Excessive intake of omega 6 and deficiencies in omega 3 induce obesity down the generations

Excessive Intake of Omega 6 and Deficiencies in Omega 3 Induce Obesity Down the Generations


ScienceDaily (July 26, 2010) — Chronic excess of linoleic acid (omega 6), coupled with a deficiency in alpha-linoleic acid (omega 3), can increase obesity down the generations. This has been demonstrated for the first time by Gérard Ailhaud (Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis) working in collaboration with three CNRS laboratories and one INRA laboratory. The researchers exposed several generations of male and female adult and young mice to a "Western-like" diet of this type, and then assessed the consequences of such a lipid environment in the human diet.



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These findings are published on the website of the Journal of Lipid Research.
Omegas 6 and 3 are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids: they are indispensable to the human body, which cannot produce them itself and must therefore source them from food. Omega 6 are normally found in maize, which is itself consumed in large quantities by the farmed animals eaten by humans (half of our lipid intake comes from meat and dairy products). As for omega 3, they are mainly present in grass, linseed, rapeseed and fatty fish such as salmon, sardine or mackerel (which contain very high levels of alpha-linoleic acid). In the past forty years, there has been a steady rise in obesity over the generations in Western societies. During the same period, the diet in industrialized countries has seen a quantitative increase in the calories ingested (lipids account for 35 to 40% of food intake), high levels of linoleic acid (omega 6) and low levels of alpha-linoleic acid (omega 3). Indeed, the amount of omega 6 consumed during the past forty years has rocketed (+250%) while that of omega 3 has fallen by 40%, thus destabilizing the omega 6/omega 3 ratio when compared with the recommended intakes. While the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) recommends an omega 6/omega 3 ratio of 5/1, actual consumption is 15 omega 6 for 1 omega 3. In the USA, this ratio can even reach 40 omega 6 for 1 omega 3.
To perform their experiments, the researchers exposed four generations of mice to a Western-style diet, characterized by these same omega 6/omega 3 ratios. As a result, they saw a gradual increase in fat mass over several generations. They also observed the onset of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, which is the first step in the development of type 2 diabetes and a stimulation of the expression of the inflammatory genes involved in obesity.
Thus, in a genetically-stable animal population, exposure to a diet similar to that of developed or developing countries was sufficient to cause the emergence of transgenerational obesity, in line with the data collected in humans. The beneficial role of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega 6 (linoleic acid) is well-known in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, and that of omega 3 in cerebral function. But when their intake is unbalanced, these fatty acids can enhance the factors inducing obesity and have serious long-term effects on human health. The agrifood industry needs to take greater account of the implications of these findings.

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by CNRS.




Journal Reference:

Massiera et al. A Western-like fat diet is sufficient to induce a gradual enhancement in fat mass over generations. The Journal of Lipid Research, 2010; 51 (8): 2352 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.M006866

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Weight loss may be associated with improvements in hot flushes in overweight and obese women

Weight Loss May Be Associated With Improvements in Hot Flushes in Overweight and Obese Women


ScienceDaily (July 27, 2010) — Among overweight and obese women with bothersome hot flushes during menopause, an intensive weight loss intervention program may lead to improvements in flushing, according to a report in the July 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.



