Nontraditional Risk Factors for Obesity in Modern Society

Exploring the multifaceted factors influencing overweight and obesity: a scoping review

Introduction

Obesity and overweight problems in public health have substantial impacts which affect the health status of individuals and community well-being and healthcare service provision worldwide. This scoping review aims to identify and classify factors from social, technological, environmental, economic and political domains which influence obesity and overweight conditions. The systematic analysis of determinants in this study generates usable information to guide public health intervention design and obesity epidemic management strategies.

Methods

The study utilized the ProQuest, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases, and it also included grey literature in its analysis. The research objectives focused on identifying factors that contribute to overweight or obesity issues. The researchers used framework analysis to examine the qualitative data collected from these studies.

Results

The synthesis incorporated 121 research studies which satisfied the established criteria. This comprised 98 studies from 46 different countries, 17 studies conducted at the international level, and 6 studies involving multiple countries. Eighty-two factors influencing overweight and obesity were identified as determinants and categorized into five main categories: sociocultural, economic, technological, environmental, and political. Most of the identified determinants belong to the socio-cultural category, which demonstrates their substantial impact on lifestyle and health behaviors.

Conclusion

The implementation of public health prevention and intervention programs depends on complete knowledge of all factors that affect overweight and obesity rates. This issue needs a comprehensive approach which analyzes sociocultural aspects together with economic, technological, environmental, and political factors, as well as other policy goals within defined societal challenges. Effective solutions to resolve this situation depend on multi-sectoral collaboration to tackle obesity and promote health-enhancing factors for the entire community.

Effect of Acupoint Catgut Embedding on Subjective Appetite in Overweight and Obese Adults with Strong and Moderate Appetite: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

Appetite plays a crucial role in obesity and weight loss outcomes. while conventional therapies reduce appetite, They often have limitations. Acupoint Catgut Embedding (ACE) is widely used for weight loss, but its impact on subjective appetite, especially across different appetite status, remains underexplored.

Objective

To evaluate the differential impact of ACE on the subjective appetite of overweight and obese adults with strong and moderate appetites.

Methods

This secondary analysis used data from a multicenter, double-blind, parallel randomized clinical trial of the ACE intervention. A total of 122 overweight and obese patients aged 18-60 were randomly assigned to the ACE and Non-acupoint Catgut Embedding (NACE) groups, each receiving six sessions over 12 weeks and a 4-week follow-up. Appetite was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and a generalized linear mixed-effects model assessed changes in appetite scores. Bonferroni corrections were applied for multiple comparisons (P < 0.05).

Results

Participants with strong appetite in the ACE group showed a significant reduction in appetite VAS score from 7.78 (0.66) at baseline to 5.00 (0.72) at 16 weeks (P < 0.05), compared to a reduction from 7.97 (0.93) to 6.54 (1.17) in the NACE group. The adjusted relative rate ratio between the two groups was 0.411 (95% CI, 0.210 to 0.534; P < 0.05). In participants with moderate appetite, no significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). The significant baseline difference in appetite scores between participants with strong and moderate appetite (P < 0.05) became non-significant by week 16 (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study reveals the stratified effect of ACE on appetite, with greater reduction in those with strong appetite and no significant change in those with moderate appetite. This suggests ACE reduces appetite effectively without excessive suppression, supporting its potential as a sustainable obesity management strategy.

7-MEGA™ inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and suppresses obesity in high-fat-diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice

BACKGROUND

Overweight, often known as obesity, is the abnormal and excessive accumulation of fat that exposes the health of a person at risk by increasing the likelihood that they may experience many chronic conditions. Consequently, obesity has become a global health threat, presenting serious health issues, and attracting a lot of attention in the healthcare profession and the scientific community.

METHOD

This study aims to explore the anti-adipogenic properties of 7-MEGA™ in an attempt to address obesity, using both in vitro and in vivo research. The effects of 7MEGA™ at three distinct concentrations were investigated in obese mice who were given a high-fat diet (HFD) and 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

RESULTS

7MEGA™ decreased the total fat mass, overall body weight, and the perirenal and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (PWAT and SWAT) contents in HFD mice. Additionally, 7MEGA™ showed promise in improving the metabolic health of individuals with obesity and regulate the levels of insulin hormone, pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines. Furthermore, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ, Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP-1), Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein 1 (SREBP-1), Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 (FABP4), Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS), Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (ACC), Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 (SCD-1) and CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein (C/EBPα) were among the adipogenic regulators that 7MEGA™ could regulate.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this study uncovered that 7MEGA™ demonstrates anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity effects, suggesting its potential in combating obesity.

