported the results of a study that indicated that patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery may be at heightened risk for a number of grave brain disorders and troubling neurological symptoms, including confusion, auditory hallucinations, optic neuropathy, weakness and loss of sensation in the legs, and pain in the feet.

The longitudinal study, which was conducted over the course of ten years, concluded that the neurological symptoms may be the result of long-term nutritional deficiencies. The surgical procedure that is used in gastric bypass surgery decreases the body?s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals naturally, and over time, these deficiencies can result in serious health problems, including neurological disorders. The researchers recommended that increased scrutiny should be afforded to patients? dietary and nutritional intake after the procedure.

Though they remain controversial, the current trend indicates that gastric weight-loss surgeries will remain a constant feature of the spectrum of weight-loss options available to obese and overweight individuals in the future. Keep an eye on this space for more research news to support your weight loss journey.

Weight Loss Breakthroughs: A Novel Approach to Dieting And the First FDA-Approved OTC Diet Drug

In the United States alone, it is estimated that about 60 million adults are obese or overweight. This amounts to over 30% of the total adult population. Of the people who are identified as obese or overweight, nearly two-thirds are on a diet at any given time.

As such, the weight loss industry has ballooned to a historically unprecedented level of success. New diet plans are constantly being unveiled, and studies that seek to uncover causes, complications, and cures for obesity are some of the most active areas of research. The government funds studies on obesity in order to reduce the billions of dollars spent annually on obesity-related illnesses and diseases. Private corporations continue to study obesity in order to create lucrative weight loss products.

As a result, significant findings pertaining to weight loss, diet success, and obesity reduction are being released on a near-constant basis. This week, we?ll take a look at several new and novel approaches to weight loss, including the Hot Sauce Diet and a new diet drug that is slated for release in the summer of 2007.

The Hot Sauce Diet and the Weight Loss Benefits of Spicy Foods

Over the years, there have been weight-loss programs that span the entire nutritional spectrum, ranging from low-carb to low-fat and encompassing possible point in between. It?s hard to imagine that a truly original approach to weight loss could still be possible, but several teams of researchers have achieved this seemingly impossible feat with recent reports that tout the weight loss benefits of spicy foods.

Baltimore, Maryland-based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Spiro Antoniades advocates a diet approach based on the liberal use of hot sauce in his recently published book, The Hot Sauce Diet: A Journey of Behavior Modification. Antoniades himself claims to have dropped 70 lbs. using the weight-loss technique he espouses in the book.

Rather than claiming that hot sauce have any special weight loss properties, Antoniades recommends a unique use for salsas and other spicy condiments: he proposes that you use them as a way to modify your eating behavior and portion sizes. In short, Antoniades proposes that those seeking to lose weight use hot sauce to train themselves to eat less. In addition, the doctor proposes the use of large amounts of hot sauce as a way to encourage more water consumption, which many previous studies have confirmed to be an important component of a successful weight loss campaign.

Admittedly, Antoniades? approach is a bit unorthodox, and some critics have called the safety of his diet into question. However, another team of researchers recently suggested that hot and spicy foods may, in fact, play an important role in promoting weight loss, albeit for different reasons than the ones Antoniades emphasizes.

Although the research remains controversial, some scientists believe that spicy foods contain thermogenic properties that may increase the speed and efficiency of the body?s metabolism. In other words, some believe that the act of consuming a meal that contains spicy chiles or salsas, especially those that have the chemical compounds known as ?capsaicinoids,? can burn calories. Other scientists have hypothesized that people tend to eat less and feel more satisfied when they consume a meal containing spicy ingredients.

While the research findings on the issue of spicy foods remains inconclusive at the current juncture, if you are trying to lose weight, it may be worth it to do a little experimentation of your own. Try preparing a healthy meal topped with a generous serving of spicy salsa or hot sauce and see what happens!

Over-The-Counter Diet Drug Hits Stores on June 15

Although there are dozens of diet pills that can be purchased at your local drugstore, none of them have been proven effective or safe enough to merit approval by the FDA. Until now, that is. The first over-the-counter, FDA-approved diet pill will go on sale a week before the first day of summer.

