Weight Control at WeightControl.com

Increased BMI in Teens Whose Parents were Obese in Adolescence

Knowing that offsprings of parents with obesity are at a greater risk than other children for being overweight at adolescence, the question remains what are the epigenetic factors that affect obesity.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Gilad Twig, MD, MPH, PhD
Head of the Population Health Research Center
Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

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Response: Heritability of obesity has been widely investigated, but when parental and children’s body weights are compared it is difficult to distinguish between genetic relationship and shared lifestyle. In this study we compared parents and their children’s body weights all measured at age 17.

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Two Faulty Copies of SMIM1 Gene Associated with Obesity

The vast majority of people who are struggling with their weight will not have two faulty copies of the gene and their GP should be their first port of call.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Dr. Mattia Frontini, Sr BHF Fellow
Associate Professor Cellular Biology
Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
University of Exeter Medical School
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Dr. Mattia Frontini, Sr BHF Fellow
Associate Professor Cellular Biology
Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
University of Exeter Medical School
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

RILD Building, Barrack Road, Exeter,

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: The initial discovery of the gene and its faulty copy, ten years ago, was motivated by the need to develop a genetic test for a difficult to type, using traditional methods, blood group known as Vel. After this discovery was made, we discovered also that the differences in these genes that exist in the population are associated to tiny changes in the blood red cell parameters.

When the UK Biobank data became available we analysed these to determine if having the faulty copy of the gene had an effect on health. We found that people with two faulty copies of the gene (about 1 in 5000) are heavier than those who don’t. They have altered lipids in their blood and they use less energy given the same caloric intake. The excess going being stored as fat.

Ultraprocessed Plant-Based Foods May Not Be Good for Your Heart

Our findings showed eating a plant-based diet can be beneficial, except when it is based on ultra-processed foods.

WeightControl.com Interview with:

Fernanda Rauber, PhD
Researcher at the Centre for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (NUPENS)University of São Paulo (USP) and
Department of Preventive Medicine
School of Medicine at USP, Brazil
Lead author of this study

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Although we already have substantial evidence of the negative impact of an ultra-processed food-based diet on health, solid public policies to discourage the consumption of these products are still lacking, especially in countries like the United Kingdom. Plant-based foods are recommended in many dietary guidelines, and this area has been explored by the food industry, which uses health claims (vegetarian, vegan, plant-based) to promote its products.

With a growing population adopting plant-based diets, studying the role of food processing in plant-based dietary patterns and its relation to cardiovascular diseases can help refine guidelines to incorporate considerations about food processing in their recommendations.

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Pennington Study Demonstrates Long-Term Weight Loss Efficacy of Semaglutide

The long term data is reassuring. We now have more evidence for semaglutide weight loss efficacy in older, sicker individuals.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Donna H. Ryan, MD
Professor Emerita
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
New Orleans, LA 70130

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: This is the first of the sub-papers to the landmark SELECT study. It has been peer review and published in a top-line journal. While the primary outcome was the observation of 20% reduction in MI, stroke and CV death this new paper looks only at weight.

WeightControl.com: What are the main findings?

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SIR24: Bariatric Arterial Embolization Safely Reduced BMI in Hopkins Study

The procedure resulted in a decrease in the mean BMI of the participants from initially being 43.6 to 41.2 one-year post-procedure.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Clifford R. Weiss, MD
Professor of Radiology
Director, the Johns Hopkins HHT Center of ExcellenceRadiological Science and Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study? How would you describe the procedure?

Response: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Bariatric Arterial Embolization (BAE) in patients who have a BMI greater than or equal to 35. BAE is a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment that reduces the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin as a result of decreasing the blood flow to the stomach.

There were 10 participants recruited in this study. The participants were followed six weeks before BAE and a year following the procedure. After the procedure, the participants were admitted for routine supportive care for up to 48 hours. The participant’s BMI, weight, and body compensation were measured 1,3,6, and 12 months after the surgery.