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"Hot flushes are among the most common concerns of women during menopause and persist for five or more years past menopause in as many as one-third of women," the authors write as background to the article. "In multiple observational studies, women with a higher body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) have reported more frequent or severe hot flushes compared with women with a lower BMI."
Alison J. Huang, M.D., from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues in a six-month randomized controlled trial, used self-administered questionnaires to assess bothersome hot flushes. The authors studied 338 women (average age 53) who were overweight or obese and had urinary incontinence. Of the participants, 226 were randomized to the intensive weight loss intervention and 112 were randomized to the control group. Approximately half of the women in each group reported being at least slightly bothered by flushing at the beginning of the study. Compared to the control individuals, women randomized to the intervention group reported slightly greater physical activity at baseline but the two study groups did not differ significantly with regard to other characteristics, including flushing.
Women in the intensive intervention group were assigned to a lifestyle and behavior change program designed to produce an average loss of 7 to 9 percent of initial body weight by six months. This included weekly one-hour group sessions with experts in nutrition, exercise and behavior change during which participants were encouraged to increase physical activity to at least 200 minutes per week using brisk walking or activities of a similar intensity. Women were also instructed to follow a reduced-calorie diet (1,200-1,500 calories) and were offered sample meal plans providing appropriate food selections as well as meal-replacement products.
According to the authors, in analyses of all women reporting bothersome hot flushes at the initial stages, decreases in weight, BMI and abdominal circumference were each associated with improvement in self-reported hot flushes during six months. However, there were no significant associations between changes in physical activity, calorie intake, blood pressure or overall self-reported physical and mental functioning and change in bothersome flushing.
Additionally, "among women who were at least slightly bothered by flushing at baseline, the intensive lifestyle intervention was associated with significantly greater decreases in weight, body mass index, abdominal circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure relative to the control group," the authors write. "No statistically significant effect of the intervention on self-reported physical activity, total calorie intake or overall physical or mental functioning was observed."
"Our findings indicate that women who are overweight or obese and experience bothersome hot flushes may also experience improvement in these symptoms after pursuing behavioral weight loss strategies; however, improvements in weight or body composition may not be the only mediators of this effect," the authors conclude.

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.




Journal Reference:

Alison J. Huang; Leslee L. Subak; Rena Wing; Delia Smith West; Alexandra L. Hernandez; Judy Macer; Deborah Grady; for the Program to Reduce Incontinence by Diet and Exercise Investigators. An Intensive Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention and Hot Flushes in Women. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (13): 1161-1167 [link]

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Hormonal contraceptives have mixed success among overweight women

Hormonal Contraceptives Have Mixed Success Among Overweight Women


ScienceDaily (July 25, 2010) — As obesity continues to be a worldwide health risk, one of its "side effects" could include less effective birth control for overweight and obese women who use hormonal contraceptives.



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Four of seven studies examined in a recent research review comprising 39,531 women suggest that the heaviest women have the highest risk of pregnancy while using the contraceptives. Yet a closer look at the studies, the review authors say, reveals a more complicated picture.
In one study of oral contraceptive pills, women with a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight range (a BMI of 25 or more) had a higher risk of pregnancy that those in the normal weight range. In another study of contraceptive skin patches, higher body weight -- not higher BMI -- was associated with higher risks of pregnancy.
Other contraceptives such as injectable or implantable hormones might "be unaffected by body mass," said lead author Laureen Lopez, Ph.D., of FHI, global health and development organization.
The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates research in all aspects of health care. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing trials on a topic.
Many researchers think that metabolic changes associated with obesity -- in particular, the amount of body fat -- could make hormonal birth control less effective. "However, we know little about how overweight women metabolize hormonal contraceptives," said Lopez, "since many studies exclude overweight women."
In the few reports that did include overweight and obese women, some studied overall body weight and others studied BMI, which could affect pregnancy risk in different ways. For instance, BMI studies tend to focus on how body fat might interfere with contraceptive metabolism, while studies of body weight might examine whether a larger woman needs a larger dose of the contraceptive, the authors say.
Women who are obese or overweight also should consider potential health risks from hormonal contraceptives, said Amitasrigowri Murthy, M.D., who directs the reproductive choice program at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York.
Some studies show that estrogen-based contraceptives can increase the risk of heart attack, blood clots, high blood pressure and gallbladder disease in obese women, "who are already at increased risk for these conditions," Murthy said.
Seeking alternatives, some women turn to progesterone-based contraceptives such as the injectable Depo-Provera, Murthy said, "but if you are already overweight or obese, you should know that there is a risk of weight gain in the first year of taking it [Depo-Provera]."
Health-care workers will need better studies to help them guide women as they choose a method of contraception, Lopez and colleagues say: "Given the prevalence of overweight and obesity, the public health impact of any effect on contraceptive efficacy could be substantial."
"The contraceptive methods studied here are still among the most effective when used as recommended," said Lopez. "Moreover, pregnancy is much riskier for women who are obese compared with women of normal weight."

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Center for Advancing Health. The original article was written by Becky Ham.