From a toxin to an obesogen: a review of potential obesogenic roles of acrylamide with a mechanistic approach

Obesity and obesity-related disorders such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver have become a global health problem. It is well known that the primary cause of obesity is positive energy balance. In addition, obesity is the consequence of complex gene and environment interactions that result in excess calorie intake being stored as fat. However, it has been revealed that there are other factors contributing to the worsening of obesity. The presence of nontraditional risk factors, such as environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, has recently been associated with obesity and comorbidities caused by obesity. The aim of this review was to examine the evidence and potential mechanisms for acrylamide having endocrine-disrupting properties contributing to obesity and obesity-related comorbidities. Recent studies have suggested that exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting obesogens may be a risk factor contributing to the current obesity epidemic, and that one of these obesogens is acrylamide, an environmental and industrial compound produced by food processing, particularly the processing of foods such as potato chips, and coffee. In addition to the known harmful effects of acrylamide in humans and experimental animals, such as neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity, acrylamide also has an obesogenic effect. It has been shown in the literature to a limited extent that acrylamide may disrupt energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, adipocyte differentiation, and various signaling pathways, and may exacerbate the disturbances in metabolic and biochemical parameters observed as a result of obesity. Acrylamide exerts its main potential obesogenic effects through body weight increase, worsening of the levels of obesity-related blood biomarkers, and induction of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis. Additional mechanisms may be discovered. Further experimental studies and prospective cohorts are needed, both to supplement existing knowledge about acrylamide and its effects, and to clarify its established relationship with obesity and its comorbidities.

Circadian misalignment in obesity: The role for time-restricted feeding

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The epidemic of obesity is associated with a substantial, complex and escalating burden of disease. Dietary and lifestyle interventions provide the mainstay of management; however, obesity is multifactorial and challenging to address clinically. Disrupted circadian behaviours, including late eating, are associated with obesity. Time-restricted feeding (TRF), the confinement of calorie intake to a temporal 'eating window', has received growing interest as a weight-loss intervention. Benefits are purported to arise from the fasting period and strengthened circadian metabolism. However, the current evidence-base for TRF is small-scale, limited, and there has been little evaluation of circadian schedule. This research aims to enable evidence-based conclusions regarding circadian-aligned TRF as a weight-loss intervention in obesity.

METHODS

A systematic three-tranche search strategy was conducted within PubMed. Included studies were critically evaluated. Search tranches scoped: interventional evidence for TRF; evidence linking meal timing, obesity and metabolic function; and evidence linking circadian function, obesity, and dysmetabolism. Results were summarised in a narrative analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 30 studies were included. From small-scale and short-term evidence, TRF was consistently associated with improved weight, glycaemic and anthropometric outcomes versus baseline or control. Good adherence and safety, and consistency of results between studies, were notable. Earlier ('circadian-aligned') eating was associated with greater diet-induced thermogenesis, and improved weight loss and glycaemic outcomes. Limited evidence suggested meaningful correlations between circadian clock function and obesity/metabolic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Circadian-aligned TRF may present a promising intervention for weight loss and metabolic benefits in obese/overweight individuals.

Impact of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Arterial Stiffness in a Countryside Area of Switzerland: Insights from the Swiss Longitudinal Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Besides traditional cardiovascular risk factors, arterial stiffness is a recognized predictor of cardiovascular risk.

METHODS

We investigated the relationship between traditional cardiovascular risk factors, sex, and aortic pulse wave velocity in subjects living in a countryside area of Southern Switzerland. For this aim, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from adult participants of the Swiss Longitudinal Cohort Study, which, initiated in 2015, follows health status and disease risk factors in a Swiss countryside cohort at least 6 years of age.

RESULTS

A total of 387 people (205 women and 182 men) were included. Hyperlipidemia, overweight, and obesity were more common (p ≤ 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and hemoglobin A1c were higher (p < 0.03) in men than women. Systolic and diastolic brachial and aortic blood pressures were higher in men (p < 0.02), whereas aortic pulse wave velocity and aortic pulse pressure were higher in women (p < 0.05). The aortic pulse wave velocity was significantly higher in subjects with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and obesity, and significantly increased with age (p < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between pulse wave velocity and age, female sex, brachial systolic blood pressure, and heart rate (p < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Also in a countryside area, the aortic pulse wave velocity is higher in subjects with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and obesity, and significantly increases with age. Furthermore, with advancing age, aortic pulse wave velocity is higher in women than men.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02282748.

