Researchers Identify Role For Protein Linked To Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 21 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Researchers Identify Role For Protein Linked To Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have taken another step toward better understanding the metabolic functions of obesity and its connection to type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Philipp Scherer, Director of the Touchstone Center for Diabetes Research at UT Southwestern, led a group of researchers in a recent multicenter study published in Nature Medicine that successfully identified ways to manipulate the protein mitoNEET. This is the first time the protein has been effectively altered to expand fat tissue in a way that allows subjects - in this case, mice - to remain metabolically healthy.

MitoNEET is a key component of a cell's mitochondrion, which serves as the cell's energy powerhouse. When the levels of MitoNEET protein were elevated inside the fat cells of rodents, more fat was stored in the adipose tissue, thereby keeping toxic lipids away from other types of cells. This sequestration resulted in extremely obese yet metabolically healthy mice that displayed no signs of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, when MitoNEET levels were decreased, the mice became lean but unhealthy, and developed pre-diabetic conditions such as failure to metabolize glucose properly.

"The manipulation of mitochondrial activity in fat tissue is a very powerful approach to control how much excess energy we store in our bodies and where we store it. We have heretofore underestimated the importance of mitochondrial pathways in our fat cells and their influence on how we manage our weight," said Dr. Scherer, senior author of the three-year study and Professor of Internal Medicine and Cell Biology at UTSW.

The body stores fat in the white adipose tissue, and, ideally, individuals burn any excess calories through exercise and a healthy diet. The current research findings suggest that manipulating components of mitochondria in fat cells can be an effective way to funnel excess calories into "good" locations. This storage then thwarts their negative effect on other internal organs like the liver in which excess fat accumulation is toxic.

The obese mice in this study weighed 120 to 130 grams (4.23 to 4.58 ounces), whereas a normal adult mouse weighs 25 to 30 grams (.88 to 1.06 ounces). This difference is the equivalent of a 150-pound person increasing his or her weight to 700 pounds.

The researchers were careful to clarify that the findings were not meant to encourage obesity, even though the obese mice were considered metabolically healthy. The study instead provides a clearer understanding of the mitochondrion's importance to the metabolic dysfunction - that is characteristic of obese patients and those with type 2 diabetes.

"These results taught us a great deal about how fat cells sense, store, and burn energy," said Dr. Christine Kusminski, a postdoctoral researcher in Internal Medicine who served as the study's first author. "By learning more about the underlying mechanisms, we hope to develop ways to target these pathways for future drug development."

The researchers now hope to translate these findings into a clinical setting. The staff of the Touchstone Center is devoted to the study of cells and tissues that either contribute to or are affected by diabetes and related diseases, including the physiology of adipose tissue.

Other UT Southwestern researchers involved in the study were Dr. William L. Holland, Instructor in Internal Medicine; Dr. Kai Sun, Assistant Instructor in Internal Medicine; Dr. Jiyoung Park, Assistant Instructor in Internal Medicine; and Stephen B. Spurgin, a medical student. Scientists from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Merck Research Laboratories also contributed.

The investigation was funded by support from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and fellowships from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Department of Defense.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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Small Changes In Eating Prompts Weight Loss

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 31 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Small Changes In Eating Prompts Weight Loss

Making small easy changes to our eating habits on a consistent basis - 25 days or more per month - can lead to sustainable weight loss, according to research by Professor Brian Wansink in Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab. The challenge is to figure out which changes work for specific individuals and how to stick with changes long enough to make them second nature.

To explore this issue, Cornell researchers launched the National Mindless Eating Challenge (NMEC), an online healthy eating and weight loss program that focused on simple eating behavior changes, instead of dieting.

NMEC participants, after answering questions about their eating goals, background and well-being, were sent three customized tips to follow for a month. All tips were founded on research and based on Wansink's book "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think" (Bantam, 2006). Participants could download a checklist to track their adherence to tips and receive email reminders to keep them on track. At the end of each month they were expected to send in a follow-up survey. Of the 504 participants who completed at least one follow-up survey, more than two thirds (42 percent) either lost weight or maintained their weight (27 percent).

