Obesity-related Chronic Diseases Research Articles

Research on the mechanism of microwave-toughened starch on glucolipid metabolism in mice.

Potato resistant starch (RS) was prepared by microwave-toughening treatment (MTT). This study investigated the beneficial effects of RS on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6J mice by evaluating changes in the gut microbiota. The mice were fed low-fat diet with corn starch, HFD with corn starch, HFD with potato starch (HFP), or HFD with RS (HFR) for 6 weeks. The results showed that the HFR group had lower body weight and total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with the HFP group. Moreover, the brown adipose tissue levels of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1), β3-adrenoceptor (β3-AR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), and PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) were increased. Our results showed that RS supplementation increased the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio and the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing Allobaculum, Ruminococcus, and Blautia. Our data suggest that RS prepared by MTT may be used as a prebiotic agent to prevent gut dysbiosis and obesity-related chronic diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, and obesity.

Comparison of Portuguese and Turkish older adults’ nutritional status assessed by MNA-FF

AbstractMalnutrition is associated to a progressive decline in health, reduced physical and cognitive functional status and mortality. However, the malnutrition prevalence differs across countries. Previous studies reported 19% of malnourished elderly in Turkey and 1.3% in Portugal.We aimed to compare the nutritional status between between Portuguese and Turkish older adults using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment.This is a cross-sectional study using data from the Pronutrisenior project, collected in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal (n = 430), and a study in Ankara, Turkey (n = 162). The sample consisted of older adults living at their homes. Socio-demographic data, clinical data from the medical records, the full form of Mini-Nutrititional Assessment, MNA-FF and anthropometry (weight, height, BMI, mid-arm circumference and calf circumference) were collected.Turkish older adults lived more frequently with children, are more likely to be widow/widower, and have a higher probability of being housewife/househusband. A larger proportion of the Portuguese have tooth loss, diabetes, hypertension, oncologic diseases, kidney diseases, osteoarticular problems, or eye problems and a larger proportion of the Turkish have anemia. The BMI average is smaller in the Turkish sample, while the calf circumference average is larger. Turkish have a larger proportion of malnourished or at risk of malnutrition (4.9% and 31.5% vs. 1.2% and 24.0%, respectively). The average MNA-FF score is higher among the Portuguese, males and on people using denture, and without: toothloss, hypertension, CVD, anemia and oncological diseases. Moreover, higher MNA-FF scores were associated with younger ages, higher BMI and higher calf circumference.The effect size was larger for CVD and sex.The prevalence of malnutrition in European and American populations ranges from 1% to 15% in ambulatory living elders, more common among females as in this work. Other studies showed that higher BMI is related with lower malnutrition prevalence and higher prevalence of obesity-related chronic diseases. Tooth loss was more frequent in the Portuguese, which may be due to a higher intake of sweets or packaged food. Portuguese elders had lower calf circumferences but higher BMI, which may be related to lower muscle mass and/or higher fat mass. The differences between the Portuguese and the Turkish may be related to the different per capita gross national product, positively correlated with BMI and the consumption of processed foods. Anemia in Turkish elders may be related with BMI and their lower consumption of meat and the higher tea intake that may reduce iron absorption, as reported by other studies.

Sinapine-enriched rapeseed oils reduced fatty liver formation in high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6J mice.

Oil enrichment with trace amounts of components has significant effects on animal nutrition and health. In this work, the potential impact of sinapine, a trace amount of polyphenol naturally present in rapeseeds, was investigated in high-fat diet (HF)-fed C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed with different diets including chow diet (LF), HF diet, rapeseed oil-containing HF diet (RO), and rapeseed oils enriched with sinapine (500 mg kg−1 oil, high-fat diet, RP) for 12 weeks. Here, it was demonstrated that sinapine supplementation significantly reduced (P < 0.05) body weight increase, fat accumulation, and fatty liver formation in mice when compared with those fed with a high-fat diet. The TG, LDL-C, ALT and AST levels in the RP group were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by 15.67%, 73.62%, 20.67%, and 31.58%, respectively, compared with that in the HF group. Besides, the addition of sinapine prevented the degeneration of mouse adipocytes and lipid accumulation in the liver. Moreover, this change was achieved by downregulating SREBP-1c and FAS and upregulating PPAR-α and ACOX1 gene expression levels. Our results indicate that sinapine can be used as a prebiotic to enhance the nutritional function of vegetable oils to prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as NAFLD.

Sociodemographic and health risk profile associated with participation in a private health insurance weight loss maintenance and chronic disease management program.

