Weight Loss Products Research Articles

Insight into carbon structures and pyrolysis behaviors of coal from the 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra

Carbon structures play an important role in the pyrolysis behavior of coal. Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful nondestructive technique for characterizing the carbon skeleton structures in coal. In this study, the carbon type distribution, lattice parameters, and chemical bond concentrations of six coal samples with different Vdaf values were investigated using 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra. Typical TGA and Py-GC-MS methods were utilized to obtain information on weight loss and pyrolysis products of the coals. The aromaticity of coal was determined by an adjustment of the apparent area ratio in the 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra, which shows promising potential for predicting key temperatures, characteristic index, and tar quality in coal pyrolysis. Results from the carbon fractions indicated that the total concentrations of chemical bonds in coal are approximately 150 mmol/g, with more Car−Car and Car−H bonds present in highly mature coal samples, and fewer Cal−Cal, Cal−H, and CO bonds. The breaking behaviors of chemical bonds during coal pyrolysis depend on a combination of temperature and concentration. The breakage of Cal−Cal bond contributes significantly to the pyrolytic weight loss of coal, accompanied by the decrease of Cal−H bonds along with the removal of aliphatic groups. Furthermore, as coal maturity increases, tar from fast pyrolysis contains more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with a higher average molecular weight. The average number of aromatic rings in tar components is notably lower than that of aromatic clusters in coal. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between coal structure and reactivity, and may provide valuable insights for the efficient and clean utilization of coal.

Impact of harvest time on cold storage performance in Kiwifruit

In the present study the fruits of the cultivar 'Hayward' kiwifruit were harvested at a total soluble solid content of 5–6 % (Harvest I, H1), 6.1–7.0 % (Harvest II, H2), 7.1–8.0 % (Harvest III, H3) and 8.1–9.0 % (Harvest IV, H4) and stored at 0±1°C temperature and 85–90 % relative humidity (RH) conditions for 6 months. Changes in fruit flesh color, flesh firmness, soluble solids content (%), titratable acidity (TA), individual sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose), ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP), total phenolic content, weight loss and marketable fruit were observed at one month intervals. In kiwifruits, an increase was observed in health benefit compounds such as ascorbic acid and total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity by progressing of harvest times. However, early (H1) and late (H4) harvest times led to faster loss in fruit firmness, significant loss in titratable acidity and soluble solid content, higher weight loss rates in fruit. The results show that the second and third harvest times, when the soluble solids content of the fruit is 6.1–7.0 % (H2) and 7.1–8.0 %(H3), seem to be optimum in terms of quality preservation for 'Hayward' kiwis grown in the Black Sea Coast and provides health benefits with a higher marketable fruit rate after 180 days of cold storage. Finally, there was a positive correlation between SCC and sucrose, glucose, fructose. There was a negative relationship between fruit SSC and flesh firmness, TA, L*, C*, h° after 6 months of storage. And also there was a negative correlation between weight loss and marketable product quantity, fruit flesh firmness.

Silent Destruction: Fulminant Hepatitis and the Hidden Danger of Weight Loss Drugs

The use of natural products for therapeutic purposes is a common practice throughout the world, in part, due to the global obesity epidemic and the search for products with appetite suppression and weight loss properties, which include nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals to herbal products. It is known that such products may be associated with various adverse health effects. Thus, the objective of this study is to report a series of cases of patients, who presented fulminant liver failure (HFI) requiring liver transplantation (LT), related to the consumption of products used for weight loss. This is a retrospective cohort based on the evaluation of patients listed for LT due to IHF at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, between 1991 and 2022, with patients who had confirmed consumption of products with the aim of loss being selected. During the studied period, 92 patients were listed for HT due to IHF according to the Kings College criteria, with 5 cases being selected with proven consumption of herbal products for weight loss, and other causes that could explain the IHF were excluded. Four (80%) of the patients were female, with a mean age of 40.5 years, and 40% of the cases died. Unlike traditional pharmaceutical medicines, in most countries, the commercialization of these products is not conditioned on clinical and safety evidence or prior approval by regulatory bodies. Hepatoxicity can be related to several factors, such as the presence of toxins naturally found in plants, the presence of heavy metals, contamination during obtaining or processing and the addition of substances omitted from the labels. The use of weight loss products can evolve with IHF, a fact that deserves attention, due to ease of access and growing demand, and it is important to regulate the trade of these products and raise public awareness about the risks of use without professional supervision and guidance.