Pages: 12

ECO24: Ideal Weight For Patients with Diabetes May Vary with Age

For older individuals who are moderately overweight , maintaining rather than reducing weight may be a more practical goal.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Dr Shaoyong Xu
Xiangyang Central Hospital
Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science
Xiangyang, China

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: In previous studies, the obesity paradox has been observed, where overweight and obese individuals with cardiovascular disease have better outcomes compared to their slim counterparts with the same disease. The global prevalence of diabetes is steadily increasing year by year.

In this era of population growth and aging, the question arises as to whether obesity or overweight can be beneficial in improving survival rates for older individuals with diabetes. This topic holds significant relevance due to the potential implications it has on weight management strategies for older adults. If overweight does not pose an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, it may suggest that older individuals are not necessarily required to strive for weight loss in order to achieve so-called normal values. Moreover, inappropriate weight loss and being underweight could potentially elevate the risk of cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, and all-cause mortality.

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ECO24: Tirzepatide Found Effective for Weight Loss Despite Duration of Obesity

Tirzepatide is a once weekly GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist while semaglutide was a once weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Giovanna Muscogiuri, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Endocrinology Unit
University Federico II
Naples, Italy

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: The study was a subgroup analysis of SURMOUNT 1-4 aiming to investigate if tirzepatide was effective in terms of percent body weight change, proportions achieving weight loss targets of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% and change in waist circumference in subjects with different duration of obesity.

Pages: 12

Fasting Mimicking Diet: Five Days Per Month Demonstrated Improved Biomarkers for Aging and Disease Risk

The fasting mimicking diet is a five-day long meal program specifically designed to mimic the beneficial effects of fasting while allowing a person to eat and providing the necessary nutrients

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Valter D. Longo PhD
Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences
Director, Longevity Institute, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology
Italian Foundation for Cancer Research Institute of Molecular Oncolog
Milan, Italy

Sebastian Brandhorst PhD
Associate Professor Of Gerontology Co-Director
Aging Murine Phenotyping Core
University of Southern California, Health Sciences

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: In mice, periodic cycles of a fasting mimicking diet (FMD) protect normal cells while killing damaged cells including cancer and autoimmune cells, reduce inflammation, promote multi-system regeneration, and extend longevity. We previously demonstrated that study participants who consumed the FMD for 5 consecutive days per month for 3 months, but otherwise ate their regular diet had reduced body weight, trunk and total body fat, blood pressure, and a favorable safety profile.

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More than Just for Diabetes: SGLT2 Inhibitors Benefit Patients with Heart Failure

SGLT2 inhibitors, from being merely an antidiabetic drug, are contributing a lot to the global fight against cardiovascular and renal diseases.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Bernardo Cortese, MD FESC FSCAI
Interventional Cardiologist
President, Scientific Committee Fondazione Ricerca e Innovazione Cardiovascolare,
CEO, DCB Academy
www.fondazioneric.org
www.bernardocortese.com

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Our report seeks to elucidate the current role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the management of cardiovascular disease and the comprehensive spectrum of heart failure, namely when the heart start deteriorating in its functions.

We start focusing on the pharmacological properties of this class of drugs, thereafter we go through a synthesis and analysis of data derived from the main clinical trials which have involved this class when applied to the cardiovascular patient. Specifically, we aim to consolidate findings that substantiate the safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors concerning cardiac, renal, and metabolic parameters. Furthermore, our study explores the therapeutic impact of these agents in the context of managing and treating type 2 diabetes.

These “glucoscape maestros”, initially prescribed to diabetic patients, showed a great safety and benefit profile in patients with renal impairment and, most importantly, with a failing heart.

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Patients Who Stopped Tirzepatide (Mounjaro™) For Weight Control Gradually Regained Most of Lost Weight

Obesity is a chronic disease, like diabetes and hypertension. If treatment is discontinued, it will relapse, though gradually.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Louis J Aronne M.D.
Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research
Department of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine

WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: The SURMOUNT -4 trial demonstrates that patients who discontinued tirzepatide after losing 20.9% over 36 weeks regained about half the weight in one year to an average 9.5% weight loss following discontinuation while those who continued lost an additional 5%.

The metabolic parameters which had improved with weight loss returned towards their starting point, but did not completely regress.