Weight loss was highest among people who made changes consistently.

Those whose adherence was 25 or more days per month reported an average monthly weight loss of 2 pounds, and those who stayed in the program at least three months and completed at least two follow-up surveys lost on average 1 percent of their initial weight.

According to the study, which is published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medical Internet Research (Nov-Dec., Vol. 14:6), common barriers that prevented people from making changes included personally unsuitable tips, forgetting, being too busy, unusual circumstances such as vacations and emotional eating.

"These results confirm that small, consistent changes in our daily eating behavior can result in gradual weight loss and in developing healthier eating habits," said Wansink, a marketing professor in Cornell's Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Results of the study also show that it is a challenge for many people to stick to a program for a long period of time. For those who want to lose weight or eat more healthfully, the researchers conclude that finding an initial set of tips that are relevant and doable for an individual can be enough to learn the general principle.

"Later come up with your own changes and succeed at reaching your goal," Wansink said.

The NMEC participants said that the most effective tips they received were:

Keep counters clear of all foods but the healthy ones.
Never eat directly from a package - always portion food out onto a dish.
Eat something hot for breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
Avoid going more than thee or four hours without having something small to eat.
Put down your utensils between bites to slow down your eating.

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Healthy Lifestyle During Menopause May Decrease Breast Cancer Risk Later On

Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Breast Cancer;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 30 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Healthy Lifestyle During Menopause May Decrease Breast Cancer Risk Later On

Obese, postmenopausal women are at greater risk for developing breast cancer and their cancers tend to be more aggressive than those in lean counterparts. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the December issue of the journal Cancer Research shows how this risk might be prevented.

"By using nutrient tracers for fat and sugar, we tracked where the body stored excess calories. In lean models, excess fat and glucose were taken up by the liver, mammary and skeletal tissues. In obese models, excess fat and glucose were taken up by tumors, fueling their growth," says Erin Giles, PhD, postdoctoral researcher at the CU Cancer Center and the paper's lead author.

In short, if you are lean, excess calories go to healthy tissue. If you are obese, excess calories feed the tumor.

"This implies that the menopausal window may be an opportunity for women to control their breast cancer risk through weight management," Giles says.

In this study, Giles worked with a team of scientists including postdoctoral fellows Elizabeth Wellberg and Sonali Jindal, as well as faculty members Steve Anderson, Pepper Schedin, Ann Thor and Paul Maclean. Their study also showed that tumors from obese animals had increased levels of the progesterone receptor, and this receptor appears to give tumors a metabolic advantage for growth. To extend their findings to humans, they recruited gene analysis experts David Astling and Aik-Choon Tan who analyzed 585 human breast cancers and found that human tumors expressing the progesterone receptor had the same metabolic advantage.

"Basically, we saw an abnormal metabolic response to fat and sugar in the obese that, in many ways, mirrors the response to fat and sugar in Type II diabetes," Giles says. Noticing this similarity, the group tested the use of the common Type II diabetes drug, Metformin, in their model of postmenopausal breast cancer.

"With treatment, tumor size was dramatically decreased in the obese, and tumors showed reduced expression of the progesterone receptor," Giles says.

Using a pre-clinical model, the investigators found that weight gain during menopause is particularly bad for those who are obese when entering menopause. Together, the results of this study suggest that the combination of obesity and weight gain during menopause can impact breast cancer in two ways. First, tumors that arise in obese women appear to have a metabolic advantage, and second, the inability to store excess calories in healthy tissues may further fuel tumor growth.

"While drugs may be useful in controlling breast cancer risk in obese, postmenopausal women, our results imply that a combination of diet and exercise may be equally if not more beneficial," Giles says.