Mind-Sets for Prescription Weight Loss Products That Are Advertised Directly to Consumers: Using Mind Genomics Thinking with AI for Synthesis and Exploration

Mind-Sets for Prescription Weight Loss Products That Are Advertised Directly to Consumers: Using Mind Genomics Thinking with AI for Synthesis and Exploration

Investigation on the lipid-lowering effect and mechanism by combining turmeric with hawthorn in C57BL/6 obese mice.

Study on the hypolipidemic effect of turmeric combined with hawthorn on C57BL/6 obese mice and its possible mechanism. C57 mice were fed with 60% high-fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an obesity model, and 4 mice were slaughtered to verify whether the modeling was successful. The successful mice were divided into model group (HFD), positive group (high fat feed group [HFD]+simvastatin group [SIM]), turmeric group (HFD+TUR), hawthorn group (HFD+HAW), and para-medicine group (HFD+para-drug group [DOU]) for 4 weeks by gavage intervention. Different intervention groups had certain lipid-lowering effects, and the para-medicine group showed significant differences (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001) in reducing serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutamic acid transaminase (ALT), glutamic acid transaminase (AST), and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the para-medicine group, the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, fatty acid synthase, platelet-reactive protein receptor 36, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α were significantly downregulated, and the protein expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α protein expression (p<0.01, p<0.001), thus suggesting that turmeric and hawthorn are superior to turmeric and hawthorn alone in enhancing lipid metabolism-related mechanisms. Combined effects of turmeric and hawthorn improve lipid metabolism in mice, protect the liver, and improve the protein expression of liver-related genes. This study can lay the theoretical basis for the future association of medicinal food products and the development of related weight loss products.

PReoperative very low-Energy diets for obese PAtients undergoing non-bariatric surgery Randomized Evaluation (PREPARE): a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPatients with obesity presenting in need of surgical intervention are at 2-to-sixfold higher risk of prolonged hospitalization, infectious morbidity, venous thromboembolism, and more. To mitigate some of these concerns, prescribed preoperative weight loss via very low-energy diets (VLEDs) has become a standard of care for patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery. While VLEDs have become standard prior to bariatric surgery, their application in other surgical settings remains limited. A large, definitive trial is required to resolve the uncertainty surrounding their use in these patients. Prior to a definitive trial to compare the efficacy of VLEDs in patients with obesity undergoing major non-bariatric surgery, we require a pilot trial. We argue a pilot trial will provide the following critical feasibility insights: (1) assessment of recruitment ability, (2) evaluation of adherence to VLED regimens, and (3) assessment of our ability follow patients completely.MethodsThe proposed trial will be a multi-center, surgeon, outcome assessor, and data-analyst blinded, parallel pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). Patients older than 18 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 kg/m2 undergoing major elective non-bariatric surgery will be eligible for inclusion. Consecutive patients will be allocated 1:1 according to a computer-generated randomization schedule. Randomization will be stratified by center and will employ randomly permutated blocks. All patients in the intervention group will receive standard patient counseling on weight loss and an active VLED protocol. The preoperative VLED protocol will utilize commercially available weight loss products for three weeks preoperatively. The primary outcomes (randomization percentage, recruitment rate, intervention adherence, follow-up completion, network development) will assess feasibility. Descriptive statistics will be used to characterize the study sample.DiscussionThe PREPARE pilot RCT will aim to provide feasibility and safety data that will allow for the successful completion of the definitive PREPARE trial that has the potential to provide practice changing data pertaining to the regular use of VLEDs as a means of pre-habilitation for patients with obesity undergoing major non-bariatric surgery.Trial registrationThis study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (reference #NCT05918471) on June 23, 2023.

A Systematic Review of Extant of Literature in Weight Loss Marketing

Obesity is a concern throughout the world, in today's digital age many items are marketed as weight loss aids via social media platforms. The main purpose is to analyze studying weight loss marketing, what are the current issues investigated and what is going to be the direction of the topic globally. The paper employed a systematic review of literature in which 34 research papers were investigated. These 34 papers were searched from four databases namely; Google Scholar, Microsoft, Base, Global Health and Research gate. The findings reveal that four topics are studies frequently by the researchers from the studies reviewed. These main topics frequently covered are; the weight loss products development initiatives; the tools/technologies employed in the weight loss marketing; the way the weight loss products have been promoted using different tools and mechanism including the social media and digital marketing platforms and the last topic which attracted the attention of many researchers was on the misrepresentation of the material facts regarding the weight loss products. The findings further reveal that little has been studies regarding the effects/impact of sports marketing on organizational performance from the literature we have reviewed.

