International journal of obesity : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
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To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome for Asian Americans and non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs), given that existing evidence shows racial/ethnic heterogeneity exists in how BMI predicts metabolic syndrome. ⋯ In spite of the lower BMI values and lower prevalence of overweight/obesity than NHWs, Asian Americans have higher rates of metabolic syndrome over the range of BMI. Our results indicate that BMI ranges for defining overweight/obesity in Asian populations should be lower than for NHWs.
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The assignment of direction and causality within networks of observational associations is problematic outside randomized control trials, and the presence of a causal relationship between body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) is disputed. ⋯ Taken together, these data suggest that the observed association between circulating CRP and measured BMI is likely to be driven by BMI, with CRP being a marker of elevated adiposity. More generally, the method of reciprocal randomization has general applicability in determining the direction of causation within inter-correlated networks of metabolic components.
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South Asians are at higher risk than White Caucasians for the development of obesity and obesity-related non-communicable diseases (OR-NCDs), including insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Rapid nutrition and lifestyle transitions have contributed to acceleration of OR-NCDs in South Asians. Differences in determinants and associated factors for OR-NCDs between South Asians and White Caucasians include body phenotype (high body fat, high truncal, subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat, and low muscle mass), biochemical parameters (hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hyperleptinemia, low levels of adiponectin and high levels of C-reactive protein), procoagulant state and endothelial dysfunction. ⋯ Finally, differences in response to pharmacological agents may exist between South Asians and White Caucasians, although these have been inadequately studied. In view of these data, prevention and management strategies should be more aggressive for South Asians for more positive health outcomes. Finally, lower cut-offs of obesity and abdominal obesity for South Asians are expected to help physicians in better and more effective prevention of OR-NCDs.
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It is generally agreed that excess abdominal fat, in particular visceral abdominal fat (VAF), is related to an increased risk for obesity-related complications. We examined the association between metabolic risk factors and maintaining VAF after weight loss intervention. ⋯ This study shows that long-term maintenance of VAF after weight loss intervention is associated with improvements in HDLC and TG among obese, postmenopausal women.
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The mechanisms for how saturated fat and sugar-based beverages contribute to human obesity are poorly understood. This paper describes a series of experiments developed to examine the response of hypothalamic neuropeptides to diets rich in sugar and fat, using three different diets: a high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) choice diet with access to chow, saturated fat and a 30% sugar solution; a high-fat (HF) choice diet with access to chow and saturated fat; or to a high-sugar (HS) choice diet with access to chow and a sugar solution. ⋯ Our data suggest that the specific combination of saturated fat and a 30% sugar solution results in hyperphagia-induced obesity and alters hypothalamic neuropeptide expression, and that the response of the melanocortin system is mediated by the hepatic vagus.