The group's ongoing studies are testing whether interventions such as diet and exercise, during the period of menopausal weight gain, can improve tumor outcomes.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our menopause section for the latest news on this subject. This work was primarily supported by the Komen Foundation (KG081323), Cancer League of Colorado, American Institute for Cancer Research, and Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) pilot award (NIH DK048520).

University of Colorado Denver

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Consuming Whole Eggs May Improve Blood Lipids According To New Research

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Cholesterol;  Hypertension
Article Date: 20 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Consuming Whole Eggs May Improve Blood Lipids According To New Research

It is estimated that 34% of Americans are affected by an increasingly prevalent condition known as metabolic syndrome which is a combination of at least three of the following risk factors: large waistline, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.(i) These individuals have a variety of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Decades of mixed messaging regarding dietary cholesterol have led to avoidance of certain foods, such as eggs, particularly among individuals who are faced with health conditions. However, a recent study published in Metabolism suggests that including whole eggs as part of a weight loss diet may have positive effects on lipoprotein profiles for individuals with metabolic syndrome.(ii)

In this study, middle-aged men and women with metabolic syndrome consumed either three whole eggs or an equivalent amount of egg substitute daily as part of a carbohydrate-restricted, weight loss diet.(ii) Although participants eating the whole eggs were consuming twice as much cholesterol as they had at the beginning of the study, the researchers observed no effects on total blood cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels after 12 weeks on the diet. All participants, including those consuming whole eggs, had improved lipid profiles with decreases in plasma triglycerides and increases in HDL cholesterol.(ii)

"Eating egg yolks was actually associated with enhanced health benefits in these high-risk individuals," explains Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez, lead study author and Professor at the University of Connecticut, "Subjects consuming whole eggs had greater increases in HDL cholesterol and more significant reductions in the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio than those who ate the cholesterol-free egg substitute."

A Closer Look at the Incredible Egg

The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service has reported that eggs now have 14 percent less cholesterol (down from 215 mg to 185 mg) and 64 percent more vitamin D than previously thought.(iii) Naturally nutrient-rich, one large egg provides varying amounts of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including nutrients that aren't found abundantly in other foods, including vitamin D and choline. Many of these nutrients reside in the yolk, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that may prevent macular degeneration and consequent age-related blindness. While eggs contain only small amounts of these nutrients, research shows that lutein and zeaxanthin from eggs may be more bioavailable, or better used by the body, than from more concentrated sources like supplements.(iv) A recent study published in Food and Function found that daily consumption of egg yolks was associated with increases in plasma lutein, zeaxanthin and ß-carotene in people with metabolic syndrome, which is typically associated with low levels of these important nutrients.(v)

High-Quality Egg Protein and Weight Management

Weight management is a crucial aspect of preventing and managing chronic disease such as metabolic syndrome. All-natural, high-quality protein helps build muscle and allows people to feel fuller longer and stay energized, which can assist with weight management.(vi, vii) In fact, an egg breakfast, compared with a bagel breakfast of similar calories, has been shown to lead to greater feelings of fullness and reduced food intake at later meals, resulting in a significant reduction in BMI and waist circumference.(viii)

Dr. Dixie Harms, a nurse practitioner specializing in diabetes care, suggests starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast as a good weight-management strategy, a first line of defense in preventing chronic disease. "Management of chronic disease takes a coordinated effort with diet and lifestyle," says Harms, "A balanced breakfast including high-quality protein plus regular physical activity can help put individuals on a path to a healthier lifestyle."

