Obese people who have bariatric surgery may have an easier time breathing afterward, a small study suggests.

To assess changes in lung function associated with the surgery, researchers examined results from lung CT scans for 51 obese individuals before their operations and again six months later.

“Weight loss as a result of bariatric surgery improves the appearances of the lungs and airways on CT scans and this corresponds with an improvement in breathlessness and lung function,” said lead study author Susan Copley of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London.

Obesity can make it harder for people to breathe, weakening respiratory muscles and requiring people to work harder to get air in and out of their lungs, the researchers note in Radiology. Few previous studies have examined the impact of obesity on breathing by looking at CT scans of the lungs and trachea, or windpipe, they note.

All but one patient in the current study underwent a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, which reduces the stomach to a pouch the size of an egg. Before surgery, patients’ average body mass index (BMI) was 44.5, making them extremely obese; afterwards they typically remained obese with an average BMI of 34.

Before surgery, and again six months later, researchers used CT scans to measure the size and shape of the trachea and assess air trapping – in which excess air remains in the lungs after exhaling, reducing lung function. Air trapping is an indirect sign of obstruction in the small airways of the lung.

Surgery and weight loss were associated with structural changes to the lung and trachea, the study found.

Post-surgery CT scans showed reductions in air trapping and a lower incidence of tracheal collapse, or blockage in the windpipe that makes it harder to breathe.

People who had the biggest reductions in air trapping on CT scans also had more improvement in shortness of breath.

The results suggest that some breathing problems related to obesity may improve after bariatric surgery, the authors conclude.

Beyond its small size, another limitation of the study is that researchers only took CT scans of small portions of the lung to minimize radiation doses, Copley said by email. This means the study may have underestimated the extent of abnormalities in the airways.

Even so, the results suggest improved respiratory function might be an added benefit of weight loss surgery, said Dr. Ninh Nguyen of the University of California Irvine Medical Center.

Breathing is harder for obese people because the fat tissue around the rib cage and abdomen leads to obstructions in the large and small airways, Nguyen, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.

The current study demonstrated objective evidence of increase in trachea diameter and less air trapping with weight loss after bariatric surgery, Nguyen said. “Additionally, (shortness of breath) symptoms improved after bariatric surgery, which was likely related to the improvement of respiratory mechanics and less air trapping” when patients exhaled.

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The latest ISD Scotland statistics show that more than a one in five children (22 per cent) in primary one in Scotland were found to be at risk of being overweight or obese.

Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, based at the University of Edinburgh, described the figures as “shocking”.

She added: “Obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, so tackling this is crucial if we’re to improve the health of future generations.”

As well as the cancer risk, overweight and obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of other health problems such heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, emotional distress and mental health difficulties.

In addition, overweight and obese children are at risk of remaining overweight or obese as adults.

Since 2001/02, the overall proportion of P1 children who are at risk of overweight or obesity has remained fairly constant.

However, there are now substantial inequalities in child unhealthy weight across Scotland.

Since 2001/02, the proportion of P1 children at risk of overweight or obesity has increased in the most deprived areas but decreased in the least deprived areas.

Children living in more deprived areas were more than twice as likely to be at risk of obesity than children living in the least deprived areas.

Boys in P1 are slightly less likely than girls to have a healthy weight.

Professor Bauld believes there were step that should be taken to tackle overweight and obesity in children.

“The Scottish Government has a role to play here,” she said.

“It must ensure planned legislation to restrict junk food promotions is introduced and passed before the next Scottish Parliament elections.

“Our shopping environment has a big influence on what we buy with special offers and multibuys on junk food powerfully persuading us to stock up on unhealthy items.”

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More than a fifth of primary one pupils in Scotland are at risk of being overweight or obese, new official statistics have shown.  

Figures from the NHS Information Services Division on the BMI of primary one children across Scotland reveal that 22.4 per cent are at risk of being overweight or obese, while 77.6 per cent were of a healthy weight.

Of these, 12.2 per cent were at risk of overweight, while 10.2 per cent were at risk of obesity.

While the proportion of children who are at risk of being overweight or obese has stayed quite constant since 2001-02, the gap between rich and poor areas has widened, with the proportion of primary one children at risk of obesity in the most deprived areas now more than double that of those living in the least deprived areas.

In the most deprived areas this year, 13.7 per cent of primary one children were at risk of obesity, while 6.5 per cent were at risk of obesity in the least deprived areas.

being overweight can cause a number of serious health problems over the course of life, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, asthma and breathing difficulties, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

It can also have an impact on self-esteem and lead to bullying.

Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.

Lorraine Tulloch, programme lead of Obesity Action Scotland said: “It is concerning to see that the inequalities gap in obesity in primary one children in Scotland continues to grow.

“Today’s report shows that the gap between primary one children living in the most deprived and least deprived areas at risk of obesity is now the widest it has been since records began.

“We need to do more to protect our children. Ambitious action is urgently required.  

“The Scottish Government have committed to halving childhood obesity by 2030, but we need more actions to improve our food environment if we want to achieve that.”

Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone said: “It is absolutely shocking that so many of our children are at risk of becoming overweight or obese.

“Scotland’s children have been facing a public health crisis for 18 years and we are no closer to tackling it.

“Measures such as removing sugary, high-fat foods from schools are a positive step but we need a greater focus on prevention.

“The link between poverty and obesity is well known and we must first address the root causes of health inequalities if we are to tackle the obesity epidemic.

“Access to cheap, nutritious food and free, easily-accessible sports facilities would go some way to narrowing the gap between the most and least deprived, but ensuring that everyone has a stable, sufficient income is the best means of improving health outcomes.

“This would allow families meet their basic needs, including access to proper nutrition.”

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At least 21 per cent of schoolchildren in Mumbai in the age group 11 to 15 years are overweight, while 16 per cent are obese, says a survey. These heavyweight findings are from a study conducted by a private hospital with a total of 9,000 children from different schools across Mumbai. Another shocking revelation it made, is that over 59 per cent of the children from this age group spend more than two hours a day glued to their smart-phones/TVs/laptops etc.

The study shows how physical inactivity is causing obesity in these children. It was conducted by Aastha Healthcare from Mulund, in 15 high schools located across Mumbai — both in the Central and Western suburbs as well as in south Mumbai. The 9,000 children included 4,806 boys and 4,194 girls studying in stds VI to IX.

The data was collected by personal interview with the students, using a pre-designed questionnaire based on body composition analysis — Body Mass Index (BMI), physical appearance, medical conditions they suffered from and diet. As per the survey, 1,028 of the boys were overweight and 817 were obese. From the girls, 805 were overweight and 612 were obese. The number of children spending time in front of TV/ laptop/ mobile phones for more than 2 hours a day was 5,337 (59.3%), while for less than 2 hours a day, the number was 3,663 (40.7%). Students also displayed effects of obesity like lethargy, breathlessness and dark patches.

Don’t weight and watch
Dr Manish Motwani, bariatric surgeon at Aastha Healthcare, said, “When we were looking for problem of obesity, it was important to conduct the survey in schools where children are likely to be getting overnutrition. This is why, the target schools were private schools and not schools catering to children from underprivileged backgrounds.”

Talking about the reasons for the condition, Dr Motwani said, “The most common cause here is nuclear families with working parents and a lone child. The maid appointed to look after the child has one major instruction, that the child should not cry. In this process, throughout the week, the child ends up eating everything that suits the tastebuds, which can lead to unhealthy eating. Furthermore, on weekends, parents who are guilty of not being able to spend time with the child, take him/her out to places like malls, and junk food is eaten. Another important cause is very little physical activity. If a child sees the parents on phone for a long time, he/she tends to replicate this. This is why after the survey, a class of recommendations was held for children, parents, as well as schools, to bring in lifestyle changes. Schools with canteen facilities were also advised on keeping nutritious, healthy food options on the menu.”

He added, “Parents themselves need to start regular physical activities along with their wards to change the lifestyle. The mobile phones given to children at this age should be basic and not smart phones so that the purpose of keeping in touch is served, but at the same time, the child does not end up spending a large amount of time on the phone.”

Battle of the bulk
The principal of Campion School in South Mumbai, Paul Machado said, “Schools are observing such cases and similarly changes are being made. They are introducing more outdoor games and other physical activities, or creating awareness about healthy eating habits. But all this will bear fruit when parents are part of the process. The age-group mentioned in the survey is of the one where parents put their children into tuition classes, leaving very little time for them for physical activity.” Rupa Roy, principal of Balmohan School in Dadar, said, “The issue of obesity and overweight among children has been a phenomenon for the past decade. With increased access to digital screen-time, gaming etc, physical activity has reduced in this age-group. But most schools are already taking steps to create awareness and it is observed that even parents have started taking required steps towards fitness after awareness.”

