Weight Control at WeightControl.com

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.

Increased Risk of Dental Cavities after Bariatric Surgery for Obesity

The main findings are that dental caries were more common in those with the highest BMI before treatment and that surgical obesity treatment can increase the frequency of dental caries

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Anna-Lena Östberg, DDS PhD Assoc Professor
Director of Research, Public Dental Service Västra Götaland
Dept of behavioral and community dentistry
Inst of Odontology
Sahlgrenska Academy
University of Gothenburg, Sweden

NEGIN TAGHAT AND ANNA-LENA ÖSTBERG, — **NEGIN TAGHAT and ANNA-LENA ÖSTBERG**

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

Response: The original background for the studies was the global obesity epidemic and its consequences. The implications for general health have been the focus of much research, but the impact on oral health has been studied very little.

In recent years, observations of oral health problems after bariatric surgery have been reported from both patients and dentists. However, these have been episodic observations and therefore scientific studies are required. At the same time, a larger medical study was started to follow patients undergoing obesity treatment, medical or surgical, and we were able to include examinations of the mouth and teeth.

ObesityWeek: Racial Differences in Perceived Discrimination in People with Obesity

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Marianne Olaniran, DrPH(c), MS, MPH
Doctoral student
The University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston School of Public Health

Jaime Almandoz, MD, MBA, FTOS (he/him)
Medical Director, Weight Wellness Program
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Division of Endocrinology
Internal Medicine Subspecialties Clinic
UTSouthwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX

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

Ms. Olaniran: The study focused on experiences of discrimination among people with obesity (PWO), based on their characteristics including body size, race/ethnicity, and sex. Discrimination against individuals and groups remains prevalent in the United States. Studies show that perceived discrimination negatively impacts physical and mental health, but how it impacts diverse PWO is not well understood. This study assessed race/ethnic group and sex differences in perceptions of discrimination among people with obesity .

DIETFITS: Identifying Groups with Varying Weight Loss Success

the most successful subgroup (73% met threshold) had high outcome expectations for making health improvements coupled with high levels of family encouragement

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Matthew J. Landry, PhD, RDN, FAND, FAHA (he/him)
Assistant Professor
Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention
University of California, Irvine

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

Response: Lifestyle interventions are the first-line treatment for obesity; however, not all participants achieve clinically significant weight loss.

As researchers and clinicians, we want to minimize patient burden, maximize clinical outcomes, and conserve constraints (budget & personnel).

Using data from a 12-month diet and weight loss intervention (DIETFITS), we examined 52 demographic, clinical, & psychosocial variables among 436 participants (BMI 28-40) to see if there are distinct subgroups of participants who were more or less successful in losing 5% weight by 12 months?

EASD: Analysis Finds More Weight Loss (and side effects) with Tirzepatide in Type 2 Diabetes

Our analysis can help healthcare professionals make informed choices for managing type 2 diabetes, especially for those patients for whom weight loss is an important goal. However, like any medication, it’s crucial to consider the entire profile of tirzepatide, including side effects.

WeightControl.com Interview with:

Dr Thomas Karagiannis MD
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece

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

Response: Previous individual studies have shown that both subcutaneous semaglutide and tirzepatide are very effective in managing blood sugar and reducing body weight in people with type 2 diabetes. However, direct comparisons between these medications have been limited.

In our study, we used a technique called a network meta-analysis to indirectly compare the two. This method allowed us to derive results by examining other trials that compared either of the drugs with placebo or another treatment.

Our findings indicated that tirzepatide had a stronger effect than semaglutide in controlling blood sugar and aiding weight loss. For example, those on the highest dose of tirzepatide lost, on average, 5.7 kg more than those on the highest dose of semaglutide. But, it’s worth mentioning that some side effects, especially related to the digestive system, were slightly more common with the high dose of tirzepatide.

WeightControl: CalPoly Study Examines Factors Distinguishing Weight-Maintainers from Weight-Regainers

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Suzanne Phelan, PhD
Professor of Kinesiology & Public Health
Director, Center for Health Research
California Polytechnic State University

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

Response: Understanding the factors that promote long-term weight control is need to inform health interventions. We know that self-monitoring, physical activity, and cognitive restraint are associated with success in long-term weight control. The other behavioral, psychological, and environmental factors remain unclear, and very few studies have examined the factors related to long-term successful weight control in commercial weight management programs, which reach 10-15% of the US population.

Study Finds Almonds Can Be Included in Weight Control Program, with Potential Cardiac Benefits

The amount of weight loss achieved was the same for those who are almonds or an energy matched diet without nuts but those who ate almonds had additional benefits to cardiovascular disease risk factors.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Prof. Alison M. Coates PhD
Allied Health & Human Performance
Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA)
University of South Australia
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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

Response: Studies have indicated an inverse association between nut consumption and BMI, suggesting that nut consumption may have a protective effect against accumulation of adiposity. However, despite these findings, there has been a common perception that nut consumption will lead to increased body weight or impair weight loss when a person is trying to lose weight.

Nuts are a core food according to the Australian dietary guidelines and a rich source of good fats, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the growing research surrounding nuts, specifically to evaluate whether the inclusion of 15% of dietary energy from almonds compared with carbohydrate-rich snacks in an otherwise nut-free diet would improve weight loss during 3 months of dietary energy restriction (~30% reduction) and limit weight regain during 6 months of weight maintenance.

UCI Irvine Study Finds Millions May Benefit from Reduced Cardiac Events With New Weight Control Drugs

While the drug is costly to obtain by some patients, the cost savings associated with fewer doctor and hospital visits due to obesity and obesity-related diseases, in particular cardiovascular diseases (especially heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure) could be substantial.

WeightControl.com Interview with:

Nathan D. Wong, PhD, FACC, FAHA
Professor and Director
Heart Disease Prevention Program
Division of Cardiology, UC Irvine and
and UC Irvine and Radiology and Public Health at UC Irvine

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

Response: Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg given as an injection once weekly) has been shown in the previously reported STEP 1 trial to result in on average a 15% body weight loss in patients with overweight or obesity. It also beneficially improves other cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure and cholesterol levels. We applied the eligibility and findings of the STEP 1 trial to the US population-representative National Health and Nutrition Examination survey and estimated that 93 million US adults with overweight or obesity would be potentially eligible for the drug based on the STEP 1 eligibility criteria.

UCLA Study Finds Neighborhood Disadvantage Shapes Brain and Body Mass

We hope our study brings a greater appreciation for how neighborhoods shape us and impact our health.

WeightControl.com Interview with:
Arpana Gupta, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Co-Director: Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA
Director: Neuroimaging Core
G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience
Ingestive Behavior and Obesity Program
UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases
David Geffen School of Medicine
UCLA Los Angeles, CA

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

Response: Neighborhood characteristics, such as crowding, number of households in poverty, and rate of unemployment, have an effect on health, including brain health, beyond one’s individual income/education level.

Our study adds to this evidence by showing an effect of neighborhood disadvantage on an important brain feature, cortical microsctructure, which impacts brain communication and information processing.

Further, we found that some of the effect, particularly in brain areas involved in emotion, reward, and cognitive functions, was related to increased body mass index in poorer quality neighborhoods.