The drug, known as Alli, promotes weight loss by blocking the body?s absorption of dietary fat. About 25% if the fat that is consumed in the diet is blocked from entering your body with ongoing consumption of the drug. Along with a sensible eating plan and a fitness regimen, it is believed that the drug may promote faster weight loss by encouraging the body to burn excess calories that are stored as fat.

It?s unclear whether the drug will be embraced by the dieting public, but considering the success of many past weight-loss drug, it seems likely that the over-the-counter drug will be a hit with those trying to shed excess pounds.

Still, weight loss experts remind us that the most effective way to lose weight is to avoid the temptation of gimmicks and fads and stick to what has been shown time and time again to work wonders: eating less and moving more. Watch this space for more updates on the latest diet and weight loss breakthroughs.

The Great Debate Continues: Recent Findings About Genetic Causes of Obesity

When it comes to weight loss, one of the most heated controversies is a variation of the age-old ?nature or nurture? debate that scientists have long asked about many aspects of human health and behavior. In short, is obesity caused by our genetics, environment and upbringing, or by our family?s and ancestors? health, heritage, and medical history?

The question is so complex that it cannot be easily answered. Although scientists have been exploring this issue for decades, a definitive answer to the ?nature or nurture? question has remained elusive. Because the transmission and manifestation of genetic traits is such a complicated process that depends upon many variables, it may be that a simple ?yes? or ?no? answer to this question will never be possible.

Still, researchers continue to investigate the relationship between obesity and genetics, with significant new findings being announced on an ongoing basis. Here?s an overview of some of the most groundbreaking findings that have been released in recent months.

UK Researchers Uncover a Strong Genetic Link to Obesity

The results of a recent study conducted by UK researchers at the University of Oxford and the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter added fuel to the flames of the ?nature or nurture? controversy. According to the team?s findings, the presence of a certain gene was identified as increasing an individual?s risk of becoming obese by up to 70%.

The gene in question was referred to as the ?FTO? gene. Among a test group of over 40,000 subjects, it was found that individuals whose DNA had one copy of the FTO gene stood a 30% higher risk of developing obesity in adulthood. The individuals who had two copies of the FTO gene (i.e., one from each parent) bore a remarkable 70% greater risk of obesity than did their counterparts without the gene.

Relationship between Mother?s Age at Puberty and Childhood Obesity Probed

A research team based at the University of Cambridge recently released study findings that identified a possible connection between maternal menarche and the obesity risk of children, offering another perspective on the long-running debate over the role genetics play in determining weight.

Specifically, the researchers found that women who started menstruating earlier tended to have children who developed obesity during childhood and adolescence. Women whose first menstrual period began at or before age 11 typically gave birth to children who experienced rapid growth during their first two years of life, but then began to develop obesity and comparatively short stature in relation to their peers.

The researchers pointed out that girls born to women who began menstruation at an early age were also more likely to experience early menstruation themselves, which is another risk factor for obesity in adolescence and adulthood.

Study Identifies Genetic Differences in the Way Nutrients are Processed

A research team comprised of scientists from Tufts University and the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center found that different people process fat, protein, and carbohydrates differently, and that these differences can be partially ascribed to genetic traits.

Specifically, the researchers found that for a small number of people with a genetic variant of the APOA5 gene, fat intake did not impact overall body mass (BMI). In other words, the estimated 13% of the population with this gene can eat what most would consider to be an unhealthy diet and still maintain a generally healthy weight. Although this finding is not directly related to the genetic causes of obesity, it does suggest that a strong link does exist between genetics, our physique, and the ease with which we can (or can?t) maintain a healthy weight.

Nature and Nurture

Although these recent findings suggest that there is a strong link between genetics and obesity, don?t despair. As scientists would be the first to remind you, even if you have the genes that increase your risk for a condition, that doesn?t mean you?re doomed to a lifelong struggle with weight gain. Genetic expression results from a combination of our DNA and our daily choices.

In other words, if you maintain a reasonably healthy diet and exercise regularly, you probably won?t become overweight, even if you are genetically predisposed to it. As with so many things in life, if you stick to a path of moderation, you can decide your own destiny.

