In particular, researchers have uncovered potential risks for liver damage for one specific ingredient found in the majority of weight loss drugs. Known as “orlistat,” this drug is flying off the shelves under the over-the-counter brand name “Alli.” In addition, orlistat is also available as a prescription drug called “Xenical.” And while rare, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received 13 separate reports of consumers developing severe liver damage after taking the drug. However, it should be noted that 12 of these cases were reported to have occurred overseas.

Rare, But Serious Health Risks Reported
But while there have been few US-based cases, the agency still wants to get the warning out to consumers. It’s estimated that about 40 million people worldwide are currently taking orlistat in some form. And while the risk is low, the FDA wants to spread the word about any potential drug-related side effects.

The agency has not determined if orlistat is actually responsible for liver damage. They do suspect that any side effects may be related to how patients metabolize the drug, as well as their health risks (if any). According to Dr. Eugene Schiff, director of the Center for Liver Diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the drugs may have been exposed to some contamination.

“We are telling consumers and health-care providers to be vigilant should [patients] develop symptoms suggestive of liver impairment,” stated FDA spokeswoman Elaine Gansz Bobo. “We are not advising routine monitoring of liver enzymes as that will not help predict who may develop hepatic impairment on the drug. We were unable to identify any particular group that may be at increased risk.”

For these 13 most recent orlistat-related cases reported to the FDA, they “were cases that, on review and categorization by the agency, received severity scores of 4 or 5 using the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network scoring system,” stated Gansz Bobo. “Basically, a ‘5’ means resulting in death or liver transplantation, and a ‘4’ means it was severe and required hospitalization.” In addition, Gansz Bobo said that in regard to these “cases of significance,” the FDA determined that they were either “likely” or “possibly” related to the use of orlistat.

A History of FDA Research
In 1999, orlistat was first approved by the FDA as a prescription medicine. Then, in 2007, the drug became the first non-prescription drug approved to treat adult obesity in the United States. In August 2009, the agency began a review of orlistat in regard to possible liver damage incidents.

This announcement came after 32 cases of serious liver injury were reported between 1999 and October 2008; two of these occurred in the United States. The majority of these patients reported cases involving typical signs of liver damage, such as jaundice, weakness and abdominal pain. Twenty-seven patients had symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization. Today, orlistat is approved in about 100 countries.

So what should be done if you’re taking orlistat? Above all else, patients should see their healthcare professional if and when they develop dark urine, itching or yellow skin or eyes.

There’s no denying that weight concerns and obesity are big issues for millions of Americans today. But even as these men and women do their best to eat healthy and work out, the pounds stay on, and the frustration grows. But what if you don’t even know that you need to lose weight? As hard to believe as it may seem, a new study illustrates that many people are not even aware that they’re overweight or obese! And this is actually a very serious matter …

Researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas discovered that of their participants, all of whom are considered “obese,” one in 10 expressed satisfaction with their body size. And, they didn’t think they needed to lose any weight at all. But while this positive self-image is good for mental and emotional health, it can lead to deadly consequences for physical health.

According to lead researcher Tiffany Powell, a cardiology fellow, those obese individuals who don’t know or accept that they are may avoid healthy diets and exercise. As such, they’re at increased risk for cardiovascular health problems, such as increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).

The Role of Body Mass Index

In the study, the researchers focused on 2,056 obese individuals, with an average age of about 40. The participants reviewed nine different sex-specific figures, and then selected both the image they thought they looked like and their ideal figure. The figures showed outlines of bodies; the first was the slimmest figure and the images increased up to the ninth and largest). About 8% of the participants thought their body size was smaller than it really was. On average, they felt that their bodies looked like a 4 on the figure scale, while their ideal body size was about 5. Meanwhile, the other participants selected an average of 6 for current body size and under a 4 for their ideal image.

