I don't think this article is really "breaking news" but it shows that serious implications that being overweight can have on your overall health.
Obese patients taking medications to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels are less likely to reach recommended targets for these cardiovascular disease risk factors than their normal weight counterparts, according to new research presented at the 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
Dr. Vineet Bhan, a resident at the University of Toronto, sought to determine whether there were differences in reaching guideline-recommended targets for blood pressure and cholesterol levels according to body mass index (BMI) in a large number of individuals deemed to be at high risk for heart disease and stroke.
"In Canada, these high risk patients frequently do not reach their blood pressure and cholesterol targets," says Dr. Bhan. "The goal of our study was to see if obesity could be a factor."
To learn more,
click here.
I know we are all guilty of reaching to our "comfort foods" when life gets hectic. Do you think it is true? That stress leads us to eat unhealthier foods? Full text of the article from USA Today can be found by
clicking here.
Many people say they eat more when they are under stress. Others eat less.
But people under chronic stress are more likely than others to say they eat fattening foods and feel that their eating is out of control, according to a study presented at a recent meeting of the Obesity Society.
In one of the largest surveys ever to examine the relationship between chronic stress and eating behaviors, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco questioned more than 600 women who were overweight or obese about their eating habits and life stressors.
Eating is a social activity - this can mean trouble for our waistlines. In fact, new research shows that women tend to eat more when feasting with other females, but not when they dine with men.
Guys, on the other hand, are unaffected by whether they dine with dudes or with the ladies. This doesn't mean men are impervious to buddy-inspired bloat, though. Past studies found that people eat more calories when someone else at the table orders seconds, and that people are more likely to be overweight or obese if they have overweight or obese friends.
The bottom line: Regardless of your gender, your dining companion can impact your weight.
Do you love watching The Biggest Loser? Whether you love the show or not, most people can agree that the participants are inspiring in their quests to get healthy and lose weight. This past year, I’ve gotten quite a few comments and questions about the show and the exercises that are performed by the participants. I haven’t faithfully watched the past few seasons, so I can’t comment directly on the training programs in the show. However, I was
sent an article recently that reviewed the exercise programs and included an interview with Bob Harper (show trainer) about how realistic the show really is when it comes to what you see on the screen.
If you want to read Bob Harper’s comments and other personal trainers thoughts on the show, check out this
article.
A couple things I took away from this article:
- Remember that these participants are living outside of the “real world” during this show. Think about the changes you could make if you didn’t have to work, clean the house, or take care of your family. Their jobs during this special time in their lives are to exercise, learn how to eat right, and compete in weight loss. We ask you to do all these things, but we can’t keep you here overnight. Think about how successful you are for doing all of these things while living your real life!
- The exercise programs are typically extreme for the overweight population. These participants are thoroughly checked for medical issues before and during the show. They are not allowed to be a participant if they suffer from certain medical conditions. If you are ever questioning whether you should be exercising like them---think about whether or not The Biggest Loser doctors would clear you to participate.
- Although the whole concept of the show is very inspiring, you have to remember that the main goal of The Biggest Loser is TV ratings and entertainment. I am the first one to admit I come to tears every time I watch the show, but I always try to remember the “TV element” of the production. We don’t see everything!
- And most of all…if the show gives you positive and uplifting feelings and helps you start exercising, then keep watching! If it makes you feel inadequate or unmotivated like you could never exercise, then change the channel!
The following is from WebMD the Magazine.
Nearly 800,000 new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in the United States each year. Yet many people with type 2 diabetes don’t realize they have it. Do you know if you’re at risk for getting diabetes? 5.7 million Americans have diabetes but don’t know it.
1. How old are you?
2. Are you overweight? Yes No
3. Do you have a family member with diabetes? Yes No
4. What is your ethnic background?
5. Do you exercise at least three times a week?
Answers: #1 Risk goes up with age: type 2 diabetes s more likely for people age 45 and older who are overweight. However, greater numbers of people younger than 40 – including teens and people in their 20’s are getting the disease because of rising U.S. obesity rates.
#2 Being overweight can hamper your body’s ability to use insulin properly, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
#3 Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes raises your risk.
#4 Certain ethnic groups have a higher risk. Native Americans, Alaska Natives, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-American, and Pacific Islanders are more prone to getting type 2 diabetes.
#5 Being inactive – for example, exercising fewer than three times a week – can increase your chances of developing type 2. Talk to your doctor about starting or increasing a fitness plan to get more exercise into your life.
Clarian Bariatrics can help. If you are, overweight with type 2 diabetes and have tried diet control without success call us at 317-275-7010 for more information.
The following factors will be considered in determining if you are a candidate for bariatric surgery:
- You have tried to lose weight by changing your eating habits and exercise and are still severely obese.
