Along with diabetes, high triglycerides lvels and insulin resistance, Fatty liver is also a part of metabolic syndrome. Fatty liver is of 2 types – Alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Non-alcoholic fatty liver incidence is rising due to changing lifestyle habits. Fatty liver not due to alcohol abuse is called “Non-Alcoholic steatohepatitis”. 1. Incidence of fatty liver is 30% in urban areas while it is just 10% in rural people. 2. Fatty liver is most commonly present in obese people and alcoholics. 3. Incidence of fatty liver is 60-70% in Diabetics. Who are at risk? Those who have Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 25 are at high risk for fatty liver. Diabetics are always at risk. Why Fatty liver is dangerous? Like Diabetes, fatty liver is also a silent killer. We may not find significant symptoms in the initial stages. Symptoms will appear only when liver damage is started. How fatty liver occurs? 1. As we are leading more sedentary life, there is a gradual accumulation of glucose in the liver. This excess glucose gradually changes into fat by Gluconeogenesis. This excess fat will be deposited in the liver cells leading to “Fatty Liver”. 2. Obese people suffer from “Insulin Resistance”. Even though, they have sufficient Insulin in the body, it failed to act sufficiently due to “insulin resistance”. So more fat will accumulate in the liver. 3. Breast cancer drugs like Tamoxifen, antibiotics like Tetracycline and long term use of steroids also cause fatty liver. How to diagnose fatty liver? Liver function tests may not help in the diagnosis of fatty liver. Ultrasound is the investigation of choice. Liver Biopsy will give definitive diagnosis. CT and MRI will give more information on the extent of damage. Serum C-peptide is the strongest correlative marker for fatty liver. One should check blood glucose and serum triglycerides levels in the body. 1. They should stay away from smoking and Alcoholism. 2. They should exercise for 30-45 minutes daily. 3. Weight reduction is more important. 4. Take sufficient diet which is low in fat content. 5. Alcoholic drinks should carry warning about fatty liver. Treatment for fatty liver: 1. Metformin may help to some extent. 2. Deoxy-cholic acid is the drug of choice. 3. Lifestyle modifications are paramount importance. If patients are not treated for fatty liver, it turns into steatohepatitis and finally cirrhosis. Cirrhosis may lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. Obese people with high blood pressure and uncontrolled diabetes should consult doctor for the diagnosis of fatty liver. How to prevent Fatty liver? … [Read more...]
Obesity: Statistics, causes and diseases
Obesity and overweight together constitute as one of the top 10 global health problems as per the recent surveys conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity Statistics: 1. Overweight adults in the entire world are: One billion (one hundred crore). 2. Children (under five years of age): more than 22 million. 3. By 2015 approximately overweight persons will be: 2.3 billion (230 Crores). 4. Obese people in 2007: 300 million (30 Crores). 5. By 2015 obese people will be: 700 million (70 Crores). 6. Obesity is a problem not only in developed but also in developing countries, where at present 115 million (11.5 crore), people are affected. Obesity is an abnormal and excessive accumulation of fat mass in the body. Over weight and obesity in adults is calculated as follows: The body mass index (BMI= Body weight(in kg), divided by the square of the height(in meters). "Overweight" in adults is defined as, when BMI is greater than or equivalent to 25 and "obesity’’ as when BMI is greater than or equivalent to 3o. Basic mechanism behind Obesity: The hypothalamus, a region in the brain, regulates food intake and the metabolism process in the body. Lack of balance between calorie intake (over eating) and physical activity (less spending of calories) is the reason for Obesity and Overweight. Then the caloric surplus is converted in to fat and stored in the body as adipose tissue. Overweight and obesity are complex problems depending upon many factors. 1. Genetic factors: The first recessive gene involved in obesity in mice and humans was identified by Prof. Jeffrey Friedman in 1994. Today, five mutations of this gene have been identified. It appears that predisposition to obesity is caused by a complex interaction between at least 250 obesity– associated genes. This would mean that people are not equal in their risk of developing obesity. 2. Nutritional factors (in perinatal period): phenomenon called “Metabolic programming or Metabolic imprinting” during early life ,may modulate later obesity risk. 3. Life style factors: With more number of people consuming energy-densed food and eating often in the day, without hungry, is causing obesity. 4. Sedentary life: Today people are leading sedentary lifestyle than did their hunter-gatherer ancestors. Risks or diseases due to obesity are: 1. Type-2 diabetes 2. Cardiovascular (heart) disease 3. Rising of blood pressure (BP) level 4. Strokes 5. Certain types of cancers, etc. Always keep in mind this golden word: “Longer the waist line- shorter the life line”. Source: Business line. … [Read more...]
Cadila launched anti obesity drug – Slimona
Cadila healthcare launched an anti-obesity drug “Slimona” in India. The drug is used to treat obese patients with associated risk factors like type2 diabetes or dyslipidemia. Slimona (Rimonabant) is a selective CB1 Endocannabinoid (EC) receptor antagonist. The drug comes in a tablet form of strength 20 mg to be consumed before breakfast once a day and is priced at Rs 5.50 a tablet. Obesity: A person is called obese when his Body Mass Index (BMI) is 30 or above. Obesity is mainly due to uncontrolled diet habits and sedentary lifestyle. In urban India, 29% men and 45% women are overweight. According to WHO statistics, 300 million people are obese all over the world and 1 billion people are overweight. Obesity is the major reason behind increase in incidence of type2 Diabetes. Slimona is a new class of drug in the treatment of Obesity. … [Read more...]