Luckily, it's easy to create a nutritious breakfast. Pair eggs with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods as part of an overall healthy diet. For more nutrition and healthy living tips, visit www.EggNutritionCenter.org. The Egg Nutrition Center is a National Strategic Partner of the USDA's MyPlate program which helps Americans follow the Dietary Guidelines by providing resources and tips to build a healthy plate.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. i Ervin RB. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults 20 Years of Age and Over, by Sex, Age, Race and Ethnicity, and Body Mass Index: United States, 2003. National Health Statistics Reports 2009;13.
ii Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Barona J, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Whole egg consumption improves lipoprotein profiles and insulin sensitivity to a greater extent than yolk-free egg substitute in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Metabolism, published online September 2012.
iii US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Online. Available at: Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-35-45-00. Accessed October 24, 2011.
iv Goodrow, EF et al. Consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in older adults without altering serum lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. JN 2006; 136(25):19-24.
v Blesso CN, Anderson CJ, Bolling BW, Fernandez ML. Egg intake improves carotenoid status by increasing plasma HDL cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome. Food & Function, published online October 2012.
vi Leidy HJ, et al. Neural Responses to Visual Food Stimuli After a Normal vs. Higher Protein Breakfast in Breakfast-Skipping Teens: A Pilot fMRI Study. Obesity, published online May 5, 2011.
vii Leidy HJ, et al. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. BJN, published online September 2, 2008.
viii Vander Wal JS, Gupta A, Khosla P, Dhurandhar NV. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Int J Obes 2008;32:1545-51.
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posted by mudasser on 20 Dec 2012 at 3:03 am

Eggs are versatile and can be served for any meal. In addition, they cook quickly, so are perfect as the basis for fast and easy meals.

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Diabetes Drug May Restore Memory In Alzheimer's

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Academic Journal
Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Diabetes;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 13 Dec 2012 - 2:00 PST Current ratings for:
Diabetes Drug May Restore Memory In Alzheimer's

Researchers in Canada have discovered a drug originally intended for the treatment of diabetes may restore memory in brain cells affected by Alzheimer's disease. In tests on animal brain cells, they found that AC253, a diabetes drug that never made it to market, restored memory to levels similar to those of normal cells. Trials could start in five years, should further tests succeed, says the team.

The researchers write about their work in a paper published online in The Journal of Neuroscience on 28 November.

In a statement released on Tuesday, senior author Jack Jhamandas, a researcher with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta, says their discovery is "very important" because:

"... it tells us that drugs like this might be able to restore memory, even after Alzheimer's disease may have set in."

Estimates suggest in the next 30 years, 1,125,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Cells of people with Alzheimer's contain amyloid protein, which is found in particularly large amounts in cells from the memory and cognition parts of the brain. It is the presence of this protein that is believed to impair memory.

Last year, Jhamandas and his team showed that AC253 could block the toxic effects of amyloid protein that lead to brain-cell death.

For this latest study, they tested memory capacity in cells extracted from brain tissue of mice engineered to develop Alzheimer's disease and compared it to that of brain cells from healthy mice.

There is a way of testing memory capacity of cells in the lab by exposing them to a series of electrical shocks or impulses: the cells "remember" the experience.

First, the team tested the memory capacity of normal brain cells and Alzheimer's brain cells.

Then, after giving the drug AC253 to the Alzheimer's brain cells, they ran the electrical shock tests again and found their memory was restored to levels similar to those of the normal cells.

While these results show promise, the researchers caution there are a number of problems to resolve before a drug based on these findings is ready for testing. For example, AC253 doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier easily, so drug developers would have to design a version that could.

Jhamandas says clinical trials could start within about five years, should such problems be resolved and further tests succeed.

"I think what we discovered may be part of the solution, but I can't say it will be the solution," says Jhamandas, pointing to a long list of drugs that showed early promise against Alzheimer's but in further tests proved not to be viable.

"I don't think one drug or approach will solve Alzheimer's disease because it's a complicated disease, but I am cautiously optimistic about our discovery and its implications," he adds.

In a group of tests that will take at least another year, the team is now trying to discover whether giving the drug before symptoms emerge can "stop the impairment of behaviour and cognition altogether in animals destined to develop Alzheimer's" says Jhamandas.

Funds for the study came from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's, but evidence is gradually emerging of drugs that can help slow its progression, like galantamine, which not only appears to reduce mortality rates, but also slows down declines in cognitive impairment.