Establishment of high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array method for 43 weight loss agents and effect of basic environment on bisacodyl degradation.

The demand for weight loss products is increasing as slimness emerges as the new aesthetic standard and people's desire to achieve it increases. In addition, the distribution and sale of products containing illegal ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals for which safety is not guaranteed and that cannot be used as foods or dietary supplements are increasing. Thus, the development of an analytical method that could monitor these illegal products is required. A high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array method capable of rapid and reliable qualitative and quantitative analyses of 43 weight loss agents was established and validated. The process involved dividing analytes into three groups for rapid analysis; when bisacodyl was mixed with chlorocyclopentylsibutramine, it decomposed into its metabolites: monoacetyl bisacodyl and bis-(p-hydroxypheny)-pyridyl-2-methane. This decomposition was due to NaOH that was used to prepare the chlorocyclopentylsibutramine standard solution. Bisacodyl did not degrade when mixed with neutralized chlorocyclopentylsibutramine, whereas when NaOH was added, it rapidly degraded. We identified the bisacodyl degradation products using liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap/mass spectrometry. MS2 spectra with proposed structures of fragment peaks were also obtained. The developed method could be used to regulate slimming products that threaten public health, and knowledge of bisacodyl degradation will be used as the basis for developing an analytic method.

Global Prevalence of Adolescent Use of Nonprescription Weight-Loss Products

Use of nonprescribed weight-loss products in adolescents is a public health concern that is associated with negative physical and psychological consequences. However, the prevalence of nonprescribed weight-loss product use in adolescents is unknown. To determine the global prevalence of nonprescription weight-loss product use in children and adolescents. Four databases, including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health), and EMBASE, were searched for quantitative studies that reported prevalence data on use of nonprescription weight-loss products with no restrictions on publication date. The search was performed December 1, 2020, and updated March 6, 2023. Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they reported the prevalence of weight-loss product use, were published in English, and included individuals 18 years or younger. Data extraction was completed by 2 independent reviewers. Data analysis determined the overall pooled proportion of weight-loss product use in total and during the past week, past 30 days, past year, or lifetime. Inverse variance heterogeneity effect models were used. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of nonprescription weight-loss product use in adolescents for all included studies and over the past week, past month, past year, or lifetime. Subgroup analysis included separation of groups by sex, specific weight-loss product types, geographical location, and study publication time. A total of 90 articles (604 552 unique participants) were included in the meta-analysis. Of these, 50 studies (56%) were from North America. The reported prevalence of weight-loss product use in adolescents was 5.5% (96% CI, 5.5%-5.6%) overall. When identifying use of weight-loss products in the general population, prevalence was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.9%-2.1%) in the past week, 4.4% (95% CI, 4.3%-4.5%) in the past month, 6.2% (95% CI, 6.1%-6.3%) in the past year, and 8.9% (95% CI, 8.6%-9.2%) in their lifetime. Use of weight-loss products was higher among girls than boys. This meta-analysis found that use of weight-loss products occurs at high levels in adolescents, especially girls. These findings suggest that, given the ineffectiveness of these products for weight loss coupled with their harmful long-term health consequences, interventions are required to reduce use of weight-loss products in this group.

STUDY ON THE ACCELERATED CORROSION BEHAVIOR OF A GALVANIZED X80 PIPELINE STEEL WELDED JOINT DURING A CYCLIC SALT SPRAY TEST

The corrosion behavior of galvanized X80 pipeline steel welded joints in a marine atmospheric environment was studied using the cyclic salt spray accelerated corrosion test. The corrosion weight loss, corrosion morphology and corrosion products of samples under different cycles were characterized by means of appearance inspection, SEM and EDS. The results show that with the rupture of the galvanized layer, cracks first appear when the weld metal is exposed for eight days. With the infiltration of the corrosive liquid, pitting pits first appear in the weld metal. In the early stage of corrosion in the heat-affected zone, the fracture degree of the zinc layer is more serious than that in the other two areas. The corrosion products of the zinc layer accumulate irregularly and more pits appear, resulting in early cracks and pitting pits in the later stage. Compared with the first two regions, the base metal shows better corrosion resistance.