Journal Reference:

Lopez et al. Hormonal contraceptives for contraception in overweight or obese women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Protocols, 2010; DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008452.pub2

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Inhibiting fatty acids in immune cells decreases atherosclerosis risk

Inhibiting Fatty Acids in Immune Cells Decreases Atherosclerosis Risk


ScienceDaily (July 23, 2010) — Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a way to significantly reduce atherosclerosis in mice that does not involve lowering cholesterol levels or eliminating other obesity-related problems.



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They report their findings in the July 23 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Atherosclerosis is the process through which fatty substances, such as cholesterol and cellular waste products accumulate in the lining of arteries. Those buildups, called plaques, reduce blood flow through the artery and can contribute to heart attack, stroke and even gangrene. It is common in individuals with obesity-related problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
In this study, the research team inhibited atherosclerosis in mice by interfering with production of a substance called fatty acid synthase. This enzyme converts dietary sugars into fatty acids in the liver, where it plays an important role in energy metabolism. But fatty acids also are involved in atherosclerosis.
"The plaques that clog arteries contain large amounts of fatty acids," says senior investigator Clay F. Semenkovich, MD. "We engineered mice that are unable to make fatty acid synthase in one of the major cell types that contribute to plaque formation. On a standard Western diet high in fat, the mice had less atherosclerosis than their normal littermates."
Animals can't survive without fatty acid synthase, so mice in this study were able to make the substance in most of their tissues. They couldn't manufacture it, however, in macrophages, a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills invading microorganisms, removes dead cells from the body and stimulates the action of other immune cells. Macrophages are dispatched in response to injury, infection and inflammation.
Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. Semenkovich, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, says doctors tend to concentrate on treating the surrounding risk factors related to atherosclerosis, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but he says the blockages themselves cause the most serious, life-threatening problems.
"With the current epidemic of obesity and diabetes, people sometimes forget that it's the blockages in the arteries that really kill people," he says. "We've made progress using statin drugs, for example, that lower cholesterol and fight plaque buildup, but a lot of people who take statins still die from cardiovascular disease. We need better therapies."
These mouse experiments suggest targeting fatty acid synthase in macrophages may provide a potential treatment strategy for humans. The researchers identified factors in the fatty acid pathway that seem to be capable of preventing plaques from blocking arteries in mice. He says those substances -- LXR-alpha and ABCA1 -- eventually may become drug targets.
"It may be possible, for example, to take macrophages out of humans, inhibit fatty acid synthase in those cells, and then infuse the macrophages back into the same person," he says. "From what we've observed in mice, we would hypothesize that approach might prevent or interfere with plaque buildup in people."
Inhibiting fatty acid synthase in macrophages may not keep blood vessels clean forever, according to Semenkovich, but he says it could lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes while people are making lifestyle changes in order to lose weight, gain control of blood sugar levels or lower triglycerides and cholesterol.
"This discovery allows us to separate atherosclerosis from associated conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol," he says. "In fact, in the mice without fatty acid synthase in their macrophage cells, there were no effects on diabetes. Cholesterol in the blood remained the same. But there were fewer blockages in arteries. If a similar approach worked for humans, it could help prevent heart attacks and strokes and give people a chance to get healthier by losing weight and lowering cholesterol."
This work was funded by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and by Fellowship Awards from the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Washington University School of Medicine.




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J. G. Schneider, Z. Yang, M. V. Chakravarthy, I. J. Lodhi, X. Wei, J. Turk, C. F. Semenkovich. Macrophage fatty acid synthase deficiency decreases diet-induced atherosclerosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2010; DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M110.100321

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Diabetes monitoring device benefits not just people but dogs and other animals, too

Diabetes Monitoring Device Benefits Not Just People but Dogs and Other Animals, Too


ScienceDaily (July 24, 2010) — The treatment of diabetes was revolutionized in 1922 when insulin was isolated from dogs. Since then, significant advances in human medicine have made diabetes more manageable for patients. Now, human medicine has returned the favor and used these advances to help dogs with diabetes.



