Normal Weight Control Group Research Articles

Alterations in blood glucose, insulin, and free fatty acids following lateral hypothalamic lesions or parasagittal knife cuts

The effects of lateral hypothalamic (LH) lesions or parasagittal knife cuts placed lateral to the LH on levels of serum glucose, insulin and lipids were examined in 3 separate experiments. The first experiment showed that 24 hr after surgery, free fatty acid (FFA) levels were significantly lower in the knife cut group than in the groups given LH lesions or control operations. However, blood glucose was higher in both the knife cut group and LH lesion group relative to controls. In a second experiment, groups of rats given LH lesions, knife cuts or control operations were allowed 25 days postoperative recovery. The LH lesion group had higher FFA levels, lower triglyceride, insulin, and glucose levels than the knife-cut or normal weight control group. However, FFA, triglyceride and insulin levels for the LH group did not differ from its weight-paired control group. The third experiment demonstrated that LH lesions and knife cuts altered FFA mobilization in response to 2-DG, however, only knife cuts altered the hyperglycemia induced by 2-DG. This suggests that the parasagittal knife cuts uniquely interrupt the sympathetic activation of the adrenal medulla. The results of the present study indicate that although LH lesions and parasagittal knife cuts induce similar patterns of ingestive disorders, the autonomic and metabolic alterations resulting from these two surgical procedures are quite different.

Personality, body image, and eating pattern changes in overweight persons after weight loss.

A group of overweight persons who achieved a substantial weight loss over a 6-month period were compared with a group of overweight persons who showed an unsubstantial weight change and a normal weight control group. All groups were evaluated before the weight program began and at a 6-month follow-up. The substantial weight loss group showed a number of significant changes after weight reduction. Body image rating shifted in the direction of evaluating onself as less heavy, eating was rated as less good and more heavy, and a greater feeling of self-control was indicated. Over time, the change group learned to limit the number of emotional and environmental cues that were discriminative stimuli for eating behavior. There also were more frequent reports of eating in response to cues of hunger after substantial weight loss.

Physical fitness, muscle force and endurance of male adults of overweight.

The physical fitness of overweight males, for doing stationary work, was found to be about equal to a normal weight control group of the same age and height. The muscle force of grip muscles, elbow and knee flexors and extensors, was significantly higher. The muscle endurance for phasic and static contraction was lower in the overweight group. This combination of a) equal circulatory performance for stationary work b) higher muscle force c) lower muscle endurance for static and phasic work is most logically explained by less physical activity of the overweight individual in our series.