Objective Identifying who participates in chronic disease management programs yields insights into program reach and appeal. This study investigated sustained participation in a remotely delivered weight loss maintenance program offered to Australian private health insurance members. Methods All participants completing an initial 18-week weight loss program were eligible for a maintenance phase. A pre-post test design was used and sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics of those who did and did not opt in to the maintenance phase were compared using binary logistic regression. Results Maintenance phase participants lost more weight during the initial weight loss program (-2.2kg (P<0.001); body mass index -0.8kg/m2 (P<0.001)) than those who did not opt in. Participants who were obese (v. overweight) upon completion of the initial weight loss program were less likely to opt in to the maintenance phase (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-2.30, P<0.001) and participants aged ≥55 years were more likely to opt in (aOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.80, P<0.001) than those aged <55 years. Conclusions Understanding why health insurance members opt in to maintenance programs can assist the development of strategies to improve program reach. Younger participants and those who remain obese following a weight loss program may be targeted by private health insurers and service providers to increase weight loss maintenance program participation. What is known about the topic? Australian private health insurers offer chronic disease management programs to support members to manage obesity-related chronic disease. An 18-week weight loss and lifestyle modification program was extended to assist participants maintain weight loss and health benefits resulting from the initial program. This weight loss maintenance phase is novel in the private health insurance setting and is thought to be important to sustained health improvement. Although program reach is important to benefit those most in need, little is known about who sustains the use (or does not) of such programs. What does this paper add? This study provides an insight to the characteristics of participants more likely to opt in to a weight loss maintenance program. It highlights the sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics associated with maintenance program uptake, identifying the subgroups less likely to opt in. These study findings are novel because they report on participation in a chronic disease management program with a focus on maintenance of weight loss. What are the implications for practitioners? These results will benefit private health insurers and service providers implementing maintenance programs for weight loss, providing an awareness of which participant groups to target to increase maintenance and reach. In addition, they offer avenues for future exploration, such as the generalisability and sustainability of chronic disease management programs. Although those not opting in are a difficult-to-access group, a qualitative study of reasons for not opting in to such a program would provide further information for program design, recruitment and retention.

Weight loss interventions for Hispanic women in the USA: a protocol for a systematic review

BackgroundIn the U.S., Hispanic women experience a disproportionate rate of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases. At the same time, Hispanic women remain considerably underrepresented in behavioral weight loss interventions. The purpose of this review is to systematically evaluate the evidence related to the effectiveness of weight loss interventions among Hispanic women in the U.S. This review will identify elements of successful weight loss interventions as well as areas for future research.Methods/DesignThe following databases will be searched to identify all relevant articles (from inception onwards): PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science (Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index), PsycINFO, CINAHL, Chicano Database, SPORTDiscus, CAB s, and Google Scholar. We will include randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies of adult women (> 18 years) from Hispanic/Latino background living in the United States. Eligible interventions will target weight-related behaviors (including diet, physical activity, behavior modification and/or their combinations). The review’s primary outcome will be weight change (expressed as change in lbs/kg or body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2)). Three reviewers will independently screen and select data and two will extract data. The methodological quality (or risk of bias) of individual studies will be appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool. A narrative synthesis will describe quality and content of the evidence.DiscussionThe aim of this systematic review is to critically examine existing weight loss interventions for Hispanic women in the U.S. and provide quality evidence for the effectiveness of these interventions on weight loss. Further, this review seeks to identify characteristics of effective interventions and suggest future directions for research efforts targeting weight loss in this population. This review will inform the development of future weight loss interventions for this population.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019119094

The food environment in Latin America: a systematic review with a focus on environments relevant to obesity and related chronic diseases.

Food environments may be contributing to the rapid increase in obesity occurring in most Latin American (LA) countries. The present study reviews literature from LA that (i) describes the food environment and policies targeting the food environment (FEP); and (ii) analytic studies that investigate associations between the FEP and dietary behaviours, overweight/obesity and obesity related chronic diseases. We focus on six dimensions of the FEP: food retail, provision, labelling, marketing, price and composition. Systematic literature review. Three databases (Web of Science, SciELO, LILACS) were searched, from 1 January 1999 up to July 2017. Two authors independently selected the studies. A narrative synthesis was used to summarize, integrate and interpret findings. Studies conducted in LA countries. The search yielded 2695 articles of which eighty-four met inclusion criteria. Most studies were descriptive and came from Brazil (61 %), followed by Mexico (18 %) and Guatemala (6 %). Studies were focused primarily on retail/provision (n 27), marketing (n 16) and labelling (n 15). Consistent associations between availability of fruit and vegetable markets and higher consumption of fruits and vegetables were found in cross-sectional studies. Health claims in food packaging were prevalent and mostly misleading. There was widespread use of marketing strategies for unhealthy foods aimed at children. Food prices were lower for processed relative to fresh foods. Some studies documented high sodium in industrially processed foods. Gaps in knowledge remain regarding policy evaluations, longitudinal food retail studies, impacts of food price on diet and effects of digital marketing on diet/health.