Obesity: Causes and effects on the body
Obesity Statistics: Incidence: As per the W.H.O. report, 30% of the people in western countries are suffering from obesity. Out of the 6 billion people in the world, 1 billion are obese people. The other side of it is 1billion people are without sufficient food and living in poverty. Obesity epidemic is gradually on rise in developing countries also due to fast growing economies. Obesity Causes: 1. Modern life: Due to sedentary habits with little exercise is the main reason behind increased incidence of Obesity. 2. Fast food restaurants: These restaurants are growing in number in leaps and bounds. People are taking more junk and fatty foods. Due to these diet habits, more fat is stored in the body causing obesity. 3. Alcohol causes fatty liver and thereby more fat is stored in the body. Patient becomes obese. The main trouble with many people is they consider obesity as a cosmetic problem rather than disease. But the truth is obesity is a chronic disease due to deposition of more fat in the body. The important thing is over weight is not a disease but obesity is a disease. But the line of differentiation between the two is very thin. 4. Experts opinion: A famous doctor says that obesity simply a bad news for both body and mind. Another doctor says: Asians have more body fat, is not that they eat more but move less. 5. Other Causes of Obesity: A. Increasing affluence B. Little outdoor activity C. Spending more time watching television and playing computer games. 6. Emotions: Can they cause obesity, but how? People tend to eat more, when they are; 1. Upset 2. Anxious 3. under stress 4. Feel boredom. To quell these feelings they eat more. This becomes a vicious cycle. 7. Hereditary: Small parts of the DNA that people inherit from their parents that determine the weight gain in them. These genes do not tell our body how to utilize extra calories. 8. Nutrition and pregnancy: One theory is that when children are under nourished in the womb of their mother, when become adults, they usually develop abdominal fat, even with the normal diet. This put them at greater risk of obesity related illnesses. 9. In Asians: Asians evolved a so called ‘’thrift gene’’ after living for thousands of years under near-famine conditions. Their bodies are, paradoxically, metabolically, efficient to deal with the relative abundance of modern life. It is a genetic trait. Effects of Obesity on the body: Obesity causes following diseases: 1. Diabetes 2. Heart problems 3. Rise in blood pressure 4. Incidence of some cancers is more in Obese people. How to control Obesity: 1. Doing exercise – Walking is the best and simple exercise. 2. Eat more fruits and vegetables 3. Taking less fatty foods.4. Meditation and Yoga 4. Controlling stress and strain … [Read more...]
Childhood Obesity – effect of junk food ads
Junk ads on your Television are one of the main reasons for increase in childhood obesity rates. As per new study conducted by Kaiser Foundation, a non-profit organization, effect of junk ads is more on 8-12 year old children as they are not able to distinguish between ads and TV programmes. So it is not good to allow junk food ads during TV programmes which are aimed at children. The study found that kids get exposed to over 18,000 ads each year with over a third of the ads for junk foods. 8-12 age group children are exposed to as many as 21 ads per day. Teenagers are exposed to 15-17 junk food ads per day. Most of these ads are not about fruits or vegetables, but about foods which are advised by nutritionists as not good for health. Courtesy: SFPix.com Childhood Obesity statistics: More than 30% of children are over weight of which 15% are Obese. Obesity is more prevalent among boys than girls. A study of 13 industrialised nations suggests that children of Australia are worse affected by these fast food ads. Childhood Obesity is taking epidemic proportions as children are taking more unhealthy diet with little exercise. Diabetes especially type II is on rise in children as they are taking more junk diet. Children who are taking more junk diet are at risk for diabetes, heart attack and stroke in later life at an early age. Prevention of Childhood Obesity: 1. Governments should ban or limit ads on junk food. 2. Governments, teachers and voluntary organizations should increase awareness among children on the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. 3. Parents should take care of television viewing habits of their children. 4. Parents should encourage their children to do more exercise. 5. Parents should act as role models to their children as kids try to imitate them. Please comment on this article. … [Read more...]
Facts about Fats
Fat in our body is also called lipids. Fat diet is the major cause for Obesity and Over weight. Types of Fats: Fats are 2 types. 1. Saturated fats 2. Unsaturated fats Unsaturated fats are of 2 types. 1. Mono unsaturated 2. Poly unsaturated At normal temperature, saturated fats are in solid form while unsaturated fats are in liquid form. Fate of fat in our body: IS it good to take more fat in our blood? 1 gram of fat gives 9 calories of energy. Usually body takes the necessary energy for its functioning of routine body activities from fruits and cereals etc. Body utilizes fat as a second alternative only. Hence fat accumulates in the body due to non use in the first phase. After entering into stomach, fat is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids break into fat globules which gives immediate energy. The excess fatty globules again converted to fatty acids and stored under the skin and around certain organs. Some fat converts to glycogen to be utilized for immediate energy. 1 gram of carbohydrate gives 4 calories of energy. So, accumulated fat causes overweight which in turn leads to diseases like 1. Diabetes 2. High blood pressure 3. Bronchial Asthma 4. Bronchitis 5. Skin thickening Fat in males and females: In females, fat is present more in buttocks and thighs. In males, fat is present around umbilicus (abdominal area). Increase in fatty diet is mainly due to fast foods. Take more fruits and green leaf vegetables. Please comment on the article. … [Read more...]
