Reduced Body Mass Research Articles

Evaluating potential predictors of weight loss response to liraglutide in adolescents with obesity: A post hoc analysis of the randomized, placebo-controlled SCALE Teens trial.

As childhood obesity prevalence increases, determining which patients respond to anti-obesity medications would strengthen personalized approaches to obesity treatment. In the SCALE Teens trial among pubertal adolescents with obesity (NCT02918279), liraglutide 3.0 mg (or maximum tolerated dose) significantly reduced body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score on average versus placebo. That said, liraglutide effects on BMI reduction varied greatly among adolescents, similar to adults. To identify post hoc characteristics predictive of achieving ≥5% and ≥10% BMI reductions at 56 weeks with liraglutide versus placebo in adolescents from the SCALE Teens trial. Logistic regression analysis was performed in 251 adolescents treated with liraglutide (n = 125) or placebo (n = 126) for 56 weeks. Baseline characteristics (selected a priori) included sex, race, ethnicity, age, Tanner (pubertal) stage, glycemic status (hyperglycemia [type 2 diabetes/prediabetes] vs. normoglycemia), obesity category (Class II/III vs. I), severity of depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and weight variability (weight fluctuations over time). The effects of early responder status (≥4% BMI reduction at week 16) on week 56 response were assessed using descriptive statistics. Baseline characteristics did not affect achievement of ≥5% and ≥10% BMI reductions at week 56 in adolescents treated with liraglutide. Further, there was no association between weight variability and BMI reduction. Early liraglutide responders appeared to have greater BMI and body weight reductions at week 56 compared with early non-responders. This secondary analysis suggests that adolescents with obesity may experience significant BMI reductions after 56 weeks of liraglutide treatment, regardless of their sex, race, ethnicity, age, pubertal stage, glycemic status, obesity category, severity of depression symptoms, or weight variability. Early response may predict greater week 56 response.

Pharmacological antagonism of receptor for advanced glycation end products signaling promotes thermogenesis, healthful body mass and composition, and metabolism in mice.

Optimal body mass and composition as well as metabolic fitness require tightly regulated and interconnected mechanisms across tissues. Disturbances in these regulatory networks tip the balance between metabolic health versus overweight and obesity and their complications. The authors previously demonstrated roles for the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in obesity, as global- or adipocyte-specific deletion of Ager (the gene encoding RAGE) protected mice from high-fat diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction. To explore translational strategies evoked by these observations, a small molecule antagonist of RAGE signaling, RAGE229, was administered to lean mice and mice with obesity undergoing diet-induced weight loss. Body mass and composition and whole body and adipose tissue metabolism were examined. This study demonstrates that antagonism of RAGE signaling reduced body mass and adiposity and improved glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism in lean male and female mice and in male mice with obesity undergoing weight loss. In adipose tissue and in human and mouse adipocytes, RAGE229 enhanced phosphorylation of protein kinase A substrates, which augmented lipolysis, mitochondrial function, and thermogenic programs. Pharmacological antagonism of RAGE signaling is a potent strategy to optimize healthful body mass and composition and metabolic fitness.

Association Between Adipokine Profile, Systemic Inflammation, Muscle and Protein Energy Wasting in Children With Chronic Kidney Disease

This cross-sectional study explores the association of adipokines and interleukin-6 (IL-6) with muscle and protein energy wasting (PEW) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We measured serum adiponectin, leptin, resistin and IL-6 in 53 patients with CKD stage 3-5. Lean tissue (LTI) and fat tissue index (FTI) were estimated by bioimpedance analysis spectroscopy. PEW was defined as muscle wasting [LTI adjusted to height age (LTI HA) z-score <-1.65 SD) and at least two of the following: reduced body mass [body mass index adjusted to height age (BMI HA) z-score <-1.65 SD), poor growth [height z-score <-1.88 SD], questionnaire based decreased appetite, serum albumin ≤ 3.8 g/dl. PEW, observed in 8 (15.1%) patients, was more prevalent in CKD stage 5 (p=0.010). Among the adipokines, adiponectin and resistin levels were significantly higher in CKD stage 5 (p<0.001, p=0.005). Adiponectin was correlated to LTI HA z-score (Rs=-0.417, p=0.002), leptin to FTI z-score (Rs=0.620, p<0.001), while no correlation was observed between resistin and body composition parameters. Resistin was the only adipokine correlated to IL-6 (Rs=0.513, p<0.001). After adjustment for CKD stage and patient age, PEW was associated with adiponectin and IL-6 rise by 1 μg/ml and 10 pg/ml respectively (OR 1.240, 95% CI 1.040, 1.478 and OR 1.405, 95% CI 1.075-1.836) but not with leptin, while resistin association with PEW lost its significance. In pediatric CKD, adiponectin is associated with muscle wasting, leptin with adiposity and resistin with systemic inflammation. Adiponectin and cytokine IL-6 may serve as PEW biomarkers.