Abstract 114: Renal Inflammation Correlates With Pararenal and Perirenal Adipose Inflammation in Obesity

The global obesity epidemic has led to a 10-fold increase in the incidence of obesity-related chronic kidney disease, highlighting the need for improved understanding of its pathogenesis. Perirenal and pararenal fat capsules surround the kidneys and the thickness of these specific fat deposits is an independent predictor of chronic kidney disease in type-2 diabetes patients. Whilst visceral fat is well-known to promote inflammation in obesity, the role of pararenal and perirenal fat in renal inflammation is still unknown. Due to their close proximity to the kidneys, we hypothesize that pararenal and perirenal fat deposits directly cause renal inflammation and damage in obesity. Thus, we aimed to characterize perirenal, pararenal and renal inflammation in a diet-induced mouse model of obesity. Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed either normal chow (NC; n=12) or a high-fat diet (HFD; n=12) for 10 weeks. Compared with NC, the HFD resulted in greater bodyweight (38.4±1.1g vs. 29.4±0.6g), blood cholesterol (184±13mg/dL vs. 115±6mg/dL) and fasting blood glucose levels (12.3±0.6mmol/L vs. 9.7±0.3mmol/L) by the completion of the diet regimen (all P &lt;0.05). Flow cytometry was used to enumerate immune cell populations in the blood, kidneys and surrounding (perirenal and pararenal) adipose. In HFD mice, the frequency of CD11b+ cells and inflammatory (Ly6CHi) monocytes was higher in the blood (34±2% vs. 26±2% and 15±1% vs. 8±1%), perirenal (37±5% vs. 19±5% and 8±1% vs. 4±1%) and pararenal fat (65±4% vs. 50±3% and 8±1% vs. 3±1%) than in NC mice (all P &lt;0.05). This was associated with greater Ly6CHi monocyte infiltration in the kidneys from HFD mice ( P &lt;0.05). Interestingly, renal neutrophils (Ly6G+) were more prevalent in HFD than NC mice (3.5±0.5% vs. 2.2±0.3%; P &lt;0.05), but not in pararenal and perirenal adipose. Our data is the first to reveal similarities in the inflammatory cell profiles of blood, perirenal and pararenal adipose tissues and kidneys during obesity.

Obesity, Type-II Diabetes and the Use of Food Labels: A Malaysian Perspective

Nutritional labelling of processed foods serve to implement consumer-driven food choices in an attempt to reduce the myriad of food and obesity-related chronic diseases, including type-2 diabetes and heart disease, prevalent in modern societies and posing a significant strain on healthcare resources. Many countries, including Malaysia, have moved towards both voluntary and mandatory regulations to policy such public-health interventions, requiring disclosure of nutritional information on food labels. [1-3], often with particular emphasis on sugar, salt and fat content. The introduction of these policies demonstrates the considerable medical and economic burden of obesity and chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes on healthcare, and recognition among policymakers of the need for dietary intervention through patient education. Various obstacles exist in ensuring consumers use nutritional labelling, including clarity of information, consumer health orientation, literacy levels, motivational factors and health education levels. It is clear however that consumers and patients need to be better informed to effectively utilise nutritional information in order to make better food choices to address the burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Placental extract suppresses differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to mature adipocytes via accelerated activation of p38 MAPK during the early phase of adipogenesis