President of the PTA Forum, Arundhati Chavan, said, “These days, physical activity has reduced to a great level, even schools have few PT classes. Parents want the best for the child — they are ready to give her/him everything – but this might be affecting the kid adversely. Parents must be made aware of this to ensure good health for the children.”

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(HealthDay)—Overweight and obese patients are overwhelmingly pleased with the results of tummy tuck procedures, according to a study published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dennis C. Hammond, M.D., from Partners in Plastic Surgery of West Michigan in Grand Rapids, and colleagues reviewed the medical records of 46 consecutive overweight and obese patients (average body mass index, 32 kg/m²) undergoing abdominoplasty (80 percent) or panniculectomy (20 percent) from January 2004 to December 2016. A patient survey assessed satisfaction, complications, and the recovery process.

The researchers report that the average abdominal resection weight was 4,834.9 g and four patients had major complications, defined as requiring return to the operating room. Minor complications, those that could be handled in an office setting, occurred in 18 patients (39.1 percent). Thirty-six patients (78.3 percent) completed the satisfaction survey, with the overwhelming majority stating that they were satisfied with the final outcome and would choose to have the procedure again.

“Abdominoplasty and panniculectomy in overweight and obese patients are associated with an elevated complication rate, yet patient satisfaction is overwhelmingly high, suggesting the viability of body contouring procedures in this patient population,” the authors write.

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SYDNEY — No one needs a scientific study or trip to the doctor to know that being overweight or obese is generally unhealthy, but a recent study has illustrated just how detrimental that excess weight can be. According to a study by Australian researchers at the George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney, young adults who are classified as obese are more likely to die up to 10 years earlier than those who aren’t obese in their 20s.

Taken as a whole, the study estimated that 36.3 million years of life will be lost over the lifetime of present-day Australia’s adult population due to excess weight and obesity. Men are expected to lose 27% more years of life expectancy on average than women.

“We know that excess weight has an impact on your health, but to have excess weight as a young adult is really significant on life expectancy. We are talking about losing up to 10 years of your life,” says lead author Thomas Lung, of the George Institute of Global Health, in a statement.

The statistical model used by Dr. Lung calculated the expected amount of weight adults will add each year depending on their age, gender, and current weight. It also took into account current life expectancy in Australia, along with a higher mortality rate among people with excess weight.

The model predicted the remaining life expectancy for Australian individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s in four weight categories, ranging from healthy to severely obese. The model also calculated the number of years lost for overweight people in each age group compared to individuals with a healthy weight.

While these statistics are only regarding Australia, researchers say they can conceivably apply to to other high-income countries like the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom.

Among the study’s key findings:

• Men and women currently in their 20s with average to healthy body weight can expect to live another 57 to 60 years. However, individuals in their 20s in an obese weight category will lose an average of six years among women and eight years among men. Those who are severely obese have even shorter projected lifespans; severely obese women will lose eight years of their lives, and men will lose 10 years.
• Differences among genders mean that Australian men in their 20s today will lose 5.6 million years of life due to excess weight, while women in the same age bracket will lose 3 million years.

There has been a threefold increase in obese Australians since 1995, and researchers say their findings emphasize the urgent need to institute better public awareness, education, and support facilities in order to combat this growing problem.

“There is the assumption that overweight and obesity is a problem for people in middle age, and that people in their 20s and 30s are in the prime of their lives. Yet currently, only 43% of Australian men in their 20s and 34% in their 30s are in a healthy weight range, which is worrying.” comments co-author Associate Professor Alison Hayes.

“Our model predicts adult obesity prevalence will increase to 35% by 2025. We need to act now and have an obesity prevention strategy targeting adults at all ages and in particular young adults,” Dr. Lung concludes.

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When you lose your excess kilos, it can be a great feeling. You feel euphoric, a sense of achievement and relief all rolled into one. But this success can also have a few side effects. If you lose a lot of weight in a very short period of time, you may be perplexed by loose skin that hangs from different part of your body. This is because when you are obese, your skin stretches itself to hold the excess bulk. And sudden disappearance of this bulk leaves an empty space under your skin. This results in ugly folds of loose skin. This is usually evident in the abdomen, thighs, arms, and even the face.

CAUSES OF LOOSE SKIN

As you age, your skin loses its elasticity. So older people are more at risk of this side effect. If you are young, massive weight loss may or may not cause this condition depending on your skin health and genes. Also, in younger people, this may be a temporary condition. But if you are older, your skin will not be able to shrink back along with the rest of your body. It may very well be a permanent fallout of your weight loss success.