The impact of a mandatory universal drug insurance program on health behaviors and outcomes.

This paper investigates the effects of a mandatory, universal prescription drug insurance policy on health behaviors and outcomes within a public health care system providing physician and hospital services free of charge. Using Canadian longitudinal data, we show that the reform improved individuals' general health while reducing body mass index and smoking. However, the program also increased drinking and had no significant impact on mental health, physical activity, or preventive care. We also examine the mechanisms through which these effects can play a role, as well as the heterogeneous effects. Estimates suggest that the policy decreased SES-based disparities in health.

Intermittent fasting combined with exercise training reduces body mass and alleviates hypothalamic disorders induced by high-fat diet intake

High-fat diet consumption causes hypothalamic inflammation, dysregulating the leptin pathway, which, in turn, compromises the modulation of hypothalamic neuronal activities and predisposes obesity development. Intermittent fasting (IF) and exercise training (ET) have been demonstrated as efficient interventions to modulate hypothalamic inflammation and neuronal activity. However, no studies have evaluated whether combining these interventions could induce better results in reestablishing hypothalamic homeostasis disrupted by high-fat diet intake. The 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into 2 groups: sedentary mice fed a standard diet (CT), and sedentary mice fed a high-fat diet (HF). After 8 weeks of an HF diet, part of the HF group (now 16 weeks old) was randomly subjected to different interventions for 6 weeks: HF-IF=HF diet mice submitted to IF; HF-T=HF diet mice submitted to ET; HF-IFT=HF diet mice submitted to IF and ET. All interventions decreased the body weight gain induced by high-fat diet intake, associated with reduced calorie consumption in week 14. Only the HF-IFT group presented improved serum insulin, leptin, resistin, and Tnf-alpha levels concomitantly with decreased hypothalamic inflammation. The HF-IFT group also demonstrated increased Pomc mRNA expression associated with enhanced pSTAT3 expression in the hypothalamic arcuate and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei. Our data indicate that the beneficial effects of the combination of IF and ET on energy homeostasis are associated with increased leptin sensitivity in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, which is likely due to an improvement in hypothalamic inflammatory pathways in these nuclei.

Comparison of effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy on emotion regulation difficulty and body mass index in obese people with emotional eating

Introduction: Today, obesity caused by emotional overeating has become a ubiquitous phenomenon with major side effects. Aim: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy in emotion regulation difficulties and body mass index (BMI) of obese people with emotional eating. Method: In this quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest, control group, follow-up design, the population included all men and women, aged 21-50 years, who were referred to the nutrition and obesity clinics of Tehran, Iran, from September 2020 to December 2020. The study sample included 45 obese people with emotional eating, who were selected through convenience sampling among individuals visiting Mehrdadi and Behpouyan nutrition and obesity clinics and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The data collection tools were the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (1986), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale by Gratz and Romer (2004), and BMI measurement. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Bonferroni's post-hoc test in SPSS version 24. Results: Results from Covariance analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of control and experimental groups. Compared to the control group, the experimental groups have improved emotion regulation and reduced body mass index. In addition to results indicated that acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy similarly improved emotion regulation and reduced the BMI of obese people with emotional overeating (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy were effective methods in improving emotion regulation difficulties and reducing the BMI of obese people with emotional eating. So it's suggested to use these methods in the treatment of obese people suffering from emotional overeating.