BackgroundAdipogenesis, the process of preadipocyte differentiation to mature adipocytes accompanied by accumulation of intracytoplasmic lipid droplets, is regulated by various genetic and environmental factors, and closely associated with the development of obesity. Numerous recent studies suggest that some bioactive peptides and proteins derived from animals, and chemical compounds isolated from plants may be useful for prevention and treatment of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases. In the present study, we examined the broad spectrum of effects of placental extract, with a focus on the influence of placental extract on adipogenesis.MethodWe cultured 3T3-L1 cells, which are widely used as a model of white preadipocytes, under differentiation conditions in the presence of porcine placental extract (PPE) for 8 days, and then stained the lipid droplets accumulated in the cytoplasm with Oil Red O. We also analyzed the effects of PPE on the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling, mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) and gene expressions associated with 3T3-L1 differentiation.ResultsWhen we cultured 3T3-L1 cells with PPE under differentiation conditions, the accumulation of lipid droplets and expression of adipocyte differentiation marker genes (Cebpa, Pparg, Slc2a4, Fasn and Adipoq) were dramatically attenuated. The suppressive activity of PPE against adipogenesis was heat-stable and recovered in a low-molecular-weight fraction after ultrafiltration (< 3 kDa) and gel-filtration chromatography (fraction No. 9). We also found that the suppressive activity of PPE affected the early phase of adipocyte differentiation (Days 0–2) without influencing the expression levels of C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ. The PPE and fraction No. 9 obtained from gel-filtration chromatography both promoted mitotic clonal expansion of 3T3-L1 while accelerating p38 MAPK phosphorylation. In addition, SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, partially restored the accumulation of lipid droplets and the expression of adipocyte differentiation marker genes that were suppressed by fraction No. 9.ConclusionThese results indicate that PPE suppresses the differentiation of preadipocytes via accelerated activation of p38 MAPK during the early phase of adipogenesis, suggesting PPE or its functional component could be a potential therapy for treating obesity.

Association between social jetlag food consumption and meal times in patients with obesity-related chronic diseases.

Chronic disruption of the synchronous relationship between endogenous and exogenous circadian timing is associated with the development of obesity and metabolic disease. Social jetlag is a measure of circadian misalignment and has been identified as a risk factor for overweight and related diseases. However, the mechanisms involved in this relationship remain underexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between social jetlag and food consumption at late meal timing in patients with obesity-related chronic diseases. This study included 792 individuals (73% female; age 55.9 ± 12.4 years) in which the prevalence of social jetlag (>1h) was 24.4% (n = 194). Participants with social jetlag reported late meal timing for breakfast, early afternoon snack and dinner. Individuals with social jetlag also reported a higher intake of total calories (kcal), protein, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and servings of meat and eggs and sweets in relation to those without social jetlag. Regarding the consumption during each meal of the day, participants with social jetlag had consumed more calories, saturated fat and cholesterol during dinner; more protein, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol during lunch; and more total fat and saturated fat during morning snack. In addition, individuals with social jetlag had a higher risk of inadequate consumption of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intake when compared with those without social jetlag. We conclude that social jetlag is associated with a poor diet and later meal times, which should be avoided in individuals with obesity-related chronic diseases. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Evaluation of a mindfulness-based stress management and nutrition education program for mothers

Background: Maternal stress is implicated in obesity and obesity-related chronic disease. This can have consequences for their children’s weight status and disease development. Interventions are ne...

The impact of nutrition literacy on the food habits among young adults in Turkey.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESYouth is the crucial stage between childhood and adulthood during which an individual acquires new behavior and practices including dietary habits, that may be influenced by his peers, social circle, nutrition knowledge level and other factors. The increase in awareness of young adults is of special importance from the perspective of health and prevention of obesity related chronic diseases. To measure the nutrition literacy level of university students using the Turkish version of Adolescent Nutrition Literacy Scale (ANLS). We evaluated their food habits using the Adolescent Food Habit Checklist (AFHC) tool and analysed it, if the eating habits were affected by nutrition literacy level.SUBJECTS/METHODSA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on randomly selected 276 students studying in the Faculty of Health Sciences of Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey. Data was collected by means of ANLS and AFHC tools by face to face interview method. SPSS statistical sofware (IBM SPSS Statistics 19) was used to analyse the obtained data.RESULTSParticipants comprised of 47.1% males and 52.9% females with mean age of 20.0 ± 1.60 years. Mean body mass index (BMI) was determined as 22.4 ± 3.76 (23.6 ± 3.63 males 21.3 ± 3.57 females). Functional, interactive and critical nutritional literacy scores for male participants were 22.49 ± 5.71, 17.45 ± 4.84, and 28.28 ± 7.13 respectively (total 64.98 ± 10.15). For females the values were 24.66 ± 5.13, 20.17 ± 4.28, and 32.20 ± 5.65 (total 69.72 ± 8.59) respectively. For all the three sub-categories of nutrition literacy, the scores acquired by females were significantly higher than males (P < 0.001). In the AFHC tool, the mean score acquired by males were 9.26 ± 4.18 whereas for females it was 10.37 ± 3.40 significantly higher as compared to males (P = 0.007).CONCLUSIONSThe food habits of female participants were better than males; in accordance with their nutrition literacy status. It may be concluded that food habits are influenced by nutrition literacy and therefore stress much be given to increase the nutrition awareness among children youth as well as adults.