And recently, scientists from the University of California showed that an active lifestyle may also slow progression of Alzheimer's.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject. "Beta Amyloid-Induced Depression of Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation Is Mediated through the Amylin Receptor"; Ryoichi Kimura, David MacTavish, Jing Yang, David Westaway, and Jack H. Jhamandas; The Journal of Neuroscience, 28 November 2012, 32(48): 17401-17406; DOI: 10.1523/?JNEUROSCI.3028-12.2012; Link to Abstract
Main source: The University of Alberta: News and Events. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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posted by Laura on 14 Dec 2012 at 9:10 am

This is good news for families touched by Alzheimer's disease. It seems logical since some other double-blind studies for diet drugs for Type II diabetics have shown increased brain function during testing.

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posted by Ethan on 13 Dec 2012 at 6:51 pm

It takes years because you have to get the drug to be accepted into the medical community first of all. Then you spend time doing testing on animals and then have to do this over years to see the short-term and long-term side-affects of the drug and then has to be tested by the the FDA(Food and Drug Administration) to make sure that it is safe and that it actually is proven to work. All this could add up to 5 years or even more before it is actually brought into hospitals for use. Unfortunately it takes this long but it is only for the consumers safety!

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posted by ssimpson on 13 Dec 2012 at 4:40 am

The article states that it may take five years to test this product o humans. It would be wonderfulbe tested sooner!! if a promising drug could

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'Diabetes Drug May Restore Memory In Alzheimer's'

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Eating Whole Eggs Can Improve Blood Lipids

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Cholesterol;  Hypertension
Article Date: 25 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Eating Whole Eggs Can Improve Blood Lipids

Eating whole eggs can improve lipoprotein profiles for patients with metabolic syndrome and also help them with weight management.

The finding came from new research that was conducted by a team led by Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez, Professor at the University of Connecticut, and was published in the journal Metabolism.

Approximately 34% of people in the United States have metabolic syndrome, a condition becoming increasingly common. According to prior research, women have a higher chance of developing metabolic syndrome than men because they are less likely to work out for at least a half of an hour each day.

A person develops metabolic syndrome when he/she has 3 or more of the following risk factors:

Patients with this condition have an increased probability of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, due to a diversity of risk factors.

Since there has been varied information on dietary cholesterol, many people try to stay away from particular foods, including eggs, especially those who struggle with health problems.

For the purpose of the research, middle-aged males and females with metabolic syndrome were split into 2 groups: one group ate 3 whole eggs each day and the other ate the same amount of egg substitute each day as part of a carbohydrate-restricted diet to lose weight.

After the subjects in the whole eggs group spent 3 months on the diet, the researchers found that it had no impact on their LDL cholesterol or total blood cholesterol, even though they were eating two times the amount of cholesterol than they were before the experiment began.

Both the whole eggs group and the egg substitute group had increases in HDL cholesterol, decreases in plasma triglycerides, and improved lipid profiles.

Dr. Luz Fernandez explained:

"Eating egg yolks was actually associated with enhanced health benefits in these high-risk individuals. Subjects consuming whole eggs had greater increases in HDL cholesterol and more significant reductions in the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio than those who ate the cholesterol-free egg substitute."

Eggs actually have 64% more vitamin D than scientists believed in the past and currently have 14% less cholesterol (reduced from 215 mg to 185 mg), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research service.

Thirteen critical vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D and choline, can be found in one large egg. This is important because vitamin D and choline are not found plentifully in other foods.

The yolk provides most of these nutrients, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect against macular degeneration and its resulting age-related blindness. Studies have demonstrated that although eggs provide just small amounts of these nutrients, receiving them from eggs may be more beneficial, or bioavailable, than receiving them from supplements.

A different report published in Food and Function discovered that eating egg yolks each day was linked with increases in plasma lutein, ß-carotene, and zeaxanthin in patients with metabolic syndrome, a condition that is normally linked to reduced levels of the same nutrients.

A critical way to halt the development of chronic disease, such as metabolic syndrome, is to control weight.