Artificial non-nutritive sweeteners consumption is able to modulate glycemic control and body composition in healthy or diet-induced obese mice

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are among the most widely used food additives worldwide. Their substitution to sugar is presented as one of the solutions to prevent cardiometabolic disease, especially as they have a sweet taste but very low-energy content. However, several recent studies have questioned their physiological inactivity, which was the basis for their approval by health authorities. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the acute and chronic effects of artificial NNS consumption on glycemic control in lean and diet-induced mice models. Consequently, we evaluated the acute effects of NNS acesulfame-potassium (aceK) and sucralose on glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion measured in blood and at the beta-cells pancreatic level of mice. In another set of mice, we compared the effects of aceK or sucralose supplementations to sugar consumption during a 12 week long high-fat (HF) diet. At the end of the 12 weeks of supplementation, we evaluated the influence of these different conditions on glucose metabolism and body fat distribution. First, we reported, in our mice models, that oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) after acute sucralose gavage were improved significantly compared to AceK gavage and control situation (vehicle). These acute effects on blood glucose levels after sucralose ingestion were not directly explained by a significant increase neither in beta cells insulin secretion nor in insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, we further demonstrated that both NNS chronic consumption were able to attenuate significantly the deleterious effect of HF diet on glycemic control (glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity), independently of caloric intake. Moreover, we reported in HF mice supplemented with NNS a lower accumulation of adipose tissue in the inguinal and subcutaneous compartments which was associated with a reduction in body mass in these groups. Surprisingly, our results demonstrate that even an acute consumption of widely used NNS sucralose and AceK is able to alter glucose metabolism. When repeated over time, the consumption of these NNS also seems to be able to reduce deleterious effects of HF diet on glycemic control but also on body composition. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the effects of NNS on metabolic health, but further studies are needed to decipher underlying mechanisms.

Therapeutic effect of ursodeoxycholic acid-berberine supramolecular nanoparticles on ulcerative colitis based on supramolecular system induced by weak bond

Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a recurrent, intractable inflammatory bowel disease. Coptidis Rhizoma and Bovis Calculus, serving as heat-clearing and toxin-removing drugs, have long been used in the treatment of UC. Berberine(BBR) and ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), the main active components of Coptidis Rhizoma and Bovis Calculus, respectively, were employed to obtain UDCA-BBR supramolecular nanoparticles by stimulated co-decocting process for enhancing the therapeutic effect on UC. As revealed by the characterization of supramolecular nanoparticles by field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) and dynamic light scattering(DLS), the supramolecular nanoparticles were tetrahedral nanoparticles with an average particle size of 180 nm. The molecular structure was described by ultraviolet spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance(H-NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the formation of the supramolecular nano-particle was attributed to the mutual electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interaction between BBR and UDCA. Additionally, supramolecular nanoparticles were also characterized by sustained release and pH sensitivity. The acute UC model was induced by dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) in mice. It was found that supramolecular nanoparticles could effectively improve body mass reduction and colon shortening in mice with UC(P&lt;0.001) and decrease disease activity index(DAI)(P&lt;0.01). There were statistically significant differences between the supramolecular nanoparticles group and the mechanical mixture group(P&lt;0.001, P&lt;0.05). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6), and the results showed that supramolecular nanoparticles could reduce serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels(P&lt;0.001) and exhibited an obvious difference with the mechanical mixture group(P&lt;0.01, P&lt;0.05). Flow cytometry indicated that supramolecular nanoparticles could reduce the recruitment of neutrophils in the lamina propria of the colon(P&lt;0.05), which was significantly different from the mechanical mixture group(P&lt;0.05). These findings suggested that as compared with the mechanical mixture, the supramolecular nanoparticles could effectively improve the symptoms of acute UC in mice. The study provides a new research idea for the poor absorption of small molecules and the unsatisfactory therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine and lays a foundation for the research on the nano-drug delivery system of traditional Chinese medicine.

Assessment of the Impact of Increased Physical Activity on Body Mass and Adipose Tissue Reduction in Overweight and Obese Children.