Other than this, there are certain other factors that can lead to loose skin after weight loss. Excessive exposure to the sun, low water intake and bad dietary habits may also cause this condition. Smoking is another risk factor because this can accelerate skin ageing and loss of elasticity.

HOW TO AVOID LOOSE SKIN AFTER WEIGHT LOSS

If you need to lose a huge amount of weight in a short period of time, you may not be able to avoid this condition. Besides, this can also lead to other health complications. Know how to reduce your risk of loose skin after weight loss.

Go For Gradual Weight Loss

It is best to space out your weight loss over an extended period of time. Do it gradually. Try not to lose more than 2 to 3 kilos in a month. This will ensure that you don’t lose your muscle mass in the process. It will also give your skin time to adjust to your weight loss.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise along with your weight management procedure will ensure that your muscle mass is not affected by your weight loss. This will improve the health of your skin and reduce the risk of sagging. It will also help you replace the lost fat with more muscles. This will go a long way in reducing your risk of loose skin. Consult a doctor before taking up any form of exercise to avoid risk of injury. But exercise alone will not help you tighten your facial skin. But it can be effective for your abdomen, arms, legs and back.

Take Up Yoga

If you practice yoga throughout your weight loss period, you will significantly reduce your risk of loose skin. There are many yoga asanas that increase skin elasticity and suppleness. But do not take up some difficult poses at the beginning just because it promises benefits. You may just end up injuring yourself. Seek the guidance of a certified yoga teacher to guide you through the paces.

Drink A Lot Of Water

Water is essential for skin elasticity. You need to stay hydrated at all times. Drink at least two to two and a half litres of water every day. Also, you may add foods with high water content to your diet. Avoid tea and coffee as it may increase your risk of dehydration. Instead of gulping down a lot of water at one go, it is better to space it out and take sips throughout the day.

Follow A Nutritious Diet

This is very important if you wish to reduce your risk of loose skin after weight loss. Collagen and elastin boost skin elasticity and keep it supple. Food that contain a lot of protein will provide you with the necessary collagen and elastin. So, add a lot of dairy products like cottage cheese and milk to your diet. Also eat more of legumes, tofu, beans, nuts, seeds and fatty fish.

INVASIVE OPTIONS TO GET RID OF LOOSE SKIN

Sometimes, even after taking all the necessary precautions mentioned above, you may not be able to avoid loose skin after weight loss. In such cases, you may have no other option but to go in for invasive medical procedures to get rid of this sagging skin. But you have to wait for at least a year or two before opting for such procedures. Body contouring surgery is one option. But it is rather expensive, and recovery takes a long time.

If you have loose skin on your abdomen, you can go in for abdominoplasty or panniculectomy. Both are invasive procedures. In the former, a surgeon will tighten the muscles and skin of the abdomen. This is also commonly known as a tummy tuck. The latter procedure is better if you have skin breakdown or infection because of the loose skin on your abdomen. In this procedure, a surgeon will remove the excess skin and tighten the remaining skwhyin over your abdomen. He will not touch your muscles.

If you have this problem in your thighs, you can go in for a simple thigh lift procedure where a surgeon will tighten the skin on the thighs. Or you can just opt for a full body lift. But remember that all these procedures are risky and come with their own sets of complications. It is best to consult a healthcare profession to guide you in this.

A FEW OTHER OPTIONS

If you are not in favour of invasive procedures, then you may try wearing compression garments. This will give your body shape and hide the ungainly folds of skin hanging down from your body. Nowadays, there are also some non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures that uses radio frequencies to tighten your hanging skin. But these are very expensive procedure and the results may not be perfect either. Talk to your doctor and find out about the viability of such options.

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An injection has helped reduce body weight and glucose levels in patients with diabetes and obesity in four weeks.

The findings came from a small study in which patients lost on average 4.4kg and the treatment led to substantial improvements to their blood glucose, with some patients’ reducing to near-normal levels.

Obesity is a common problem in the UK and it is estimated that one in four adults are obese.

One of the most common types of weight loss surgery is a procedure known as gastric bypass surgery, which can be very effective in keeping excess weight off and improving blood sugar levels in diabetics. However, some patients decide against surgery and the procedure can cause complications such as abdominal pain, chronic nausea, vomiting and debilitating low blood sugar levels.

Previous research by Imperial College London suggested that one of the reasons why gastric bypass surgery works so well is because three specific hormones originating from the bowels are released in higher levels. This hormone combination, called “GOP’ for short, reduces appetite, causes weight loss and improves the body’s ability to use the sugar absorbed from eating.

