Low Adipocyte Formation Is Associated With Abdominal Obesity
One of the key concepts about the deposition of visceral and ectopic fat is the inability of “healthy” subcutaneous to readily expand to accommodate excess calories. This is why people with large fat cells and those with less or no subcutaneous fat (as in partial or complete lipodystrophy) display features of the metabolic syndrome.
In line with these observations, a study by Andre Tchernof and colleagues from the University of Laval, Quebec, in a paper published in ADIPOCYTE show that low adipogenic capacity of subcutaneous adipose tissue is associated with visceral obesity, visceral adipocyte hypertrophy, and a dysmetabolic state.
The researchers studied adipocytes and preadipocytes isolated from subcutaneous and visceral fat samples from 35 women undergoing gynecological surgery and assessed body fat distribution by CT as well as fasting plasma lipids and glycemia.
Using an in vitro differentiation assay, they found that lower adipogenic rates were strongly associated with increased visceral cell size and dyslipidemia.
In addition, When matched for BMI, women with low subcutaneous preadipocyte adipogenic rates had a higher visceral adipose tissue area, omental adipocyte hypertrophy, higher VLDL-lipid content and higher fasting glycemia.
All of these findings are in line with the notion that low subcutaneous preadipocyte differentiation capacity in vitro is associated with visceral obesity, visceral adipocyte hypertrophy, and a dysmetabolic state.
Once again, as regular readers should be aware, not all fat is equal.
@DrSharma
Edmonton, AB
Lessard J, Laforest S, Pelletier M, Leboeuf M, Blackburn L, & Tchernof A (2014). Low abdominal subcutaneous preadipocyte adipogenesis is associated with visceral obesity, visceral adipocyte hypertrophy, and a dysmetabolic state. Adipocyte, 3 (3), 197-205 PMID: 25068086
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Prebiotic Fibre Alters Mother Milk and Offspring Gut Bacteria in Rats
With all the attention to the role of gut microbiota and the ongoing debate as to the role of breast feeding in obesity prevention, a study by Raylene Reimer and colleagues from the University of Calgary adds an interesting spin.
Their study, now published in OBESITY shows that feeding female rat a diet high in prebiotic fibre (21.6% wt/wt) throughout pregnancy and lactation, compared to a control or high-protien (40% wt/wt) diet, results in a lower oligosaccharide content of the milk with a higher content of bifidobacteria in the offspring.
Although this did not lead to any marked differences in body composition or other metabolic parameters, the study proves the point that (at least in rats) maternal diet can affect the composition of gut bacteria in the offspring (which may or may not have metabolic benefits).
There is no reason to believe that in humans maternal nutrition may well impart a similar influence via breast feeding on the microbiota of infants.
This certainly sounds like a promising field for future research.
@DrSharma
Edmonton, AB
Hallam MC, Barile D, Meyrand M, German JB, & Reimer RA (2014). Maternal high protein or prebiotic fiber diets affect maternal milk composition and gut microbiota in rat dams and their offspring. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) PMID: 25056822
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5th Conference on Childhood and Adolescent Obesity, Winnipeg, Sept 23-26, 2014
For readers interested in the prevention and management of childhood and adolescent obesity, there is still time to submit your abstract (deadline Aug 5) and to register for this event in Winnipeg.
Those of you, who have been to previous meetings in this series, will know that this meeting (interspersed biennially with the Canadian Obesity Summit) brings together clinicians, researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders for 4 days of intense networking and knowledge exchange.
This year’s conference is being organised by Jon McGavock from the Manitoba Institute of Child Health and is sure to be a blast.
Given Jon’s interest in this area, this year’s conference will include a strong focus on the burden of obesity among Indigenous Youth and showcase examples of the best and promising practices within Indigenous communities across Canada and the US.
This special theme will include presentations from Indigenous youth living in communities with a high burden of obesity, sharing circles with Indigenous leaders and stakeholders and will explore interventions designed to promote these strengths and enhance resiliency among children and adolescents.
Of course, the conference will also cover a wide range of other topics related to childhood obesity across the age and care continuum.
View CE Credits HERE.
Brochure is available HERE.
Register for the conference HERE.
Registration for the pre-conference only HERE.
Submit your abstract HERE.
Incidentally, I will be having the privilege of giving a keynote at the opening of the pre-conference.
While in Winnipeg, I will also be performing my “Stop Being a Yo-Yo” show at the Colin Jackson Studio Theatre on Sept. 24, Show time: 7:00 p.m. (click HERE for online tickets).
See you in Winnipeg!
@DrSharma
Edmonton, AB
Obesity Weekend Roundup, July 25, 2014
As not everyone may have a chance during the week to read every post, here’s a roundup of last week’s posts:
- Why Severe Obesity Is Not a Laughing Matter
- 9th Annual Canadian Obesity Network Obesity Research Bootcamp
- In Memorium: Albert (Mickey) J Stunkard
Have a great Sunday! (or what is left of it)
@DrSharma
Kanaskis, AB
Why Severe Obesity Is Not a Laughing Matter
Regular readers know that I look at BMI as a rather crappy measure of health – indeed there is very little relationship between mortality and BMI across a wide range of BMI levels.
However, once we approach severe obesity (the most rapidly rising subset of obesity in the population), there is very little doubt that carrying all that extra weight is associated with a substantially increased risk for illness and death.
Just how severely severe obesity affects life expectancy becomes clear from a new analysis by Cari Kitahara and colleagues from the US National Cancer Institute, published in PLOS Medicine.
For their analysis they pooled data from 20 prospective studies from the United States, Sweden, and Australia, sex- and age-adjusted total and cause-specific mortality rates (deaths per 100,000 persons per year) were assessed for people classified as obese class III (BMI 40.0–59.9 kg/m2) compared with those classified as normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2).
Class III obesity was strongly associated with an increased risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, nephritis/nephrotic syndrome/nephrosis, chronic lower respiratory disease, and influenza/pneumonia.
Overall, compared to people with a normal-weight BMI, a BMI of 40–44.9, 45–49.9, 50–54.9, and 55–59.9 kg/m2 was associated with an estimated 6.5, 8.9, 9.8, and 13.7 years of life lost – a substantial amount by any standard.
So, while experts and others may quibble over the value of BMI as a measure of health, there should be little doubt that severe obesity in the BMI 40+ range is associated with a substantial reduction in life expectancy.
All the more reason to increase efforts to better prevent and provide appropriated treatments to people who need them.
@DrSharma
Kananaskis, AB
Kitahara CM, Flint AJ, Berrington de Gonzalez A, Bernstein L, Brotzman M, MacInnis RJ, Moore SC, Robien K, Rosenberg PS, Singh PN, Weiderpass E, Adami HO, Anton-Culver H, Ballard-Barbash R, Buring JE, Freedman DM, Fraser GE, Beane Freeman LE, Gapstur SM, Gaziano JM, Giles GG, Håkansson N, Hoppin JA, Hu FB, Koenig K, Linet MS, Park Y, Patel AV, Purdue MP, Schairer C, Sesso HD, Visvanathan K, White E, Wolk A, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, & Hartge P (2014). Association between Class III Obesity (BMI of 40-59 kg/m2) and Mortality: A Pooled Analysis of 20 Prospective Studies. PLoS medicine, 11 (7) PMID: 25003901