Invited talk: Exercise for managing obesity related chronic disease

Invited talk: Exercise for managing obesity related chronic disease

Brazilian Curcuma longa L. attenuates comorbidities by modulating adipose tissue dysfunction in obese rats

BackgroundAdipose tissue dysfunction is a condition characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress able to lead metabolic disorders. Curcuma longa L. (Cl) is a rhizome commonly used in Indian culinary which presents anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of in natura Curcuma longa L. on adipose tissue dysfunction and comorbidities in obese rats.MethodsMale Wistar rats (8 weeks old, n = 16) received standard chow + fructose in drinking water (30%) ad libitum for 16 weeks. After this period, animals were randomly divided to receive placebo treatment (fructose, n = 8) or Curcuma longa L. treatment (fructose + Cl, n = 8) for more 8 weeks, totalizing 24 weeks of experiment. Curcuma longa L. was mixed in water and gave to the animals by gavage in a dose of 80 mg/kg of body weight. Body composition, systolic blood pressure, metabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, and oxidative stress analysis were performed in plasma and adipose tissue.ResultsCurcuma longa L. reduced adiposity index and adipocyte hypertrophy, improved insulin resistance and systolic blood pressure, and reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in adipose tissue.ConclusionCurcuma longa L. in natura is able to modulate adipose tissue dysfunction, avoiding the development of comorbidities. It can be considered a phytochemical treatment strategy against obesity-related chronic diseases.

Effects of (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) on Energy Expenditure and Microglia-Mediated Hypothalamic Inflammation in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Obesity is an escalating global epidemic caused by an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, has been reported to be conducive to preventing obesity and alleviating obesity-related chronic diseases. However, the role of EGCG in energy metabolism disorders and central nervous system dysfunction induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of EGCG on brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and neuroinflammation in HFD-induced obese C57BL/6J mice. Mice were randomly divided into four groups with different diets: normal chow diet (NCD), normal chow diet supplemented with 1% EGCG (NCD + EGCG), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet supplemented with 1% EGCG (HFD + EGCG). Investigations based on a four-week experiment were carried out including the BAT activity, energy consumption, mRNA expression of major inflammatory cytokines in the hypothalamus, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, and immunofluorescence staining of microglial marker Iba1 in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). Experimental results demonstrated that dietary supplementation of EGCG significantly inhibited HFD-induced obesity by enhancing BAT thermogenesis, and attenuated the hypothalamic inflammation and microglia overactivation by regulating the NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways.

Economic burden of obesity and four obesity-related chronic diseases in rural Yunnan Province, China.

To analyze the economic burden of obesity and four obesity-related chronic diseases in rural Yunnan Province, China. A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among rural residents in Yunnan Province. A multistage stratified random sampling approach was applied to collect a sample of the population aged ≥35 years in this region. Questionnaires were conducted and measurements were taken from 5040 participants. A two-step model was used to measure direct economic burden of disease, whereas a human capital approach was applied to measure indirect economic burden. The prevalence of general obesity, central obesity, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke was 7.1%, 37.0%, 35.3%, 9.9%, 3.8%, and 1.7%, respectively, while obese participants as expected had a higher risk of the aforementioned four obesity-related illnesses than their counterparts (P<0.01). The total, direct, and indirect costs of the four illnesses were $30,350.8 million, $28,642.5 million, and $1708.3 million, respectively, with 12.7% attributable to general obesity and 28.7% attributable to central obesity. The economic burden of the four studied chronic diseases attributable to obesity in rural Yunnan Province is substantial. Interventions for controlling obesity should be applied to prevent obesity-related diseases and reduce the economic burden of disease.

Urban indigenous youth perspectives on access to physical activity programmes in Canada

ABSTRACTWhile research demonstrates that Indigenous youth experience higher levels of obesity-related chronic disease compared to non-Indigenous youth throughout Canada, few studies consult Indigenous youth for their perspectives on how to address barriers to active lifestyles. This paper examines the constraints that urban Indigenous youth encounter in accessing physical activity and sport programmes in three Canadian cities. Researchers used a community-based participatory methodological approach that included volunteering and talking circles to gain the perspectives of 41 Indigenous youth who were recruited from urban health organisations and local high schools. Despite the differing socio-cultural contexts throughout urban centres in Canada, Indigenous youth face similar constraints in accessing physical activity and sport programmes. These findings indicate that any changes to public policies to improve community health outcomes and access issues for urban Indigenous youth need to consider the broader national contexts as well as the multiple constraints that influence their participation experiences.