Researchers wanted to see if infusing patients with the GOP hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), oxyntomodulin and peptide, to mimic the high levels seen after surgery, could aid weight loss and reduce high glucose levels.

Fifteen patients were given the GOP treatment for four weeks using a pump that slowly injects the GOP mixture under the skin for 12 hours a day, beginning one hour before breakfast and disconnecting after their last meal of the day. Patients also received dietetic advice on healthy eating and weight loss from a dietician.

Professor Tricia Tan, Professor of Practice (Metabolic Medicine & Endocrinology) at Imperial College London and lead author of the study, said:

“Obesity and type 2 diabetes can lead to very serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart disease. There is a real need to find new medicines so we can improve and save the lives of many patients. Although this is a small study our new combination hormone treatment is promising and has shown significant improvements in patients’ health in only four weeks. Compared to other methods the treatment is non-invasive and reduced glucose levels to near-normal levels in our patients.”

The work, published in Diabetes Care and presented at the American Diabetes Association 79th Scientific Sessions meeting at San Francisco, took place at Imperial College London in collaboration with University of Copenhagen and University College Dublin. The treatment was trialled on patients at the National Institute for Health Research Imperial Clinical Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Twenty-six obese patients with prediabetes (when blood glucose is too high but not high enough to be classified as diabetes) and those with diabetes were recruited to the study at Hammersmith Hospital from July 2016 to October 2018. Fifteen patients were randomly selected to receive the hormone treatment and 11 patients were given a saline (salt water) infusion as a placebo over a four-week period. The team also recruited 21 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery and 22 patients who followed a very low-calorie diet to compare the results of GOP. All patients were given a glucose monitoring device to track their glucose levels following treatment.

In the trial, patients on the GOP treatment lost an average of 4.4kg, compared with 2.5kg for participants receiving a saline placebo. The treatment also had no side effects.

However, patients who received bariatric surgery or who followed a very low calorie diet lost significantly more weight than GOP patients. The changes in weight were 10.3kg for bariatric patient and 8.3kg for patients who followed a very low calorie diet.

Professor Tan commented: “Although the weight loss was smaller, using the GOP infusion would be preferable as it has fewer side effects than bariatric surgery. This result shows that it is possible to obtain some of the benefits of a gastric bypass operation without undergoing the surgery itself. If further trials are successful, in future we could potentially give this type of treatment to many more patients.”

The team also found that GOP was capable of lowering blood glucose levels to near-normal levels, with little variation in the blood glucose. Patients who received bariatric surgery also had an overall improvement in blood glucose, but the levels were much more variable, leaving them vulnerable to low blood glucose levels.

The team aim to carry out a larger clinical trial to assess the impact of GOP on more patients over a longer period of time.

The research was funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.

This research is an example of the work carried out by Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, a joint initiative between Imperial College London and three NHS hospital trusts. It aims to transform healthcare by turning scientific discoveries into medical advances to benefit local, national and global populations in as fast a timeframe as possible.

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LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Excess weight and the numerous health issues that it causes have been a major issue for the country for some time.

In 2017, the Center for Disease Control found that 30 percent of Americans were obese, doubling from 15 percent in 1990 and being linked to higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses.

A recent study from Consumer Protect broke down the numbers surrounding obesity by state, further illustrating the issue.

One of the most striking things when looking at each state’s obese population is that every state is being touched by at almost the same level.

The state with the highest percentage of obese individuals was West Virginia with 38 percent, yet not for behind was Colorado with the lowest percentage of obese people, coming in less than 16 percentage points behind.

As for Nevada, the study shows that 26 percent of the state’s population is obese, placing Nevada in forty-third place for the number of obese individuals.

Interestingly, Nevada doesn’t do so well in the other categories the study covers.

For instance, the percentage of people that get zero exercise in the Silver State came in at 28 percent, earning it number 18 among the rest of the country.

Nevada jumped up to 17th place for states where adults eat less than one fruit per day.

According to the study, almost 38 percent of adults in Nevada eat less than one fruit a day.

Still, the issue is definitely not for only a few states or even most of the states, it’s for every state.

In each category, the first place and last place states were separated by less than 16 percentage points.

The study, written by Consumer Protect Editor-in-Chief Michael Bennett, points out that the obesity problem in the U.S. is not just a health problem, too.

The cost of the obesity rate for the country is estimated between $147 billion and $210 billion per year.

All data in the analysis was used from the latest CDC data gathered in 2017.

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