Beneficial effects of the probiotics and synbiotics supplementation on anthropometric indices and body composition in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Studies have suggested that probiotics and synbiotics can improve body weight and composition. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated mixed results. Hence, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics and synbiotics on body weight and composition in adults. We searched PubMed/Medline, Ovid/Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane library up to April 2023 using related keywords. We included all RCTs investigating the effectiveness of probiotics and/or synbiotics supplementation on anthropometric indices and body composition among adults. Random-effects models were applied for performing meta-analyses. In addition, we conducted subgroup analyses and meta-regression to explore the non-linear and linear relationship between the length of follow-up and the changes in each outcome. We included a total of 200 trials with 12,603 participants in the present meta-analysis. Probiotics or synbiotics intake led to a significant decrease in body weight (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -0.91 kg; 95% CI: -1.08, -0.75; p< 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -0.28 kg/m2 ; 95% CI: -0.36, -0.21; p< 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (WMD: -1.14 cm; 95% CI: -1.42, -0.87; p< 0.001), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (WMD: -0.01; 95% CI: -0.01, -0.00; p< 0.001), fat mass (FM) (WMD: -0.92 kg; 95% CI: -1.05, -0.79; p< 0.001), and percentage of body fat (%BF) (WMD: -0.68%; 95% CI: -0.94, -0.42; p< 0.001) compared to controls. There was no difference in fat-free mass (FFM) and lean body mass (LBM). Subgroup analyses indicated that probiotics or synbiotics administered as food or supplement resulted in significant changes in anthropometric indices and body composition. However, compared to controls, FM and %BF values were only reduced after probiotic consumption. Our results showed that probiotics or synbiotics have beneficial effects on body weight, central obesity, and body composition in adults and could be useful as an add on to weight loss products and medications.

Gooseberry anthocyanins alleviate insulin resistance by regulating ceramide metabolism in high fat diet mice.

Obesity is the fifth largest risk factor of death in the world. The ceramide produced by obesity is closely related to insulin resistance (IR) caused by obesity. At present, the commercially available weight loss products have large side effects and limited therapeutic effects. Therefore, it is particularly important to find effective natural nontoxic products to treat obesity and explore its possible pathways and mechanisms. In this paper, a high-fat diet (HFD) mice model was established by intragastric administration of high-fat emulsion to investigate the intervention effect of Gooseberry anthocyanins (GA) on IR in HFD mice. We used molecular docking technology to find the binding sites and binding energy of anthocyanins on CerS6. Real-time PCR was used to detect the effect of GA on the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA in HFD mice. The expression of S1P/Cer signaling pathway in HFD mice with IR was detected by Western Blot. The results showed that GA could effectively inhibit visceral fat, liver index, the level of TC, TG and the level of LDL-C (p < 0.05), and improved HDL-C, GSH-Px and SOD (p < 0.05). GA decreased the level of insulin sensitivity index from -5.15 to -4.54 and improved insulin sensitivity and IR in HFD mice. The binding energy of anthocyanins on CerS6 was in the range of -8.2 to 5.2 kcal/mol, with low energy parameters and good binding positions. GA could reduce mRNA levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α (p < 0.05), inhibit the expression of CerS6, PKCζ, PPARγ, CD36 (p < 0.05), and enhance the expression of SphK2, Akt, p-Akt/Akt, ISR (p < 0.05). This study investigated the effect and mechanism of GA on reducing ceramide content and reducing IR in mice, and provided an experimental basis for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related diseases.

Changes in the prevalence of U.S. adults using diet, exercise, pharmaceuticals and diet products for weight loss over time: Analysis of NHANES 1999-2018.

To examine changes in the use of diet, exercise, and pharmacological/diet product weight loss (WL) practices over time, and differences in these trends by sex and obesity status, data from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES Continuous 1999-2018) was used. The prevalence of diet, exercise and use of WL drugs and products over time were examined in men and women with and without obesity in a series of cross-sectional nationally representative samples (n = 43,020). Women and those with obesity were more likely to engage in WL practices over the past year, with an increased prevalence of WL efforts over time (38.4 to 43.2%). Amongst those who engaged in WL attempts, diet-related WL was most common (87-93%), followed by exercise-related WL (47-68%), whereas use of WL drugs and products was the least common (5-21%). There were modest differences in the prevalence of diet or exercise WL over time, with some differences by sex and obesity status. Most notable was the increase in the prevalence of exercise WL practices in women with obesity, with no differences among men or women without obesity. When examining specific types of diets, there were more clear differences in the adoption of diets over time, with the use of more traditional calorie/portion/fat restriction diets becoming less prevalent, and sugar/carbohydrate restriction becoming more prevalent over time (P<0.005). Changes over time in the use of diets were, were however, similar in men and women with and without obesity. Use of pharmacotherapy/diet products tended to decline in prevalence over time but was consistently highest in women with obesity. Thus, there are differences in the types of WL strategies individuals have employed over time, with variations in their popularity of use by sex and obesity status. However, the pattern of changes over time were quite similar in men and women with and without obesity.