(1) Background: Within the last 30 years, growing rates of child overweight and obesity have been observed as a very concerning phenomenon in most countries worldwide. The research aim was to assess what effect increased physical activity has on reducing body mass and adipose tissue in children between 10 and 11 years of age as well as to answer the question of whether physical activity could be considered as a factor in preventing child overweight and obesity when maintaining their existing diet and lifestyle. (2) Material and methods: There were 419 sports class primary school pupils in the experimental group who, in addition to four obligatory weekly physical education hours, attended six training hours. The control group comprised 485 children from parallel non-sports classes. In all pupils, height and weight measurements as well as physical fitness measurements were taken twice, at the beginning and end of the school year. Cole's method was used to assess the children's normal body weight. With the help of this method, children with excessive body weight were selected from the entire study group (N = 904), who additionally had skinfolds and adipose tissue measured using the BIA electrical bioimpedance method. The obtained results were interpreted using the variance analysis for repeated measurements and LSD test. (3) Results: The number of children with excessive body mass after 10 months of increased physical activity decreased (in the case of overweight: p = 0.0014, obesity: p = 0.0022), as did their skinfolds (p ≤ 0.001) and body fat (p ≤ 0.001), while their physical fitness considerably improved compared to the control group. (4) Conclusions: The introduction of increased physical activity in the experimental group children when maintaining their existing diet and lifestyle contributed to reducing their obesity and overweight and, at the same time, proved to be an effective factor in the process of decreasing their excessive body mass.

Diet Therapy of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Treated with Positive Airway Pressure: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

The positive airway pressure (PAP) is a gold standard in therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, though weight loss is among the most effective supportive therapeutic methods. The aim of the study is to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of diet therapy interventions for OSA patients treated with PAP. The systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42023398374). The 1436 records were screened and five records were included identified as RCTs available within PubMed and Web of Science databases until 1 February 2023. Two researchers independently conducted identification, screening, inclusion, and evaluation of RCTs, using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. The studies were conducted in groups with patients treated or intended to be treated with CPAP, while patients with moderate-to-severe or severe OSA were included. Within all included studies, an experimental diet was compared with a control group; however, various interventions were applied, including dietary intervention, which was compared with no intervention, and dietary and physical activity intervention, which was only compared with general advice. The applied intervention included various dietary approaches, such as various energy deficits or dietary health-promoting behaviors. The monitored variables included apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, oxygen desaturation episodes, oxygen saturation, OSA type, Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and quality of life. For the majority of studies, some concerns were defined for the risk of bias; however, for one study the risk was high. Three studies supported the positive influence of diet therapy, one study somewhat supported it and one study did not support it. It may be stated that for excessive body mass individuals, even if PAP is applied, the diet therapy should be included in order to reduce body mass, reduce the symptoms of OSA, and improve the quality of life. This therapeutic option should be applied, even if no effect on OSA is noted, as body mass reduction have multiple positive effects, which may also influence the quality of life.

Effectiveness of Multicomponent Interventions and Physical Activity in the Workplace to Reduce Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Overweight and obesity are public health problems that affects the workplace. This paper aims to analyse the effectiveness of workplace health promotion interventions in reducing Body Mass Index (BMI); Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and SCOPUS databases. The inverse variance statistical method was used for the meta-analysis with a random effects analysis model and standardised means. The results have been represented by Forest Plots and Funnel Plots graphs; Results: The multicomponent approach had the best results for reducing BMI (-0.14 [-0.24, -0.03], 95% CI; p = 0.009) compared to performing physical activity only (-0.09 [-0.39, 0.21], 95% CI; p = 0.56). However, both methods resulted in positive changes in reducing BMI in the general analysis (-0.12 [-0.22, -0.02], 95% CI; p = 0.01). The GRADE evaluation showed low certainty due to the high heterogeneity between interventions (I2 = 59% for overall analysis). The multicomponent approach could be an effective intervention to reduce obesity in the working population. However, workplace health promotion programs must be standardised to conduct quality analyses and highlight their importance to workers' well-being.

Antitumor Profile of Combined Matricaria recutita Flower Extract and 5-Fluorouracil Chemotherapy in Sarcoma 180 In Vivo Model.