People can control their weight by keeping track of what they eat. For example, consuming all-natural, high-quality protein can help people feel satisfied for a longer period, give them energy, and helps create muscle.

Research has shown that consuming eggs for breakfast, as opposed to eating a bagel of comparable calories, keeps people feeling fuller longer and decreases the amount of food consumed throughout the day, therefore, causing a notable reduction in BMI and waist circumference.

An effective way to prevent chronic disease and manage weight, according to Dr. Dixie Harms, a nurse practitioner who specializes in diabetes care, is to begin each morning with a protein-rich breakfast.

In fact, previous research indicated that obese and overweight patients with metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes experienced significant improvements in their health after just 3 weeks of diet and moderate exercise.

Harms said:

"Management of chronic disease takes a coordinated effort with diet and lifestyle. A balanced breakfast including high-quality protein plus regular physical activity can help put individuals on a path to a healthier lifestyle."

Fortunately, making a healthy breakfast is rather simple. Include foods such as fruits, veggies, eggs, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods.

Written by Sarah Glynn
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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Reducing Car Travel As Effective As Cutting Calories

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 19 Dec 2012 - 10:00 PST Current ratings for:
Reducing Car Travel As Effective As Cutting Calories

Maintaining a healthy weight during the holiday season, or aiming to complete a healthy New Year's resolution, can be achieved by avoiding classic holiday sweets such as cookies or candy, and also long car rides, suggests new research in the journal Preventive Medicine.

As the holiday season commences, weight is a common issue. In fact, over-indulging during the holiday season can literally take hours off of your life.

The study, led by professor Sheldon H. Jacobson of the University of Illinois, points out that daily car rides and calories ingested are directly linked to body weight, and by decreasing either just slightly can lead to a decrease in body mass index (BMI).

Graduate student Banafsheh Behzad, a co-author of the study, said: "We're saying that making small changes in travel or diet choices may lead to comparable obesity reduction, which implies that travel-based interventions may be as effective as dietary interventions."

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic with multiple medical and social factors. Basically, keeping a healthy body weight is an outcome of energy intake and energy released.

Previous research has looked at contributors individually or at a local level, while the current study wanted to look at both sides through a national lens. As a continuation of earlier studies looking at driving and obesity, researchers decided to use driving as a representation for physical activity.

Jacobson explains:

"An easy way to be more physically active is to spend less time in an automobile. Any time a person sits behind the wheel of a car, it's one of the most docile activities they can do in a day. The automobile is the quickest mode of transportation we have. But a consequence of this need for speed in getting things done may be the obesity epidemic."

The investigators used data available to the public on caloric consumption, national average BMI, and driving practices. They created a multivariable model, capable of exploring how caloric intake and miles driven link with BMI, to take into account the complicated relationship of these three variables.

Results showed that if all adults in the United States drove one mile less than they do now per day, there would be an associated reduction in the national average BMI by 0.21 kg/m2 six years later. Decreasing diet by 100 calories, on the other hand, was linked with a reduced national BMI by 0.16 kg/m2 three years later.

Behzad said, "One mile is really not much. If they would just consider even taking the bus, walking the distance to the bus stop could have an impact like eating 100 calories less per day. The main thing is paying attention to caloric intake and moving more, together, can help reduce BMI."

Even a slight reduction in BMI, such as the one suggested by the model, could imply significant saved expenses. If drivers throughout the United States drove one less mile per day, fuel intake would drop as well as yearly health care expenses because less people would be categorized as overweight or obese, the authors declare.

Jacobson concludes:

"The most important thing for people to learn from this study is that they have a choice. One has to be just as careful about when you choose to drive as when you choose to eat. These small changes in our driving and dietary habits can lead to long-term significant changes in obesity issues. Those are the kind of changes we advocate."

Written by Kelly Fitzgerald
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. "Quantifying the association between obesity, automobile travel, and caloric intake"
Banafsheh Behzada, Douglas M. Kinga, Sheldon H. Jacobson
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