Those participants who were unaware that they were obese had an average body mass index (BMI) of nearly 35. The other participants had BMIs of nearly 37. BMI scores take into account a person’s weight and height and indicate body fatness and weight categories. A BMI score of 30 or above is considered “obese”; 25 to 29.9 “overweight”; 18.5 to 24.9 “normal”; and below 18.5 is considered “underweight.” Among the study’s findings:

• For those who were unaware of or satisfied with their weight issues, 44% had not visited a doctor in the past year; 26% of those who recognized their weight issues did visit a doctor in that time period.
• When the satisfied/unaware group visited the doctor, nearly 40% said that their doctor mentioned the need for weight loss; 70% of the aware group reported the same.
• The satisfied/obese group admitted not exercising on average, while the other group exercised regularly.
• Among the satisfied/unaware group, 35% had high blood pressure, 15% had high cholesterol, 14% had diabetes, and 27% were current smokers.

Becoming Educated About Healthy Weight

As for why some people are unaware of or satisfied with their weight, the researchers believe that it may be due to a lack of education.  “A larger cause may be cultural beliefs and acceptance of obesity as the norm when most around you are obese,” stated Powell. “I think as obesity becomes more prevalent and people around you are larger you reset what is acceptable.”

Powell also noted that African Americans and Hispanics were significantly more likely than whites to be satisfied with their body size. These groups were also more likely to feel that weight loss was unnecessary.  “We’re seeing more prevalence in minority populations because obesity is more prevalent in those groups. I think as a society as all of us become larger we reset what we think of as a healthy body size.”

So what can be done? The researchers believe that it is the job of both physicians and communities as a whole to get involved, and help these obese individuals to make efforts to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Powell adds: “We have to tell people regardless of whether they bring it up that they are obese and they need to lose weight, and they need to change their dietary habits and they need to work on physical activity.”
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20091117/sc_livescience/theobesedontalwaysknowit

You want to lose weight, right? So, you painstakingly watch every calorie you consume, and you shop for and plan your meals down to the last detail. But how can you be sure that what you’re eating is good for you waistline? What if your diet is actually making things worse? Well, new research may help to shed some light on the weight loss dilemma.

Researchers have found that two diets may offer the best results for healthy, long-lasting weight management. The study’s results, which were published in Archives of Internal Medicine, spotlight the benefits of both high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets (like the Atkins program) AND low-fat, high-carb diets.

A Bounty of Weight Management Benefits

The researchers found that that subjects following these two plans – all of whom consumed about the same amount of calories — experienced significant weight loss over the course of one year. According to the study’s author, Grant D. Brinkworth, both plans may offer valuable benefits.

“Both an energy-reduced, very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet and a conventional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet are equally effective for achieving weight loss in overweight and obese individuals. In addition, he stated that both plans showed similar effects for cognitive processes, such as working memory and speed of processing. However, the low-fat diet was more effective for long-term improvement in mood.

A Potential Cause for Celebration

Nevertheless, healthcare professionals are very excited about the study’s findings. “This study looked at one factor, and prior studies haven’t focused on psychological factors,” said Dr. Ewald Horvath, interim chairman of psychiatry at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “This is a great study focusing on something very important.” The majority of health care organizations, such as the American Heart Association, typically advocate higher-carb, low-fat diets, rather than the high-fat alternatives that the overweight and obese prefer.

The study focused on 106 overweight and obese adults, with an average age of 50. These subjects were randomly assigned to the low-calorie, low-carb, high-fat plan or the high-carb, low-fat diet, for a full year. For both diets, the daily calories were restricted to about 1,433 to 1,672.

At the end of the year, it was shown that the subjects lost an average of 30.2 pounds, in both groups. As for mood, both groups showed improvements after eight weeks, but only those in the low-fat group maintained these benefits.
While the reason for this not known, it may be due to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays a role in mood. It’s been found that higher amounts of carbs may increase serotonin concentrations in the brain. Meanwhile, higher amounts of fat and protein may reduce concentrations.

The researchers believe that a negative mood may promote overeating. Therefore, they recommend consuming a very low-carbohydrate diet, for longer than one year, as this may help to maintain good dietary habits and weight loss maintenance.

