International journal of obesity : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
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There is increasing evidence for an association between asthma and body weight change. The objectives of these analyses were to examine the temporal relationships of this association and to explore the role of childhood depression as an explanatory factor. ⋯ This study encourages further research on mechanisms underlying the asthma-obesity comorbidity, particularly on shared psychosocial factors operating during critical periods in childhood and adolescence that may influence the development and persistence of both obesity and asthma during adulthood.
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To investigate whether the nature of the relationship between body mass index (BMI (kg/m2)) and all-cause mortality is direct, J- or U-shaped, and whether this relationship changes as people age. ⋯ In younger/middle-aged, but not older, women and men, mortality risks appear directly related to BMI. The more complicated relationship between BMI and mortality in older subjects suggests the importance of assessing whether other markers of body composition better explain mortality risk in older adults.
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To describe and evaluate a fully automated method for characterizing abdominal adipose tissue from magnetic resonance (MR) transverse body scans. ⋯ The results demonstrate that the proposed method is robust and accurate. Although the separation of SAAT and VAAT is not always perfect, this method could be especially helpful in dealing with large amounts of data such as in epidemiological studies.
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Although there is increasing interest in how environmental factors influence food intake, there are mixed results and misunderstandings of how proximity and visibility influence consumption volume and contribute to obesity. The objective of this paper is to examine two questions: first, how does the proximity and salience of a food influence consumption volume? Second, are proximate foods consumed more frequently because they are proximate, or are they consumed more frequently because people lose track of how much they eat? ⋯ These results show that the proximity and visibility of a food can consistently increase an adult's consumption of it. In addition, these results suggest that people may be biased to overestimate the consumption of foods that are less proximate, and to underestimate those that are more proximate. Knowing about these deviation tendencies is important for those attempting effectively monitor their consumption of fat and sugar.
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Mammalian tissues express at least two cannabinoid receptor types, CB1 and CB2, both G protein coupled. CB1 receptors are found predominantly at nerve terminals where they mediate inhibition of transmitter release. CB2 receptors occur mainly on immune cells, one of their roles being to modulate cytokine release. ⋯ This might be exploited clinically by using CB1, CB2 or CB1/CB2 agonists, or inhibitors of the membrane transport or catabolism of endocannabinoids that are released in increased amounts, at least in animal models of pain and multiple sclerosis. We have recently discovered the presence of an allosteric site on the CB1 receptor. Consequently, it may also prove possible to enhance 'autoprotective' effects of released endocannabinoids with CB1 allosteric enhancers or, indeed, to reduce proposed 'autoimpairing' effects of released endocannabinoids such as excessive food intake with CB1 allosteric antagonists.