Medicinal plants have been commonly associated with chemotherapeutic treatments, as an approach to reduce the toxicological risks of classical anticancer drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of combining the antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with Matricaria recutita flowers extract (MRFE) to treat mice transplanted with sarcoma 180. Tumor inhibition, body and visceral mass variation, biochemical, hematological, and histopathological parameters were evaluated. The isolated 5-FU, 5-FU+MRFE 100 mg/kg/day, and 5-FU+MRFE 200 mg/kg/day reduced tumor growth; however, 5-FU+MRFE 200 mg/kg/day showed a more significant tumor reduction when compared to 5-FU alone. These results corroborated with the analysis of the tumor histopathological and immunodetection of the Ki67 antigen. In the toxicological analysis of the association 5-FU+MRFE 200 mg/kg/day, an intense loss of body mass was observed, possibly as a result of diarrhea. In addition, spleen atrophy, with a reduction in white pulp, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, was observed in the 5-FU groups alone and associated with MRFE 200 mg/kg/day; however, there was no statistical difference between these groups. Therefore, the MRFE 200 mg/kg/day did not interfere in myelosuppressive action of 5-FU. In hematological analysis, body and visceral mass variation and biochemical parameters related to renal (urea and creatinine) and cardiac (CK-MB) function, no alteration was observed. In biochemical parameters related to liver function enzymes, there was a reduction in aspartate transaminase (AST) values in the 5-FU groups alone and associated with MRFE 200 mg/kg/day; however, there was no statistical difference between these groups. Therefore, the MRFE 200 mg/kg/day does not appear to influence enzyme reduction. The results of this study suggest that the association between the 5-FU+MRFE 200 can positively interfere with the antitumor activity, promoting the antineoplastic-induced reduction in body mass, while minimizing the toxicity of chemotherapy.

An evaluation of setmelanotide injection for chronic weight management in adult and pediatric patients with obesity due to Bardet–Biedl syndrome

ABSTRACT Introduction Bardet–Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is a rare, multisystemic ciliopathy with an incidence of obesity of 89%. Mutations in genes encoding BBS proteins are linked to reduced leptin sensitivity of hypothalamic POMC neurons and reduced activation of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway due to deficient α-MSH production by hypothalamic POMC neurons. The MC4R pathway is involved in controlling body weight and energy metabolism, and its disruption is linked to hyperphagia and obesity. Setmelanotide is an MC4R agonist that counteracts deficiencies in the MC4R pathway of individuals with BBS. Areas covered Data from clinical trials were reviewed along with information available from setmelanotide’s approval for treatment of obesity in people ages ≥6y with a clinical diagnosis of BBS. Expert opinion Setmelanotide is available as a daily injectable that can be used for amelioration of obesity in people with Bardet–Biedl syndrome. Its cost is substantial, which may limit its use, but among those who respond, setmelanotide can reduce body mass dramatically and potentially improve comorbid conditions associated with obesity. Setmelanotide treatment has generally tolerable side effects, primarily injection site reactions and nausea/vomiting that generally improve with continued use; almost all people using setmelanotide experience marked skin darkening due to off-target activation of cutaneous MC1R.

The effect of preservation on biomass and length estimates and its variation within and between two mayfly species

Biomass estimation offers insight into aquatic ecosystem processes and represents a powerful tool for measuring biomass in communities. However, the accuracy of this estimate depends considerably on the sample preservation method and biological traits of species. We quantified the effect of commonly used preservatives (70% ethanol, 4% formaldehyde, freezing), preservation time and initial body length on the estimation bias of body length, wet mass and dry mass in two mayfly species with dorsoventrally flattened (Rhithrogena carpatoalpina) and cylindrically elongated (Habroleptoides confusa) bodies. Freezing caused the largest relative bias in the length estimates (up to 18%). Both ethanol and freezing led to significant underestimation of wet mass of preserved animals (up to 26%). The most severe biases were observed in dry weights, where all preservation methods reduced body mass by up to 89%. Importantly, initial body mass influenced the bias caused by preservation, and the larger animals were less affected by mass losses. In contrast, larger individuals were subject to greater length reduction. Additionally, the length–mass relationship for R. carpatoalpina, based on fresh mass of living animals, was significantly different from relationships based on preserved animals. Overall, formaldehyde caused the least biased estimates of length and biomass in both examined species. This case study indicates that direct measurements of unpreserved individuals or length–mass equations based on fresh material are likely the best ways to avoid severe underestimation of biomass in aquatic insects. However, more studies covering a broader range of taxa are needed to reach general conclusions.