SOURCE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20091110/hl_hsn/tofeelbetterlowfatdietmaybebest

However, a recent article in Newsweek magazine may make it a little easier to dine as nutritiously and deliciously as possible. The article suggests that dieters with weight that “yo-yos” may not be eating enough of the following food groups:

1. Protein — the multi-part “Diogenes” (a blend of the words “diet,” “obesity” and “genes”) study focused on the benefits of consuming protein. In the study, 205 people who’d lost weight on a fixed diet over two months were divided into five groups. Each group consumed a different kind of diet, in order to see which group was most successful at keeping the weight off. Early results found that those participants who ate more protein were least likely to regain weight. But those who consumed a diet focused on low-glycemic foods (such as that of diabetics) were not as successful.

2. Nuts — while high in calories, studies show that nuts may effectively help to keep weight off. Not only are they very filling, but nuts may actually “push” the body to burn additional fat. As nuts contain mostly unsaturated fat, especially monounsaturated fats, they may increase “good” (HDL) cholesterol. In a study conducted at California’s Loma Linda University, overweight women were given almonds to eat , while otherwise being allowed to eat as they chose. It was shown that these women lost weight over six months. And a University of Navarra (Spain) study, involving more than 8,000 participants, found that over the course of two years, those who rarely or never ate nuts gained slightly more weight than those who consumed them at least twice a week.

3. Fruits and Vegetables — the CDC has determined that women who consume five or more fruit and vegetable servings daily are more likely to maintain weight loss than those who eat fewer servings. But how much is in a serving? Well, one serving is about a half-cup of cut-up fruit, berries, or non-leafy vegetables,. And, it’s also one full cup of leafy veggies or one medium-size whole fruit.

4. Berries — OK, you’re eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables every day. But are you eating enough berries? Japanese researchers have found that anthocyanins — the flavonoids (compounds) that give berries their color — may effectively alter the activity of genes in human fat cell. Another study, in which mice were fed anthocyanins, found that these mice never gained weight, even when fed a high-fat diet!

New research shows that your body may be holding on to a steady number of fat cells every year. A study published in Nature found that the human body continually maintains about 90% of its fat cells, with about 10% being replaced annually. The amount of fat cells is actually set at the end of adolescence. And after that, it will never change.

Basically, this means that no matter how much weight you gain or lose, the only thing changing will be the amount of fat inside the cells, NOT the cells themselves. This may explain why overweight men and women find it difficult to keep that lost weight off for good!

Exploring New Treatments for Obesity

Previously, genetic and lifestyle factors were thought to be the only factors contributing to obesity. But these new findings may help researchers better understand how the body controls the turnover of its fat cells. And that, in turn, may lead to new treatments for obesity. “Your body regulates that number of fat cells fairly constantly throughout adulthood,” said researcher Bruce Buchholz. “There’s some pathway that’s controlling this, which could be a target for therapies for obesity.”

Buchholz and his team isolated the DNA of fat cells taken from obese and lean people who underwent liposuction or abdominal wall reconstruction. This enabled them to identify the age of the subjects’ fat cells. “If you’re obese during childhood, it’s very difficult to get thinner,” Buchholz said. “Once you have the fat cells, your body has the capacity of retaining extra fat.”

Lean and obese adults retain the same yearly proportion of cells. But obese people may replace a higher number of cells. Therefore, the difference in total number of fat cells is thought to be set before adulthood. Researchers found that even drastic weight loss – such as bariatric surgery – had no effect on the total number of fat cells. Additionally, studies show that over 75% of obese children go on to be obese adults, whereas only 10% of children of normal weight become obese adults.

A new study has found that alcoholism is a rapidly growing occurrence among those who have undergone weight loss surgery. It’s now estimated that these patients may have as much as a 30% likelihood of developing an alcohol addiction post-surgery.

Experts Disagree On New Addictions’ Frequency

Known as “addiction transfer,” this substitution typically develops due to patients’ poor coping skills following surgery. Often, these men and women are unable to properly deal with the depression, stress, and anxiety that can occur. As such, they may turn to alcohol, or something else, as they’re denied their previous access to food. For instance, patients may become addicted to gambling, shopping, sex or Internet use.