The Use of Weight Loss Products and Body Mass Index among University Students in Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Body mass index (BMI) was one of the reasons people used weight loss products to lose weight. The purpose of this study is to look into the use of weight loss products and their relationship to BMI and associated factors. A cross-sectional study with convenient sampling was conducted on 133 students from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian (USMKK) Health Campus. Participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic information, self-reported weight and height for BMI, weight loss product use, weight loss product usage characteristics, body weight perception and satisfaction, and weight loss product perception. The majority of participants were female (78.2%), 80.5% were Malay, and the mean age was 22 ± 3.1 years old. Majority had a normal BMI (56.4%), whereas 16.5% were underweight, 18.8% were overweight, and 8.3% were obese. Nevertheless, only 10.5% of participants utilised weight loss products. It was discovered that the use of weight loss products is statistically associated with BMI, with a high proportion of users having an overweight or obese BMI (p=0.042). Those who reported using a weight loss product had a higher BMI [25.56 (IQR 6.6) kg/m2] than those who did not [21.35 (IQR 5.3) kg/m2] (p = 0.015). The use of weight loss products was also statistically associated with perceived product safety (p=0.041) and body weight dissatisfaction (p=0.011). Universities should therefore provide students with appropriate weight loss advice, up-to-date information on the safety and efficacy of various weight loss products, and opportunities to enhance their knowledge, self-efficacy, and social support. For future research, it is suggested to wider the research population to overweight and obese adults in Kelantan.

A systematic review of the economic value proposition for commercially available nonsurgical weight-loss interventions.

The study aim was to review the economic evaluation literature of commercially available and effective nonsurgical weight-loss interventions to investigate whether there is evidence to support claims of cost-effectiveness (i.e., good value for money) or cost savings (i.e., a positive return on investment). Relevant databases were systematically reviewed to identify economic evaluations of commercially available weight-loss products and services shown to result in clinically significant weight loss. Five weight-loss medications (orlistat, liraglutide, naltrexone-bupropion, semaglutide, and phentermine-topiramate), two meal replacement programs (Jenny Craig, Optifast), and one behavioral intervention (Weight Watchers [WW]) that met inclusion criteria were identified. After screening, 32 relevant comparisons of cost-effectiveness or cost savings across 20 studies were identified. Ten of twenty pharmaceutical comparisons showed evidence of cost-effectiveness based on established thresholds. Four of twelve nonpharmaceutical comparisons provided evidence of cost-effectiveness, and five made claims of cost savings. However, methodological concerns cast doubt on the robustness of these claims. Evidence of cost-effectiveness for commercially available, evidence-based, nonsurgical weight-loss interventions is mixed. There is no evidence for cost-saving weight-loss medications and only weak evidence for behavioral and weight-loss interventions. Results provide a call to action to generate more robust evidence of the economic value proposition for these interventions.

Isolation and characterization of a new oxyphenisatin analogue, oxyphenisatin propionate, from a processed plum intended as a weight loss product

A new oxyphenisatin analogue was detected from a processed plum claiming to be a weight loss product without any side effects during the daily inspecting and monitoring of illegal adulterants in health supplements. An abundant peak caused our interest firstly owing to its identical fragments of m/z 224 and 196 in the MS/MS experiments with those of oxyphenisatin acetate. The chemical structure of the unknown compound was characterized by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode array detector and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-Q-TOF/MS), followed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy experiments. Based on the data, it was defined that the two symmetrical acetyl groups in oxyphenisatin acetate were replaced by two propionyl groups for the unknown structure. Finally, the new oxyphenisatin analogue was identified as 3,3-bis[4′-(propionyloxy)phenyl]−1,3-dihydroindole-2-one and designated as oxyphenisatin propionate. Thereafter, the content of the new analogue was quantitatively determined to be 681 mg/kg, which would inevitably cause adverse health effect because there was not specification for daily consumption of this product. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for identification of oxyphenisatin propionate.