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A University of Missouri researcher is using a continuous glucose monitoring device -- commonly used in humans with diabetes -- to help treat dogs and other animals. The device, which provides a detailed glucose picture of an animal over several days, will help pet owners manage their pets' diabetes.
"Our research has found that continuous glucose monitoring devices can be used in dogs, cats, cows and horses," said Charles Wiedmeyer, assistant professor of clinical pathology in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. "Use of this system alleviated the need for multiple blood samples. It also reduces the stress associated with obtaining those samples. This system may provide greater monitoring capabilities in animals with diabetes and promote the diagnostic and research potential of glucose monitoring in veterinary patients."
The device, which is produced by the company, Medtronic, sits under the skin between the shoulder blades of an animal and records blood glucose data every five minutes. Monitoring the blood glucose levels can help veterinarians determine the proper dosage of insulin and how diet is affecting the animal's diabetes.
"Dogs with diabetes are similar to children with diabetes," Wiedmeyer said. "Both rely on caregivers to manage their disease. Both have little control over their diet or when they receive insulin."
Many of the symptoms of diabetes in dogs are similar to the symptoms in humans, including excessive water consumption, increased urination, or unexplained weight loss. For dogs, treatment typically involves insulin shots twice a day. Dogs get complications from diabetes, but they are not as severe as human complications, Wiedmeyer said. Older, female dogs and some breeds, such as schnauzers and poodles, are more prone to diabetes.
Wiedmeyer hopes that companies will start producing continuous glucose monitoring devices specifically designed for animals.
This summer, Wiedmeyer presented his findings at the Friends for Life: International Children with Diabetes Conference in Orlando, Fla. He has published his research in Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics and several veterinary journals.

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Chokeberry extract found to regulate weight gain, blood glucose, and inflammation in rats

Chokeberry Extract Found to Regulate Weight Gain, Blood Glucose, and Inflammation in Rats


ScienceDaily (Apr. 25, 2010) — Chokeberry bushes have for centuries been residents of eastern deciduous forests where their bright red and dark purple fruits continue to be favorite snacks of local bird species. Native Americans have also traditionally eaten dried chokeberries and prepared teas from parts of the plant, and several domesticated varieties now grace contemporary lawns and gardens from coast to coast. However, the chokeberry (Aronia) is enjoying a new claim-to-fame as a potentially powerful antioxidant, and can now be found for sale in the dietary supplement and "health food" aisles of your local pharmacies and grocery stores.



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What makes the humble chokeberry so healthful? Scientists think the answer lies in their unusually high levels of substances called anthocyanins (from the Greek anthos + kyanos meaning dark blue). There are many different anthocyanins in these colorful berries, but they all function as antioxidants -- originally protecting the chokeberry seed from sunshine-induced oxidative stress. And when we eat them, they also appear to protect our bodies from a variety of damaging situations, including exposure to pollution and metabolically-derived free radicals. Indeed, a growing body of scientific literature has shown promising effects of chokeberry consumption on diseases ranging from cancer to obesity. These health-promoting effects may be due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of anthocyanins, as uncontrolled inflammation is now universally recognized as a common thread in many of our most prevalent and deadly diseases. In addition, certain anthocyanins -- including those found in chokeberry -- have also been shown to improve blood sugar and the function of insulin.
To better understand how chokeberries influence health, Drs. Bolin Qin and Richard Anderson from the US Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD studied what happens when prediabetic rats are fed chokeberry extracts for an extended period of time. The results of their research were presented on April 25 at the Experimental Biology 2010 meeting in Anaheim, CA. This presentation is part of the scientific program of the American Society for Nutrition, home of the world's leading nutrition researchers.
The researchers first made 18 male rats "prediabetic" or insulin insensitive by feeding them a fructose-rich diet for 6 weeks. Then they randomized the animals to continue drinking either pure water or water spiked with low or high levels of chokeberry extract (CellBerry®, Integrity Nutraceuticals International). After drinking this water for 6 weeks, the groups were compared in terms of body weight, body fat, blood glucose regulation, and molecular markers for inflammation.
Qin and Anderson found that at the end of the study the rats consuming the chokeberry-spiked water weighed less than the controls; both levels of chokeberry had the same effect in this regard. Similar beneficial effects of chokeberry consumption were found for body fat (specifically, that of the lower abdominal region). They also discovered that animals that had been drinking chokeberry extract had lower blood glucose and reduced levels of plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol when compared to the control animals. These alterations would theoretically lead to lower risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease in humans. And to add even more evidence for a healthful impact of this super-berry, the researchers documented numerous alterations in expression of genes that would likely lead to reduced chronic inflammation and perhaps even lower cancer risk. For instance, drinking chokeberry extract lowered expression of the gene coding for interleukin-6 (IL-6), a protein that normally triggers inflammation following trauma or infection. Chronic overproduction of IL-6 has been documented in many diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, and atherosclerosis and is thought to be a partial cause of these conditions.
Of course, human studies will be needed before scientists can declare whether we derive the same health benefits from the chokeberry, but Qin and Anderson believe that their study "provides evidence that the chokeberry extract inhibits weight gain in insulin-resistant animals and that it modulates multiple genes associated with adipose tissue growth, blood glucose regulation, and inflammatory pathways." A final word to the wise: raw chokeberries are exceptionally bitter, so don't be tempted to harvest the shrubs in your backyard. Instead, look for this unassuming berry in fruit juice blends, jellies, and sweetened syrups.
Drs. Qin and Anderson are federal researchers in the Diet, Genomics, and Immunology Laboratory at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, a component of the US Department of Agriculture. This study was supported, in part, by Integrity Nutraceuticals International (South Spring Hill, TN).