However, some medical experts believe that the likelihood of developing an addiction transfer may be overblown. “The problem does happen,” says Stephanie Sogg, a psychologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center. “But there is no evidence that it happens as frequently as the media suggests.” Sogg cites a published study in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

The study focused on 70 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery and then filled out questionnaires. It was shown less than 6% experienced increased post-surgical alcohol use; 24% actually decreased their alcohol consumption. “A small number of people will develop problems with alcohol postoperatively, but the problem may be a little overblown,” says  James Mitchell, president and scientific director of the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, North Dakota.

Regardless, experts advise all post-surgical patients to be aware of their chances of developing alcoholism. They advise that those men and women who had emotional difficulties before surgery were at risk for these problems post-surgery, as well. They recommend that should these problems develop, patients should contact their local surgeon, physician or mental health professional as quickly as possible. And above all else, those patients considering undergoing bariatric surgery should not avoid the procedures.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine illustrates the possible weight management benefits of low-carb plans, and specifically, the Mediterranean diet. This plan has become very popular, due to its wide variety of food options, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts and olive oil.

The Mediterranean Diet Study In Detail

For this two-year study, the researchers examined a group of moderately obese people. These subjects followed one of three diets: a low fat diet; a Mediterranean diet; or a low carb diet. Each subject attended regular sessions with a dietitian, along with lunch in the research centre’s cafeteria. For both the low-fat and Mediterranean diet followers, each male subject received 1,800 daily calories, while each female subject received 1,500 daily calories. For the low-carb group, carbs were counted, rather than calories. Here are some of the findings:

• At the 6-month mark, the low-carb group lost weight more quickly
• At the 12-month mark, the Mediterranean and low-carb groups were both similar; they were a little better than the low-fat group
• At the two-year mark, the low-fat group lost about six pounds; the Mediterranean group lost about eight pounds; the low-carb group about 10 pounds.
• At the two-year mark, all three groups lost inches off their waist, and improved their blood pressure. Additionally, the low-carb group experienced the best results for good cholesterol.
• At the two-year mark, 90% of the low fat group stuck with the program; 85% of the Mediterranean group stuck; and 78% of the low-carb group stuck.

Which Diet Is Best For You?

The bottom line, according to the researchers, is that there isn’t one best eating plan for weight loss; dieters need to find their own best plan for success. They stress that the best diet is one that offers healthy foods that followers enjoy eating.

For those dieters preferring low-carb plans, the researchers state that dieters should consume healthy and lean protein, such as fish, skinless poultry, very lean meat and lower-fat dairy. For those preferring low-fat plans, dieters should consume more unrefined, unprocessed, higher-fiber carbs, as well as those with a lower Glycemic Index.

Regardless of the diet chosen, those subjects that followed stayed a plan for two years developed healthy, long-lasting eating habits as a result. And while there weren’t huge amounts of weight lost, there were significant benefits for blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as inches lost.

In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, a team of researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) has found that the human body transforms fructose into fat more efficiently – and rapidly — than it does other sugars. But this doesn’t automatically mean that high-fructose corn syrup, the key sweetening agent in most processed foods, causes more weight gain than any other sugar. That’s because the researchers focused on simple sugar fructose, NOT high-fructose sucrose or corn syrup, which combine fructose with another sugar, glucose. This sugary combination is actually found in any food with sugar, including healthy fruits.

The study was designed to investigate whether or not fructose was more likely to result in fat development than glucose. In the course of the study, which lasted several weeks, the subjects – six healthy men and women – were fed breakfast drinks that contained three different sugar combinations. Then, the subjects were fed a carefully controlled lunch. The drinks’ sugar make-up was different for each of the three tests:

1. Test One: the drink contained 100% glucose; this is similar to doctors’ oral glucose test to detect diabetes
2. Test Two: the drink was half glucose and half fructose
3. Test Three: the drink was 25% glucose and 75% fructose

The researchers examined to measure how the subjects converted the sugars to fat in the liver. And, they wanted to determine if consuming a sugary meal in the morning influenced the metabolization of foods eaten later in the day. It was shown that consuming breakfast drinks high in fructose led to dramatic increases in “lipogenesis”; this is the process in which sugar is converted into body fat. The findings also demonstrated that fructose eaten with fat, or before fat is consumed, typically resulted in the fat being stored, and not burned.

