Scientists Seek to Learn More about Human Obesity, Fitness by Studying Mice

At first glance, humans and rodents may not seem to have a whole lot in common with one another, but scientists have increasingly come to rely on these fuzzy little creatures to expand their understanding of obesity and weight loss. Surprisingly enough, mice share enough of our physiological features to be able to stand in for humans in many lab tests, experiments, and studies.

Indeed, most of the medical breakthroughs that have occurred over the course of the last century have their earliest origins in studies conducted using mice. With the epidemic of obesity that is now threatening the health and well-being of many in the Western world, scientists have begun using animal models to try to find out more about not only the causes of obesity, but also possible treatments and solutions for this problem. This week, we?ll take a look at three recent studies that offer new insight into fitness -- and fatness.

Access to Fast Food, Junk Food Can Alter Eating Behaviors

Over the last few years, there has been a firestorm of controversy surrounding the prevalence of unhealthy foods in modern society. Public health advocates have claimed that easy access to fast food has helped contribute to the obesity epidemic, while the companies that offer these products have countered that they can be part of a healthy diet if eaten in moderation.

Inspired by the documentary Super-Size Me, Dr. Brent Tetri, a gastroenterologist and liver specialist at St. Louis University, designed an experiment to test these claims. Dr. Tetri and his team fed a group of mice the nutritional equivalent of a fast-food diet over a period of 16 weeks. This pattern of consumption not only resulted in dire health consequences for the mice, but it also seemed to have impacted their eating preferences and food-seeking behaviors.

From a biological point of view, the fast-food-eating mice suffered from ailments ranging from fatty accumulations on the liver to early-stage diabetes. Perhaps even more disturbingly, however, the fast-food-eating mice soon began to overeat past the point of fullness at every meal time, while their counterparts who were being fed a normal, healthy diet did not do so. According to Tetri and his team, these results may have grave implications for patients attempting to incorporate even moderate fast-food consumption into a healthy lifestyle.

New Shots May Provide Help With Targeted Weight Loss

Doctors and fitness experts have long told their patients that it?s impossible to lose weight in just your problem areas. In order to achieve your ideal shape, it has long been counseled, you have to lose weight everywhere, usually by following a diet and fitness regimen.

However, one recent study suggests that there may be hope for men and women who are more concerned with unsightly fat in just a few trouble spots. A team of scientists led by Dr. Zofia Zukowska of Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. were able to use targeted doses of a substance known as neuropeptide Y to reduce fat in certain areas, and encourage its growth in other areas. The procedure could be used to develop new cosmetic surgery techniques in the future, Zukowska noted.

Stress Can Be Directly Related to Weight Gain, Study Finds

Although it has long been assumed that stress and anxiety can promote a tendency toward obesity, the results of a study recently published in the prestigious journal Nature offered a strong confirmation of this supposition. According to the authors, mice who were subjected to stressful conditions developed a strong craving for foods high in carbohydrates.

In addition, the same chemical compound that caused the cravings also helped convert the excess calories eaten by stressed-out mice into fat deposits centered around the stomach area. In humans, belly fat is the most dangerous pattern of weight gain, linked with a wide variety of ailments and illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. According to the authors, these findings underscore the importance of stress-relieving activities as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Be sure to check back each week for more of the weight loss, fitness, and diet news that can help you design and maintain your own healthy lifestyle.