Monday, July 2, 2018

Bariatric Surgery in the News

5 Recent Updates on Bariatric Surgery (Healio/Endocrine Today)

A post hoc analysis of the STAMPEDE trial showing first-year weight loss was associated with improved HbA1c at five years even if the patient experienced weight-regain during follow-up, and a study examining the link between certain weight loss procedures and risks of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are among the top five news reports on bariatric surgery posted on Endocrine Today over the last month. Also, on the publication’s list of trending stories are studies on the rapid reversal of hypogonadism, effectiveness of bariatric endoscopy techniques, and coverage of the June 4^th FDA alert about liquid-filled intragastric balloon systems used to treat obesity.

Bariatric Patients May Need Microbiome Boost (MedPage Today)

A French study published in the journal Gut found persistent decreased microbial richness in patients with severe obesity who had adjustable gastric banding or Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass. While both procedures improved microbial gene richness, most patients had persistently low richness despite major metabolic improvement and weight loss. Moreover, microbial abundance was only partly restored in the majority of patients. According to researchers, the findings point to a need to shore up the composition of the gut’s microbiota ecosystem before or during bariatric surgery. They suggest that specialized diets, prebiotics, probiotics, or gut microbiota transfers before or after surgery might further improve microbial gene richness and metabolic health.

Obesity in the News

Americans Claim They Exercise, but More are Obese Than Ever (Associated Press via NBCNews.com)

About 24 percent of adults last year said they exercise enough each week to meet government recommendations for both muscle strengthening and aerobic exercise, up from 21 percent in 2015. 31 percent of adults indicated they had obesity last year, also up slightly. The numbers come from an in-person annual national survey of about 35,000 adults that for more than 60 years has been an important gauge of U.S. health trends. In its report on the findings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at survey responses from 2010 through 2015. Unhealthy eating has a lot to do with obesity, according to the Associated Press, and “a change in diet is needed to see any dent or reduction in obesity,” said CDC’s Tainya Clarke, one of the authors of the report. The survey also found that a higher level of leisure-time exercise was more common in some states than others and more common in people who were working than those who weren’t. According to the article, some experts think the findings may reflect two sets of people — the haves and have-nots of physical fitness. 

Body-Positive Movement Causes People to Think They Aren’t Obese, Study Says (Newsweek)

New research published in the journal Obesity suggests that wider plus-size acceptance resulting from the body-positive movement might prevent overweight adults from recognizing the extent of their weight gain and promote unhealthy habits. Researchers surveyed more than 23,000 British adults with overweight or obesity and gauged their perception of their weight against how much they actually weigh. Men were more likely to underestimate their weight—almost 60 percent—compared to 30 percent of women. People who misperceived how much they weighed were 85 percent less likely to attempt to lose weight than those who recognized their weight status. People of lower levels of education and income, two primary determinants of health, were more likely to underestimate their weight and less likely to lose weight as a result. Minority groups were also more likely to underestimate their size. These inequalities reflect socioeconomic indicators of obesity, according to the study’s lead author.

Overweight Teens Seem Less Keen on Shedding Pounds (MedPage Today)

The obesity epidemic among American teens is being driven by a waning desire to lose weight, according to a research letter published in JAMA Pediatrics. Using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 2014, researchers from Georgia Southern University found that the prevalence of obesity and overweight increased from 22 percent in 1988-1994 to 34 percent in 2009-2014. During the same period, the percentage of teens ages 16-19 who had tried to lose weight dropped from nearly 34 percent to 27 percent. Additionally, the rate of adolescents who reported that they tried to lose weight within the previous year fell by 36 percent after adjustment. While only overweight boys were significantly less likely to try to lose weight in 2009-2014 than historical peers from 1988-1994, there were trends in the same direction for both genders with either overweight or obesity. Overweight boys trying to lose weight went from 36.3 percent to 23.41 percent, overweight girls from 80.24 percent to 54.19 percent, boys with obesity from 67.51 percent to 60.58 percent and girls with obesity from 69.50 percent to 58.55 percent. “More adolescents with overweight or obesity seem satisfied with their weight and not ready or motivated to engage in weight loss efforts. Failure among pediatricians to discuss weight issues with adolescents may also contribute to the decreasing trend,” according to the investigators.

 Child Obesity Plan Targets Sweets at Checkouts (BBC)

New government proposals to halve childhood obesity in England by 2030 target stores, industry and advertisers that use “pester power” to sell food high in fat, sugar and salt to children and families by banning the sale of sweet and fatty snacks at store checkouts and as part of supermarket deals, enforcing tighter restrictions on junk food ads on TV and online, as well as mandatory calorie labelling on restaurant menus. The measures are part of the government’s updated Childhood Obesity Plan and give “power to parents to make healthier choices,” said the country’s Health Secretary.