According to the study’s lead author Elizabeth Parks, PhD, just how glucose affects your body is the responsibility of the liver. While the liver determines whether glucose is stored as fat or burned as energy, fructose follows different rules. “Fructose gets made into fat more quickly, and when that process is turned on there seems to be a signal that goes to the liver that says store all the other fats you are seeing,” she says.

So what are your options? It’s almost impossible to avoid every food without fructose, and therefore sweetness. And truthfully, some foods have more or less fructose than others. For instance, while fruit has fructose, and too much may affect weight loss, its fiber and beneficial nutritional content make it crucial for a healthy diet. “The health benefits of eating fruit far outweigh the slight increase in fat production that might occur as the result of eating something with fructose in it,” says nutritionist Lona Sandon, RD.

How Bad is High-Fructose Corn Syrup?

In regards to high-fructose corn syrup, it’s not all gloom and doom, according to nutritional experts. In fact, high fructose corn syrup, which contains almost equal portions of fructose and glucose, has been shown to moderate certain metabolic effects of fructose. Multiple studies have illustrated that high-fructose corn syrup, has only as many calories as sugar, and is even handled similarly by the body.

More importantly, nutritionists don’t put the blame on any one type of sugar. They advise people who want to lose weight to limit their intake of ALL sugars, not just one kind. “I’ve never had a client who has become overweight eating too much fruit or too many vegetables, but I have had plenty who ate too many foods with added sugar and fat,” says Sandon.

New research suggests that certain components in chili peppers may be associated with effective and natural weight management. Specifically, capsaicin (CPS), the pepper’s active chemical component, is responsible for these peppers’ spiciness. Capsaicin has been shown to stimulate receptors found in the sensory neurons, which causes the hot, spicy sensations, as well as later reactions, such as redness and sweating.

In regards to weight management, a study published the Journal of Biological Chemistry has found that capsaicin may directly induce the process known as “thermogenesis.” With this process, your body’s cells convert energy derived from food into heat. According to Yasser Mahmoud, a study researcher, capsaicin may very well be the first natural compound shown to successfully augment thermogenesis. In addition, this study may illustrate the benefits of CPS for increasing body temperature and metabolism. In fact, researchers  believe that capsaicin may be utilized for other conditions, such as hypothermia.

The effectiveness of capsaicin is thought to be due to its ability to alter the activity of the muscle protein known as SERCA. This protein directly creates this taste of heat. Normally, a wave of calcium is released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) compartment, resulting in muscle contractions. The calcium is then returned into the SR, with the use of the body’s chemical energy (or ATP). At this point, the muscles relax, and the cycle begins anew.

However, research shows that consuming capsaicin effectively disrupts this normal pumping activity. But while the SERCA protein is still burning ATP energy, it doesn’t pump calcium. Rather, the ATP is transformed into and released as heat; this is thermogenesis, and it’s one of the most effective ways for people – and hibernating animals — to stay warm.

For any man or woman actively trying to lose weight, you need to have incredible will-power and dedication. Weight-loss surgery is certainly a step in the right direction, but you still have a lot of hard work ahead of you. However, new research shows that when it comes to successful dieting, one old saying — “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” — certainly rings true. In fact, there may even be scientific evidence to back it up!  

According to a survey recently published in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, those men and women who have undergone weight-loss surgery first tried an average of 24 diets and exercise programs before deciding to have the procedure. The survey, which was conducted among  409 bariatric surgery patients, included those who had undergone gastric bypass or adjustable gastric banding. The results showed that prior to their procedures, most of the patients were an average of 100 or more pounds overweight. In addition, they were afflicted with about five obesity-related conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Experts believe that a diet’s success or failure may be linked to their level of compliance.  After the procedure, patients are advised to follow specific guidelines, including: receiving enough exercise, changing their eating habits, receiving nutritional counseling and psychological support, and visiting their doctor regularly.

In this survey, those patients who followed these guidelines most closely lost more than 123 pounds the first year. Those who didn’t closely follow the guidelines lost only 92 pounds. At the five-year mark, the more-compliant patients lost more than 127 pounds, compared with 100 pounds for the less-compliant.