'Obesities': Position statement on a complex disease entity with multifaceted drivers

Academic medicine fosters research that moves from discovery to translation, at the same time as promoting education of the next generation of professionals. In the field of obesity, the supposed integration of knowledge, discovery and translation research to clinical care is being particularly hampered. The classification of obesity based on the body mass index does not account for several subtypes of obesity. The lack of a universally shared definition of "obesities" makes it impossible to establish the real burden of the different obesity phenotypes. The individual's genotype, adipotype, enterotype and microbiota interplays with macronutrient intake, appetite, metabolism and thermogenesis. Further investigations based on the concept of differently diagnosed "obesities" are required.

Risk of Abdominal Obesity Associated with Phthalate Exposure of Nurses

Background: Occupational health hazards associated with phthalate exposure among nurses are still not well understood. Methods: We used high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to analyze phthalates. Anthropometric measurements and questionnaires were conducted. Results: We observed associations between mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), and fat mass index (FMI), visceral fat content, BMI risk and hip index risk (HIrisk), adjusted to consumer behavior and consumer practices (r = 0.36−0.61; p ≤ 0.046). In the same model, we detected an association between mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and waist to hip ratio (WHR; r = 0.36; p = 0.046), mono-carboxy-isononyl phthalate (cx-MiNP) and BMI (r = 0.37; p = 0.043), HC (r = 0.4; p = 0.026) and WHtR (r = 0.38; p = 0.037), between mono-oxo-isononyl phthalate oxo (MiNP) and HC (r = 0.36; p = 0.045), mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (oxo-MEHP) and HIrisk (r = 0.38−0.41; p ≤ 0.036), between oxo-MEHP and Anthropometric Risk Index (ARI risk; r = 0.4; p = 0.028). We detected a relationship between BMI and MBzP (β = 0.655; p < 0.001) and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP; β = −0.365; p = 0.003), between hip circumference and MBzP (β = 0.486; p < 0.001), MEHP (β = −0.402; p = 0.001), and sum of secondary metabolites of diisononyl phthalate (∑DiNP; β = 0.307; p = 0.016). We observed a relationship between fat content and MBzP (β = 0.302; p = 0.033), OH-MnBP (β = −0.736; p = 0.006) and MiBP (β = 0.547; p = 0.046), visceral fat content and MBzP (β = 0.307; p = 0.030), HI-risk and MBzP (β = 0.444; p = 0.001), ARI-risk and sum of di-n-butyl phthalate metabolites (∑DnBP; β = 0.337; p = 0.018). We observed an association between the use of protective equipment with cx-MiNP. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to phthalates may induce abdominal obesity and result in obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Increased Incidence of Precocious Puberty in Girls During COVID-19 Pandemic: Early Indicator of the Upcoming Childhood Metabolic Syndrome Pandemic?

To evaluate retrospectively the incidence of central precocious puberty (CPP) during the COVID 19 lockdown and comparing the data with the corresponding data from the previous 2 years. The study included 23 girls with CPP and 14 patients with early puberty. Nineteen patients were newly diagnosed with CPP compared to 4 patients diagnosed with CPP during the previous 2 years. The number of new patients diagnosed with CPP was significantly higher than the mean during the previous 2 years ( P < .001). There were more overweight patients with CPP during and after the lockdown ( P < .05). These patients had also increased uterus length ( P < .05) and more advanced bone age ( P < .05). The increase in the incidence of central precocious puberty during and after the lockdown due to COVID 19 can be considered a serious consequence of the increased fat mass and an early indicator of the worsening of childhood obesity.

Implications of metabolic health status and obesity on the risk of kidney cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the association between metabolic health status and incident kidney cancer among obese participants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 514,866 individuals were included from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort. Changes in metabolic health status and obesity from the baseline examination in 2009-2010 to the next biannual examination in 2011-2012 were determined. Based on the status change, obese participants were divided into four groups: stable metabolically healthy obesity, metabolically healthy obesity to metabolically unhealthy obesity, metabolically unhealthy obesity to metabolically healthy obesity, and stable metabolically unhealthy obesity.

RESULTS

The stable metabolically healthy obesity phenotype did not confer an increased risk of incident kidney cancer, compared to the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. In contrast, the metabolically healthy obesity to metabolically unhealthy obesity group had a significantly higher risk of incident kidney cancer than the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. Among patients with metabolically unhealthy obesity at baseline, those who transitioned to the metabolically healthy obese group had no increased risk of kidney cancer, whereas those who remained in metabolically unhealthy obesity status had a higher risk of incident kidney cancer than the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. The transition or maintenance of metabolic health was a decisive factor for kidney cancer in obese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Maintaining or restoring metabolic health should be stressed upon in obese patients to reduce the risk of kidney cancer.