Pilates and multiple health outcomes: An umbrella review.

To summarize the evidence of associations between Pilates and multiple health outcomes, and evaluate the strength and validity of these associations. Unbrella review. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to February, 2023. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, version 2 and the certainty of evidence was graded by the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. We recalculated each outcome using random-effects models with standardized mean difference. We identified 27 systematic reviews with meta-analyses in this umbrella review. 1 was rated as high quality, 1 as moderate quality, 15 as low quality, and 10 as critically low quality. These studies focused on the populations with diseases of the circulatory system, endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases, genitourinary system diseases, mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorder, musculoskeletal system diseases, neoplasms, nervous system diseases, sleep-wake function disorder and others. Compared with inactive/active intervention, Pilates can reduce body mass index and body fat percentage, relieve pain and disability, and improve sleep quality and balance. The certainty of evidence was very low to moderate for these outcomes. Pilates showed benefits on several health outcomes related with low back pain, neck pain and scoliosis. However, the certainty of the evidence was mostly low; further high quality randomized controlled trials are needed to elucidate and support these promising findings.

Effects of mind exercises on physical fitness and sport performance in interval trained athletes

Aim. To explore effects of additional mind exercises on physical fitness and sport performance in athletes undergoing interval training. Material and Methods. Thirty athletes were assigned into two equal groups. They either received only interval training or a combination of interval training and mind exercises 6 days/week for 24 weeks. Data was collected at baseline and after 5, 10, 15, 20, and 24 weeks. Interval training comprised speed, endurance, strength, plyometrics, and flexibility components. Data collection comprised demographics, time required to complete 600-meter run, number of push-ups in 1 minute, Illinois agility run test time, Broad jump distance, and number of sit-ups in 1 minute. Results. Interval training with (P &lt; 0.001) or without (P &lt; 0.01) mind exercises resulted in significant reduction in body mass. Body mass index and 600m runtime reduced while number of push-ups and sit-ups in 1 minute, and agility run time improved in both groups (P &lt; 0.001). After 24 weeks, mind exercises group ran significantly faster (P &lt; 0.001). Mind exercises resulted in longer Broad jump (P &lt; 0.001) compared to interval training alone (P &lt; 0.01). Conclusions. Interval training caused significant reduction in body mass and lead to significantly improved physical fitness and sport performance. Addition of mind exercises resulted in significantly faster 600m run and longer Broad jump.

Lowered muscle glycogen reduces body mass with no effect on short-term exercise performance in men.

Performance in short-duration sports is highly dependent on muscle glycogen, but the total degradation is only moderate and considering the water-binding property of glycogen, unnecessary storing of glycogen may cause an unfavorable increase in body mass. To investigate this, we determined the effect of manipulating dietary carbohydrates (CHO) on muscle glycogen content, body mass and short-term exercise performance. In a cross-over design twenty-two men completed two maximal cycle tests of either 1-min (n=10) or 15-min (n=12) duration with different pre-exercise muscle glycogen levels. Glycogen manipulation was initiated three days prior to the tests by exercise-induced glycogen-depletion followed by ingestion of a moderate (M-CHO) or high (H-CHO) CHO-diet. Subjects were weighed before each test, and muscle glycogen content was determined in biopsies from m. vastus lateralis before and after each test. Pre-exercise muscle glycogen content was lower following M-CHO than H-CHO (367 mmol · kg-1 DW vs. 525 mmol · kg-1 DW, P < 0.00001), accompanied by a 0.7 kg lower body mass (P < 0.00001). No differences were observed in performance between diets in neither the 1-min (P = 0.33) nor the 15-min (P = 0.99) test. In conclusion, pre-exercise muscle glycogen content and body mass was lower after ingesting moderate compared with high amounts of CHO, while short-term exercise performance was unaffected. This demonstrates that adjusting pre-exercise glycogen levels to the requirements of competition may provide an attractive weight management strategy in weight-bearing sports, particularly in athletes with high resting glycogen levels.