Strategic Food Choices for Maximum Weight Loss: New Research Findings Tout the Benefits of Eggs, Soy, and Soup

At any given time, it is estimated that 45 million Americans are on a diet, meaning that about fifteen percent of the population consider themselves to be actively in pursuit of weight loss. But if you were to ask each of these dieters what they are doing to lose weight, chances are you?d be given a slightly different response from each person.

In truth, there are as many different weight-loss-oriented diet plans out there as there are dieters. Even among those who are following popular plans such as Weight Watchers, Atkins, or the South Beach Diet, each individual tends to make modifications and changes that make their eating plan unique.

Determining which eating plan is the most effective way to promote lasting weight loss is a process that has generated a substantial amount of controversy among researchers, physicians, and public health advocates in recent years. At the current time, the scientific literature on the subject is somewhat confusing. There are both advantages and disadvantages that have been linked to virtually all of the major weight-loss diets.

One thing that scientists can agree on is that some of the most effective changes dieters can make are also sometimes the smallest. Rather than undertaking a radically different approach to eating all at once, researchers recommend making incremental substitutions, such as gradually swapping healthier items for junk food, sweet treats, and other unhealthy snacks. In this way, you?ll be more likely to make these changes permanent, thereby increasing your chances of reaching your long-term weight loss goals.

But where to start? It can often be difficult to determine the types of healthy changes that will be most beneficial. This week, we?ll discuss three easy food substitutions that have been linked with successful weight loss in recent studies: eggs, soy and soup.

Starting Meals with Soup Can Cut Calories, Speed Weight Loss

One recent study indicated that dieters may be able to increase the effectiveness of their weight-loss efforts by beginning meals with a small portion of soup. The researchers identified myriad benefits associated with meals planned around a first course of relatively low-fat soups and stews.

In the study, participants who began their meals with soup were able to consume fewer total calories without experiencing hunger. The soup-eating subjects in the experiment ate an average of 20% less calories than did their non-soup-eating peers.

Scientists surmise that the low caloric density of most soups is likely the explanation for this effect. Because most soups are broth-based, they contain far fewer calories than many other types of food. People attain a feeling of fullness sooner, even though they may have consumed far fewer calories than if they had eaten solid foods alone.

Although the participants in the study were not overweight, the calorie reduction among soup eaters was significant enough to prompt the researchers to suggest further studies on the implications for dieters. In the meantime, those seeking to achieve weight loss may want to substitute soup for their typical first-course fare.

Moderate Consumption of Soy Products Linked With Weight Loss

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found a strong correlation between soy intake and weight loss. They found that a diet rich in certain key types of soy products actually served to speed up the metabolism, prompting the body to burn fat and calories at a more rapid pace.

Although the mechanism behind this outcome is not yet fully understood, researchers believe that soy may interact with key receptors in the brain that control the release of hormones in the body. Increased soy intake prompts the release of more hormones, which in turn serves to speed up the metabolism.

However, scientists caution that the long-term implications of a soy-rich diet are not yet fully understood. Until further studies can be conducted, it is best to maintain a moderate intake of soy-based products, limited to 3-5 servings per week.

Eggs for Breakfast May Help Dieters Shed More Weight

For decades, eggs were vilified by weight-loss experts as a food to avoid. Today, however, most researchers, physicians, and public health advocates have reversed that stance, touting eggs as a healthy, nutrient-dense food choice.

One recent study suggested that eggs may play a role in promoting faster weight loss, as well. A study conducted by Louisiana State University researchers found that overweight women who ate two eggs for breakfast as part of an ongoing diet plan were more successful in their weight-loss efforts than their counterparts who ate a bagel for breakfast

Indeed, the difference in the weight loss outcome of the two groups was significant. Those who ate two eggs for breakfast at least five days a week for the course of the eight-week experiment lost 65% more weight, had 83% greater reductions in waist circumference, and reported higher energy levels than their peers.

Experts recommend a low-fat preparation, such as poached, parboiled, or boiled eggs, to maximize the weight-loss benefits of an egg breakfast.

No matter what your personal preferences are, it?s likely that either eggs, soup, or soy products will appeal to your taste buds. Incorporate one of these proven weight-loss strategies into your diet today as a first step toward a new, healthier lifestyle.