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Subtle thyroid problem triples the risk of placental separation in birth, study finds

Subtle Thyroid Problem Triples the Risk of Placental Separation in Birth, Study Finds


ScienceDaily (July 22, 2010) — Pregnant women with antibodies that can indicate early thyroid disease are three times as likely to have placental separation during labor, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a study of more than 17,000 women.



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The findings, however, do not indicate that there would be any benefit from routinely screening pregnant women for thyroid problems, the researchers said. The study appears in the August issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
"Our work shows a link between anti-TPO antibodies and placental abruption, but that does not necessarily mean that thyroid supplementation would improve the health of the women or babies," said Dr. Brian Casey, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Southwestern and the study's co-lead author.
The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the throat, produces hormones that regulate many of the body's metabolic functions. Thyroid disorders can disrupt sleep, mood and mental sharpness, and cause weight gain or loss.
The thyroid uses an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase (TPO) to incorporate iodine into thyroid hormones. Table salt often contains added iodine so people can produce adequate levels of thyroid hormones.
TPO function is disrupted in some autoimmune diseases, when the body creates antibodies against it. As a result, hormone levels decrease and the body's metabolism slows. But when antibody levels are still low, the thyroid can sometimes compensate and produce normal amounts of hormone.
In the current study, the researchers took samples of serum -- the clear, liquid fraction of blood -- from women before 20 weeks of pregnancy, and compared the levels of anti-TPO antibodies with the mothers' and babies' health after birth. Only singleton births were included in the study.
Almost 6 percent of the 17,298 women (1,012 participants) tested positive for the anti-TPO antibody, the researchers found. Ethnicity affected the rate: 8.4 percent of white women were antibody-positive, compared to 6.1 percent of Hispanic women and 2.6 percent of African-American women. The antibody-positive women had normal levels of thyroid hormones.
The researchers found that the rates of birth complications were the same between the antibody-positive and -negative groups, except for placental abruption, a rare but potentially fatal complication in which the placenta separates from the uterus too early. Abruption occurred in 1 percent of antibody-positive women, compared to 0.3 percent of antibody-negative women.
Antibody status made no difference to the health of the babies, including their birth weight, rates of admission to intensive care and so on, the researchers found.
UT Southwestern researchers are participating in a national study, led by Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network of the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), to test whether supplementation with thyroid hormones can improve pregnancy outcomes, Dr. Casey said.
In addition, UT Southwestern researchers are testing for possible relationships between other thyroid-related measurements and birth outcome.
Other UT Southwestern obstetrics and gynecology researchers involved in the study were co-lead author Dr. Mina Abbassi-Ghanavati, assistant instructor; Dr. Donald McIntire, professor; Dr. Lisa Halvorson, associate professor; and Dr. Gary Cunningham, professor. Dr. Catherine Spong of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, Md., also participated.
The study was partially supported by a grant from the NICHD.

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