The role of the family in the treatment of obesity in children. Clinical case

According to recent studies, obesity is associated with genetic variations, iatrogenic conditions, viruses, environmental and behavioral factors. Currently, the treatment of childhood obesity is mainly aimed at limiting energy consumption by changing the child’s lifestyle. Families bear the main social responsibility for raising and educating children. Family sports are an addition to school and play an indispensable role. The object of family sports intervention is not only children, but also parents. In addition, parents’ behavior has a lot of influence on the formation of the views of teenagers. Eating habits and attitudes towards one’s own nutrition are also formed thanks to parental example. This article highlights a clinical example of managing a family with a teenage boy diagnosed with obesity. Diet and physical activity recommendations were given to the patient and his parents. Given that there is already a history of interventions to reduce body mass and the patient did not get the desired result, we suggested to focus on modifying the life of not only the patient, but also the family. Due to a comprehensive approach to lifestyle modification of the whole family, we obtained a positive result, namely: the patient reduced his body weight by 20.5 kg during the year of observation. In addition, a decrease in glycated hemoglobin from 6.0 to 5.48 % was observed, which is a good prognostic criterion for the further possible development of diabetes. The patient himself noted that he had improved relationships in the family and with peers.

Improvement in binge eating and alexithymia predicts weight loss at 9-month follow-up of the lifestyle modification program

PurposeThe aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the extent to which improved levels of binge eating (BE) behaviors, alexithymia, self-esteem, and psychological distress would predict a reduction in body mass at 9-month follow-up, following a lifestyle modification program for weight loss in obese or overweight patients. MethodsA convenience sample of 120 obese or overweight patients were recruited. Body mass index (BMI), binge eating (BES), levels of alexithymia (TAS-20), perceived stress (PSS), depressive symptoms (SDS), and self-esteem (RSE) were assessed during their first medical examination (T1), and after a weight-loss treatment period of 9 months (T2).ResultsCompared with unimproved patients, improved patients reported a significant decrease in binge eating (p = 0.04) and perceived stress symptoms (p = 0.03), and a significant improvement in self-esteem (p = 0.02) over time. After controlling for gender, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress, baseline BMI (OR = 1.11, 95% CI [1.04,1.19]), ΔBES (OR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.98,0.99]), and ΔTAS-20 (OR = 1.03, 95% CI [1.01,1.05]) significantly and independently predicted a ≥ 5% reduction in body mass from baseline.ConclusionsOur finding supports the suggestion to consider psychological outcomes such as emotional aspects and dysfunctional eating behaviors when planning a weight loss programs to prevent a negative outcome.Level of evidence: Level III, case–control analytic study.

Irritable bowel syndrome – modern ways of treatment

Introduction&#x0D; Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most frequent functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Main symptoms are recurring stomach ache connected with defecation, changes of frequency of defecation and/or stool’s consistency. Cause of IBS is still unknown unlike its pathomechanism. Continuous research allows doctors to understand and treat it better.&#x0D; Discussion&#x0D; Diagnosing IBS might be difficult even for the most experienced doctors due to its uncharacteristic symptoms. Therefore diagnosis should be made by using Rome IV Criteria. IBS is divided into 4 subtypes basing on clinical picture: IBS with predominant constipation, IBS with predominant diarrhea, IBS with mixed bowel habits and IBS unclassified. Classification is being performed with the use of Bristol Stool Chart. Choice of remedy should be made depending on the subtype of IBS. Pharmacological treatment is symptomatic and focuses on relieving pain, diarrhea, constipation and bloating. Drugs that can be used are: loperamide, rifaximin, antispasmodic (e.g. hyoscine), antidepressants or laxatives. Treatment should also contain nonpharmacological methods. Nonpharmacological techniques which are proved to help patients contain regular physical activity, body mass reduction, low-FODMAP diet, using probiotics, psychotherapy and supplementing soluble fibre.&#x0D; Conclusions&#x0D; IBS is a big issue for public health as it is lowering quality of life and is generating big indirect costs. Difficulties in diagnosing are increasing those costs. That’s why it is of high importance to find more effective therapy. Raising awareness among doctors is crucial as plenty of methods are available to treat the disease which allows to reduce symptoms and costs.