- You are unable to perform routine daily activities without being seriously affected.
- You understand the procedure and the lifestyle changes you will need to make after bariatric surgery.
- You are motivated to make a lifelong behavioral commitment that includes well-balanced meals and physical exercise.
- You understand that this surgery won't solve all your problems, but can make you healthier -- and probably much happier.
Before patients undergo surgery for morbid obesity, they must qualify for our bariatrics program. Our basic program guidelines are:
- Being 100 pounds or more over your "ideal body weight," according to the established weight charts.
- Having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40 with no co-morbidities or greater than 35 with serious co-morbidities.
- Being able and willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes.
BMI Categories:
Underweight: less than18.5
Normal: 18.5-24.9
Overweight: 25.0-29.9
Obesity (Class 1): 30-34.9
Severe obesity (Class 2): 35-39.9
Severe obesity (Class 3): 40-49.9
Super-obesity: over 50
Learn more by joining us at a FREE informational seminar this week! Learn more at
ACallToChange.org.
Another article from the OAC's e-newsletter. It is rather shocking that obesity has so quickly become such a serious health issue. You can read full text of the article by
clicking here.
Already up to one in twelve new cases of the disease are attributed to being overweight or obese and this proportion is set to increase as more quit smoking and stop hormone replacement therapy.
Dr Andrew Renehan, a cancer expert at the University of Manchester, told a medical conference: "Obesity is catching up at a rate that makes it possible it could become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade."
Last year, the number of cancer cases in Europe linked to weight jumped to at least 124,050, almost double the number in 2002.
If you have been a loyal visitor to this blog, then you are aware that our excellent dietiticans are often advocating ditching soda pop. Here is just one of the many reasons why:
While health officials have long suspected the link between obesity and soda
consumption, research released today provides the first scientific evidence of
the potent role soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages play in fueling
California`s expanding girth.
In their landmark study: Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity
in California, researchers from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
(CHPR) and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) discovered a
strong correlation between soda consumption and weight. Based upon data from
more than 40,000 interviews conducted by the California Health Interview Surveys
(CHIS), researchers found that adults who drink a soda or more per day are 27
percent more likely to be overweight than those who do not drink sodas,
regardless of income or ethnicity. If you want to learn more about the study,
please click here for a Reuters article.
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought it was a great time to share this news article discussing the links between obesity and prostate cancer. When detected early, prostate cancer is very curable. If you are a man over 40 have you had your yearly PSA? If not, visit
ACallToChange.org to learn about FREE upcoming screenings in your area.
Below are a few paragraphs from the article.
Please click the link to view full text.
A new look at a large database of prostate cancer patients shows that obesity plays no favorites when it comes to increasing the risk of recurrence after surgery: Being way overweight is equally bad for blacks and whites, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
Studies have shown that obesity is linked to generally worse outcomes in many cancers, including prostate cancer. Because blacks are more likely than whites to develop and die from prostate cancer - and because there is a higher prevalence of obesity among black men with prostate cancer, compared to whites - some studies have suggested that obesity might be a more ominous risk factor for blacks than whites.
This story is very personal as my grandmother has been battling this disease for the past two years. Although she was never obese during her lifetime, it shows that Alzheimer's is indiscriminate in whom it can affect. I simply want to share this article in the hopes that it can raise awareness of this horrible disease. The first few paragraphs are below, and the full text can be
found here.
Obesity is on a rampage, with the World Health Organization pegging the numbers at more than 300 million worldwide, with a billion more overweight. With obesity comes the increased risk for cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and hypertension.
Now comes more discouraging news. In the current online edition of the journal Human Brain Mapping, Paul Thompson, senior author and a UCLA professor of neurology, and lead author Cyrus A. Raji, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and colleagues compared the brains of people who were obese, overweight, and of normal weight, to see if they had differences in brain structure; that is, did their brains look equally healthy. If you would like to learn more about Indiana weight loss surgery, causes of obesity and how bariatric surgery can change your life, please join us at a FREE informational seminar. Click on the image at the right of this post to learn more.
I thought this was an interesting study from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Do you agree with the report findings?
Businesses can save money by creating obesity intervention programs in the workplace. That's the finding of a new study from North Carolina-based RTI International as well as the Centers for Disease Control.
The savings are modest, about $90-a year per employee across all overweight or obese workers, or up to $160-a year for workers in the highest obesity range. The study suggests the return on investment is higher if workplace environmental changes are considered.
Researchers say behavioral interventions are usually considered successful if they lead to a five percent weight loss over a sustained period of time. Individuals who aren't overweight tend to take fewer sick days and medical costs to the employer are reduced.
The following post was written by one of my students, Misty A. Hawkins. If you have a question for Misty, please e-mail her at miahawki@iupui.edu.