Short-term high-fat diet exacerbates insulin resistance and glycolipid metabolism disorders in young obese men with hyperlipidemia, as determined by metabolomics analysis using ultra-HPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly worldwide, and dietary intake is strongly associated with obesity-related chronic diseases. However, key metabolic perturbations in obese young men with hyperlipidemia after high-fat diet (HFD) intervention are not yet clear, and remain to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term HFD on glycolipid metabolism, insulin resistance (IR), and urinary metabolomic profiling in young obese men with hyperlipidemia. Sixty young men (19-25 years; 30 normal weight, 30 obese with hyperlipidemia) were enrolled in the study. Differences in metabolomic profiling of urine between normal-weight and obese young men before and after 3 days intake of the HFD were investigated using ultra-HPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. After the HFD intervention, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly increased and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly decreased in obese men, but only TC was significantly increased in normal-weight subjects. Based on metabolic differences, normal-weight and obese men, and obese men before and after the HFD intervention could be separated into distinct clusters. Seventeen major metabolites were identified that were associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, glycolipid metabolism and IR; the changes in these metabolites suggest metabolic changes in young obese males after short-term HFD intake. The findings of this study may contribute to increased understanding of the early biological adaptations of obesity with hyperlipidemia to HFD for the early prevention and control of diabetes and IR.

Physical Activity Patterns and Correlates of 9-Month-Old Chinese Infants in the Macau Population.

Objectives Many obesity-related chronic diseases originate from unhealthy childhood habits. The aim of this study was to describe 9-month-old infants' physical activity levels and patterns and to examine the correlates. Understanding these factors is necessary for improving the effectiveness of physical activity intervention programs for infants. Methods In total, 143 infant-mother dyads from Macau, SAR China, participated in this study. Physical activity (PA) was assessed by using the Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer and the demographic variables were collected by questionnaires. Results The most important findings were that: (1) infants had more screen time during weekdays (p = .044); (2) infants and mothers were least active at 8a.m. (both weekdays and weekends) in the morning and most active at 7p.m. (weekdays) and 8p.m. (weekends) in the evening; (3) infants' PA levels significantly correlated with their mothers' PA intensities during the weekends (r = .192, p = .036), especially the mothers' lower intensities in the mornings and evenings; (4) maternal BMI predicted the PA levels of the 9-month-old infants' (R2 = .06, β = 29.188, p = .009). Conclusions for Practice Physical activity promotion programs for infants should be time-specific starting from early infancy. This study was one of the first to examine 9-month-old infants' PA levels, patterns and correlates. The results may be helpful in improving the effectiveness of future healthy lifestyle intervention programs for infants in Macau and in the region in general.

Metabolic Effects of Low-Calorie Sweeteners: A Brief Review.

Low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are found in a variety of foods and beverages, yet their role in diet, weight, and obesity-related chronic disease is controversial. This article summarizes proceedings from one of four presentations during a preconference session entitled "Low-Calorie Sweeteners and Weight Management," which took place at the 2017 Obesity Society Annual Meeting in Washington, District of Columbia. The objective of this brief review is to summarize findings of observational and interventional studies of LCS effects on weight and metabolic health and to provide potential explanations for their discrepant results. Key research priorities for advancing the understanding of the role of LCS in weight and chronic disease are also discussed. The existing literature suggests that LCS consumption is consistently associated with obesity, diabetes, and related cardiometabolic conditions in observational studies. Although several plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain these associations and have received considerable support in cellular and rodent models, the relevance of these mechanisms to humans has yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, randomized controlled trials demonstrate that NNS may benefit weight loss and weight maintenance. This is the case particularly when LCS are administered in the context of behavioral weight loss support and are consumed knowingly by habitual LCS consumers. Although these findings suggest that LCS may be useful for weight control among those cognitively engaged in weight loss and who are aware of their LCS consumption, LCS administration in these studies does not reflect typical consumption. Furthermore, few interventional studies have assessed the role of LCS on metabolic outcomes other than body weight. Additional factors must be considered before recommending LCS for weight management and chronic disease prevention and further study of LCS effects on a variety of cardiometabolic outcomes, including visceral adiposity and glucose homeostasis is warranted.