Special Report: Potential Strategies for Addressing GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1/GIP Receptor Agonist Shortages.

Unexpected drug shortages of the long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists dulaglutide and semaglutide and the dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist tirzepatide emerged in late 2022 and have persisted through the first quarter of 2023 (1). The drug shortage has not affected product doses equally; some doses are more widely available than others (2). For the purposes of this article, we will consider the dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist tirzepatide to be included when referring to GLP-1 receptor agonist product shortages. These shortages predominately occurred because of an unexpected increase in demand for GLP-1 receptor agonists without adequate adjustment in production (3). The inadequate supply has created new access barriers for patients previously using or wishing to initiate these products for glycemic management, weight loss, and/or cardiovascular risk reduction. Thus, strategies to mitigate this disruption to patient care are needed.

Concomitant use of allopathic medicine and herbal products for weight-loss among people with overweight or obesity from Central Mexico

This study evaluated the prevalence of concomitant use of herbal products for weight loss (HPWL) and allopathic medicine. Factors associated with the prevalence, adverse reactions, and the alteration of medication adherence with the concomitant use of HPWL alone and in combination with allopathic medicine, were assessed. The study was descriptive and cross-sectional using a questionnaire conducted among people with overweight or obesity (n=662) from five cities of Central Mexico. Adherence to medications was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. The prevalence of adverse reactions induced by the concomitant use of HPWL, and allopathic medicine was 25.3%. The use of HPWL affected medication adherence by 68%. There is a high prevalence (45.2%) of concomitant use of HPWL and allopathic medicine in people with overweight or obesity in Central Mexico. The concomitant use of HPWL and allopathic medicine induces adverse reactions, mainly gastrointestinal, and thus, medication adherence is affected.

Sibutramine detection in weight-loss products using a sodium/phosphorus dual-doped carbon nanotubes modified electrode

A new electrode material of sodium and phosphorus dual-doped carbon nanotubes (Na/P-CNTs) was produced by a facile hydrothermal reaction. The Na/P-CNTs nanocomposite was used to modify an electrode for an electrochemical sensing system to determine sibutramine in weight-loss products. The nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrode modification improved electro-catalytic activity and electron transfer, which contributed to the effective oxidation of sibutramine. The analytical performances of the fabricated electrode were investigated by measuring sibutramine concentrations by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdASV). The electrode produced linear ranges from 0.025 to 20 μg mL−1 and 20 to 60 μg mL−1 and a detection limit of 0.010 μg mL−1, and exhibited good repeatability, reproducibility, anti-interference ability, and rapid analysis time (120 s) for sibutramine. The developed sensor was successfully applied to determine sibutramine in weight-loss products, achieving recoveries from 91 ± 3 % to 102 ± 1 %. This Na/P-CNT nanocomposite achieved performances comparable to standard methods and could be adapted to monitor other electroactive species and for other electrochemical applications.

Comparative Study of Sensory and Physicochemical Characteristics of Green-Tea-Fortified Cupcakes upon Air Frying and Oven Baking.

The air fryer and the oven are common cooking methods in our daily lives. However, previous investigations of the air fryer were limited to its comparison with deep-fat frying. This study compared the differences between air frying and household oven baking (without a fan or other forced airflow inside) on food quality and physicochemical properties using a cupcake model. Results showed that the oven-baked cupcakes were softer in texture (87.15%), greener in color (6.07%), and lower in weight loss (7.78%) and toxic advanced glycation end products (AGEs, 21.40%) when the heating temperature and duration were the same as oven baking. To improve the sensory characteristics and health value, the cupcakes were fortified with green tea. The differences in texture, color, and level of toxicants between the two cooking methods were diminished after the addition of green tea. Moreover, the chemical profiles of green tea catechins in the green-tea-fortified cupcakes remained similar upon thermal cooking, except that the air-fried cupcakes were lower in gallic acid (GA) but higher in (-)-gallocatechin (GC). Collectively, based on the differences in heating mechanisms, our data indicated that oven baking is a better cooking method suitable to prepare cupcakes than air frying from the perspectives of sensory characteristics and food safety, while green tea additives effectively counter the drawbacks of the air fryer.