The summer season is now officially underway…and that means it’s time for summer clothes! While less fabric means we’ll be cooler, for many of us, tank tops, shorts and swimsuits can become a source of anxiety! Tanks tops and bathing suits are notorious for showing the parts that most of us try to hide. Putting on these clothes often makes us focus on the things we dislike about our bodies. Does your excess weight make you uncomfortable with the idea of exposing more skin?
Many of the patients I talk to have really negative feelings about their body, and these feelings are not uncommon! We certainly live in a society that can be cruel to people who are overweight. Because of this, positive body image can suffer…but what is body image?
When most people think about body image, they would define it as the perceptions and attitudes about the way their body looks: Essentially, your appearance. I would encourage you to expand this definition! Body image can be about more than who you are on the outside. It can be how your body interacts with the people and environment around you. Is your body that of a loving mother or grandmother that kids love to get hugs from? Is your body that of a successful multi-tasker who always gets the job done? How about the body of a father who faithfully cares and provides for his family?
Body image…a topic that I think is especially important in the summer season as we expose more and more of ourselves! How do you feel about your body and the way you use it everyday? Do you have negative thoughts about it? What about positive ones? If you’re thinking about having bariatric surgery, how do you think having the surgery will change your body image? If you’ve already had weight loss surgery, has your experience changed the way you view your body and the way it interacts with the world around you?
Another story highlighting the need to educate children early on the dangers of improper eating and a sedentary lifestyle. This article, from the
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, can be found by
clicking here. The first few paragraphs are below:
The prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents. In a study of 1,030 Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 19, published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine found less than optimal diets in both overweight and non-overweight participants.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), in 2005-2006 the prevalence of overweight among children (2-19 years) from all ethnic/racial groups was 15.5%. For Mexican-American males and females (2-19 years) the prevalence was 23.2% and 18.5%, respectively. Although the US environment encourages a sedentary lifestyle and excess food intake, the Hispanic population is burdened with additional risk factors for childhood obesity including parental obesity, low socioeconomic status (SES), recent immigration, acculturation to US diet and lifestyle, and limited health insurance coverage.
This article from
Endocrine Today, highlights one of the ongoing discussions about how bariatric surgery has been proven to cure Type 2 diabetes. We've discussed this topic on the blog before and I would encourage anyone with the disease to talk with your physician about how weight loss surgery may help your condition. The first few paragraphs are below and full text can be found
here.
A surgeon argued today that the criteria for bariatric surgery should be changed, allowing more overweight people to undergo the procedure.
Even though there is a 92% reduction in diabetes-specific mortality risk after gastric bypass, only a small percentage of patients who could benefit are eligible to undergo the procedure, Francesco A. Rubino, MD, said. Those with a BMI greater than 40 are eligible for the procedure; those with a BMI greater than 35 are eligible only if comorbidities are present. “These criteria should change,” he said.
Rubino, chief of gastrointestinal metabolic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and head of the Diabetes Surgery Center at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College, also argued that the success of gastric bypass surgery “challenges the idea that diabetes is chronic and irreversible.”
The outcomes of the surgical procedure suggest an intestinal contribution to diabetes pathophysiology. Diabetes may be a “dysfunction of the bowel,” he said.
Wow, this is a hot button issue! Regardless of how you feel about the topic, the article raises some very valid points. I don't agree with the statment from the author "that obesity is, at its core, a condition that individuals ought to be able to control themselves," however maybe regulating more strictly the type of food commercials that are shown at different times of the day could put a dent - even if small - in the childhood obesity epidemic.
Read full text of the article form
The Atlantic here. The first few paragraphs are below:
Major health problems associated with smoking account for about a tenth of our health care spending, about the same amount as illness and behaviors associated with obesity. Today, the Senate will vote to regulate tobacco like a drug and crack down on marketing. Costs associated with cigarette consumption will rise.
A lot of folks wonder why the government can't borrow the tobacco approach and apply it to obesity, which also seems to be -- seems to be, I say -- a condition that results from an addiction to food? Arguably, the long-term costs associated with being overweight exceed those of nicotine addiction. Trouble is, obesity belongs to a different category of conditions. There is a social and psychological element to the smoking contagion, but its origins, effects and treatments are much more defined.
Have you felt that beautiful sun on your face? Although the last couple days have been rainy, the last couple weeks have been amazing, especially for Indiana. We, as a family traveled north to celebrate Memorial Day with both sets of our parents. This was quite the adventure.
Both sides of our families are prone to be on the heavy side, but I wanted all of us to participate and enjoy ourselves. That is often hard when you are overweight and you feel like you are sitting on the outside watching everyone “play” and you can only cheer them on.
