Alcohol consumption promotes body weight loss in melanoma-bearing mice.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for cancer. Little is known about its effects on cancer progression. Previously, we showed that high ethanol consumption inhibited metastasis of B16BL6 melanoma-bearing mice without affecting primary tumor growth. On the other hand, ethanol-consuming tumor-bearing (TE) mice exhibited decreased survival and decreased body weight as compared to water-drinking, tumor-bearing (TW) mice. The focus of this study was to determine how alcohol promotes weight loss in melanoma-bearing mice. METHODS: Female, C57BL/6 mice were given water or 20% w/v ethanol in the drinking water for 3 weeks to 6 months before subcutaneous inoculation of 1 x 10(6) B16BL6 melanoma cells. Mice continued to receive the same fluids. Biochemical parameters were evaluated at various times after tumor inoculation. Body weight, water content, tumor weight and carcass fat content were determined at necropsy. RESULTS: TW mice elicted a modest weight loss. This response was magnified 2-fold by alcohol consumption. The weight loss in TE mice is not caused by dehydration, decreased energy intake, or loss of skeletal muscle mass. It resulted specifically from loss in body fat. Other alterations associated with the fat loss in TE mice were: (1) decreased glucose, (2) elevated fatty acids, (3) elevated beta-hydroxybutyrate, (4) elevated glucagon, and (5) increased leptin levels in plasma. Body temperature decreased about 2.9 degrees C in TE mice. Metabolic rate increased in TW mice. The fat loss due to alcohol consumption in tumor-bearing mice was not due to increased metabolic rate. CONCLUSIONS: The response elicited by alcohol consumption in tumor-bearing mice is complex and associated with alterations in metabolism and hormones. These findings suggest that alcohol abuse could be a risk factor for cancer patients because it invokes a strong depletion of body fat. This could facilitate wasting and shorten survival time.

Variations in plasma soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors after diet-induced weight loss in obesity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the variations in the plasma levels of the soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type-I (sTNFR-I) and type-II (sTNFR-II) during weight loss which was induced by 3 weeks on a very low calorie diet (3.9+/-0.1 MJ/day), in 17 non-diabetic obese women. Plasma sTNFR-I concentrations decreased significantly after weight loss (p < 0.05), but there was no significant change in plasma sTNFR-II. As the diet was associated with a significant decrease in body fat mass (=2.5 kg), this result supports the emerging concept that adipose tissue can produce significant amounts of sTNFR-I and that this production can be modified by weight loss in human obesity.

Overweight and obesity and weight change in middle aged men: impact on cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

CONTEXT: The benefit of weight reduction for cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of baseline body mass index on major CVD outcomes and diabetes over a 20 year follow up, and of weight change in the first five years over the subsequent 15 years. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective study of British men followed up for 20 years. PARTICIPANTS: Men aged 40-59 years with no diagnosis of CVD or diabetes (n = 7176) of whom 6798 provided full information on weight change five years later. OUTCOME MEASURES: Major CVD events (fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and stroke, angina, "other" CVD deaths) and diabetes. RESULTS: During the 20 year follow up there were 1989 major CVD events and 449 incident cases of diabetes in the 7176 men. Risk of major CVD and diabetes increased significantly with increasing overweight and obesity. During the 15 year follow up, weight gain was associated with increased risk of CVD and diabetes. weight loss was associated with lower risk of diabetes than the stable group irrespective of initial weight. No significant cardiovascular benefit was seen for weight loss in any men, except possibly in considerably overweight (BMI 27.5-29.9 kg/m(2)) younger middle aged men (RR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.81). CONCLUSION: Long term risk of CVD and diabetes increased significantly with increasing overweight and obesity. weight loss was associated with significant reduction in risk of diabetes but not CVD, except possibly in considerably overweight younger men. Duration and severity of obesity seem to limit the cardiovascular benefits of weight reduction in older men.

Stages of change and weight loss among rural African American women.

OBJECTIVE: obesity is a prevalent public health problem in the United States, especially for rural African American women, and causes increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this analysis was to determine whether the transtheoretical stages of change model was generalizable to weight loss intention among overweight and obese rural African American women and to identify important predictors of the stages of change. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study was conducted in two rural counties in central Virginia. A population-based sample of 200 women under the age of 40 completed questionnaires concerning weight loss behavior and beliefs about weight. Ordinal logistic regression was used to predict stage of change. RESULTS: A total of 142 of the 200 women (71%) were overweight or obese (body mass index of > or =25) and were classified into a stage of change. Overall, 30% of respondents were in the precontemplation stage, 15% in the contemplation stage, 48% in the preparation stage, 4% in the action stage, and 3% in the maintenance stage. Education, what friends think about weight, body mass index, and a scale of the positive aspects of weight loss were significant predictors of the stage of change (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Several predictors of stage were the same as those found in studies of other health behaviors, and this research provides support for applying a stages of change model for weight loss intention among rural African American women. Two predictors in particular, significance of what friends think about weight and a scale of the positive aspects of weight loss, have implications for health education initiatives and social support in weight loss interventions.