For my family most of their activity would focus around sedentary games such as cards, or checkers. Not this year, we had yard games set out and enjoyed a very entertaining afternoon. The smallest increase in your activity level is a change for the better. We spent several hours playing yard golf (you know, the game where you throw golf balls on a string over a goal made of PVC). This very limited activity level got a good portion of the family dancing and taunting the rival team in good old fashion fun.
All in all it was a day for the scrapbook, having both grandpas even one of the grandmas swing those balls and crying out in frustration. How many of those days do we have in our past? I can tell you I have a whole lot more in my future.
RUN DO NOT WALK! Make that change today, start out with the small things like yard golf. Not only are you making memories for you, your children and your whole family you are scrapbooking the ever changing face of your journey. Be an inspiration, a motivation to those around you. Make a difference. Make your own support group at home and them come and compare notes and learn others approaches at the support groups at Clarian Bariatrics. Give us a call at 317-275-7010 for the latest schedule of events.
It’s May in Indianapolis, which means Race day is upon us. The two words that always come to my mind is victory lane. What does the word victory mean to me? Success, winning and triumph! Having weight loss surgery brings many success and triumphs on different
levels for all of us.
To some it may include participating in a 5K race, running the mini, walking a few extra blocks or just being mobile and feeling good.
One recent success for me was walking in the Race for The Cure with my mother who is a two time breast cancer survivor. After the survivor walk, walking around the vendor tents and the actual walk we ended up doing over five miles.
There was no "I’m out of breath I need to sit down" moments and no "when is this ever going to end" feeling. That is a huge accomplishment for me. Two years ago I would have attempted to do the race just because of my mom but I would never have made it throughout the day without exhaustion. I can honestly say I would place this day in my lineup for victory lane!
I saw this article in the Obesity Action Coalition newsletter and thought the informaiton was too important not to share. Overweight and obese women are less likely to receive an accurate reading from ultrasound screenings aimed at identifying fetal abnormalities, new research reveals. Such screenings also seem to be less effective among women who are diabetic prior to their pregnancy.
"We were asking the question, 'Are birth defects less likely to be detectable with prenatal ultrasound in women who are overweight or obese, compared with women of normal body-mass index,'" explained study author Dr. Jodi S. Dashe, who works in the department of obstetrics & gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
For more information,
please click here.
Well maybe not the only reason, but this is an interesting study none the less. I picked up this article from the May Obesity Action Coalition newsletter:
Liwei Chen MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health, is the lead author of a research paper showing that weight gain and obesity are more linked to an increase in liquid calories, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, than calories from solid food. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the relative effects of calories from liquids compared with those of calories from solid food on weight loss in adults over an extended period. The study is published in the May 1, 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study reports four principal findings: First, a reduction in liquid calorie intake was significantly associated with weight loss at both 6 months and 18 months. Second, the weight-loss effect of a reduction in liquid calorie intake was stronger than that of a reduction in solid calorie intake. Third, a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverage intake was significantly associated with weight loss at both 6 and 18 months. Fourth, no other beverage type was associated with weight change.
It has been projected that 75 percent of U.S. adults will be overweight or obese by 2015.For more information,
please click here.
With the hope of providing an incentive and sympathetic viewpoint for both our pre-operative and post-operative patients, I would like to share my personal experience. For me, too, weight control has been an issue for a significant part of my life. As all of you know, when one is overweight, the ability to lose weight is challenged by one's work schedule, family commitments, financial constraints, and apathy or sense of hopelessness.
I think television portrays the typical surgeon's schedule relatively well. So, I don't feel it necessary to explain why my work schedule makes it hard to eat right. At home, I have a two-year-old son and a working wife that deserve my time and attention. So, exercise and dining revolve around my schedule, but I try to follow their schedule whenever my work allows it. So, that leaves little time for either exercise or good dietary planning.
Financially, my family has not been impacted anywhere near as much as others, but our home is no different than most in our need to trim waste and limit excessive spending during this difficult economy. As many of you know, healthy eating is often more time consuming and more expensive.
Finally, like many, I had accepted my weight as a consequence of factors that were largely out of my control or would require so much effort to change that it wasn't worth it. Then, due to both financial and health reasons, I decided I needed to stop this train. So, in mid-January, my wife and I started the Liver Reduction Diet or LRD. The same diet that has been shown to each of you. In a manner of two months, I can say that we both have successfully lost 10 percent of our body weight. We have started packing our lunch, reducing our eating out, and limiting our carbohydrate consumption.
It isn't easy. But, it also isn't really that hard. There is no doubt that our success comes from wholesale change in our eating behavior and the support that we have provided one another. As you know, the hard part will be the maintenance of our weight loss. So, what do I want you to take home from this. Well, we all know that it's hard to lose weight. But, the tools, like the LRD, are there. I have had as many obstacles as all of you, but I used the tools and have had success. If I can do it, then so can you!
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