Preoperative low energy diet diminishes liver size.

BACKGROUND: A limited view of the gastro-esophageal area in obese patients is often aggravated by an enlarged liver due to fatty infiltration. Preoperative decrease in liver size would help surgeons, particularly those not used to working with morbidly obese patients. METHODS: 50 morbidly obese patients booked for laparoscopic gastric banding undertook a 2-week, preoperative low energy liquid diet. Ultrasound measurements of the left lobe of the liver and body analysis were undertaken at the start of the diet, and again at the conclusion of the diet (preoperatively). Changes in liver size were compared to body analysis changes. RESULTS: There was a highly significant decrease in liver size in the 2 weeks, which correlated with BMI and weight loss. There was no correlation with fat loss. No large left lobe of the liver was encountered at surgery nor caused any problem in any patients with successful preoperative weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative restriction of dietary energy will reduce liver size, and is accurately predicted by associated weight loss.

Relationship of satisfaction with body size and trying to lose weight in a national survey of overweight and obese women aged 40 and older, United States.

BACKGROUND: Despite the potential benefits of weight loss, the factors associated with weight loss behavior are only beginning to be identified. We examined the association between sociodemographic factors, perceived health, satisfaction with body size, and trying to lose weight. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 1996-1997 U.S. Women's Determinants Study. We included over 1,700 overweight and obese women aged 40 and older from the following four racial/ethnic groups: Hispanic, black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and non-Hispanic white. RESULTS: About half of the women reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their body size. Satisfaction was associated with lower body mass index (BMI), greater age, lower educational level, and better self-rated health. Compared with non-Hispanic white women, women in the other racial/ethnic groups expressed greater body satisfaction. About 65% of women reported that they were currently trying to lose weight. The strongest predictor of trying to lose weight was satisfaction with body size; women who were not satisfied were nine times more likely to report trying to lose weight than those who were very satisfied. Other significant predictors were BMI, race/ethnicity, and age. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings should serve as the impetus for the inclusion of measures of body image in surveillance and intervention studies of weight loss and control. Copyright 2002 American Health Foundation and Elsevier Science (USA)

Nutritional behavior as a predictor of early success after vertical gastroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patients' nutritional habits are seldom taken in account in planning surgery for clinically severe obesity. Our proposed hypothesis is that the patient's nutritional behavior may influence the outcome of bariatric surgery. METHODS: The impact of nutritional behavior on the postoperative weight-loss was evaluated before and after bariatric surgery. A 6-month prospective consecutive case study was carried out on patients undergoing a Silastic ring vertical gastroplasty (SRVG). Patients were interviewed and examined before and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the patients' medical charts. Nutritional data collected from a self-filled questionnaire included information on hunger and satiety perception, nutritional behavior (intake, eating habits and maximum consistency of consumed food) and concomitant symptoms. RESULTS: The sample included 69 patients: 56 were women (81%); average age was 32 years (range 18 50). Average preoperative BMI was 43.4 +/- 5.3 kg/m2 (range 35-58). 6 months after surgery, BMI was 30.3 +/- 3.8 kg/m2 (range 21-42). weight loss forecast models showed a statistically significant role of factors related to: anthropometrical preoperative data, hunger perception, prevalence of oral mucosal sore, and nutritional behavior. CONCLUSION: The short nutrition outcomes after gastric restrictive surgery were looked at, with their impact on weight-loss success. The Eating Status concept should be part of a systematic profiling of morbidly obese patients for preoperative nutritional behavior and postoperative nutritional education, to achieve the best comprehensive treatment in regard to weight loss and quality of life.

Dietary fish oil does not protect rats exposed to restraint or sleep deprivation stress.

It has been suggested that fish oil (FO) prevents weight loss caused by physiological stress such as cancer, injury, or cardiovascular disorders. Previously, we observed that a high-fat diet containing corn and coconut oil exaggerated weight loss caused by the mixed physiological and psychological stress of repeated restraint (RR). This experiment tested the effects of a high-fat diet containing FO as the predominant lipid source in rats exposed to the mixed physiological and psychological stress of either RR or sleep deprivation (SD). FO did not prevent stress-induced hypophagia or weight loss in RR or SD rats but exaggerated the negative effects of stress on body weight in SD rats by promoting loss of lean body mass. RR caused a reduction in body fat content irrespective of dietary treatment. In SD rats, both stress and FO independently reduced body fat mass. FO did not have any effect on adrenal and thymus weights during RR or SD and did not influence corticosterone levels after 1 h of RR or after 48 or 96 h of SD. In conclusion, our results suggest that high levels of dietary FO do not improve the response to stress in rats exposed to mixed stressors.