Proposal for a Scientifically Correct and Medically Actionable Disease Classification System (ICD) for Obesity

Phenotyping of Obesity Treatment Candidates: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review explores characterizing candidates for obesity treatments including pharmacotherapy, endoscopic bariatric therapies, and metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS), focusing on established clinical parameters for diagnosing obesity beyond body mass index alone.

RECENT FINDINGS

Existing literature primarily provides rates for fat mass percentage (i.e., a marker for adiposity quantity), waist circumference (i.e., a marker for adiposity distribution), and C-reactive protein levels (i.e., a marker for adiposity functionality) among obesity treatment candidates. Limited data on abnormal values and sex-based differentiation exist. The literature indicates high central-tendency measures for fat mass percentage and waist circumference, while C-reactive protein levels vary. Data on the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (i.e., a marker for adiposity-related disease severity) is predominantly available for MBS candidates. Future studies in obesity interventions should improve screening and diagnosis of obesity by incorporating sex-specific considerations and providing abnormal value rates for measurements to enhance understanding of patients' characteristics.

Association between dyslipidemia and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: A case-control study in south-western Uganda

Background

Altered lipid levels may be associated with the development of a number of malignancies, including cancer of the cervix. However, there is limited understanding of this relationship in the rural Ugandan context.

Objective

We investigated the connection between dyslipidaemias and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) among women attending the cervical cancer clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in south-western Uganda.

Methods

This unmatched case-control study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023 and included women with CIN (cases) and women without intraepithelial lesions (controls) in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were selected based on cytology and/or histology results, and after obtaining written informed consent. Demographic data were collected, and venous blood was drawn for lipid profile analysis. Dyslipidaemia was defined as: total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein > 160 mg/dL, triglycerides > 150 mg/dL, or high-density lipoprotein < 40 mg/dL. At diagnosis, cases were categorised as either CIN1 (low grade) or CIN2+ (high grade).

Results

Among the 93 cases, 81 had CIN1, while 12 had CIN2+. Controls had a 13.9% (13/93) prevalence of high triglycerides and cases had a prevalence of 3.2% (3/93; p = 0.016). Reduced high-density lipoprotein was the most prevalent dyslipidaemia among cases (40.9%; 38/93). Statistically significant associations were found between high serum triglycerides and CIN (odds ratio: 1.395, 95% confidence interval: 0.084-1.851, p = 0.007).

Conclusion

A notable association was observed between triglyceride dyslipidemia and CIN. Further studies into biochemical processes and interactions between lipids and cervical carcinogenesis are recommended through prospective cohort studies.

What this study adds

This research provides additional information on the potential role of lipids in cervical carcinogenesis among women in rural Uganda. It also presents the possible prevalence of multimorbidity involving cervical cancer and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in low-resource settings lacking preventive measures against the increasing prevalence of dyslipidaemia.

The Relationship of Waist Circumference with the Morbidity of Cardiovascular Diseases and All-Cause Mortality in Metabolically Healthy Individuals: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

This study explores the relationship between waist circumference and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and all-cause mortality in metabolically healthy individuals.

Methods

A cohort of 5775 metabolically healthy participants from the 2001-2014 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Death Index database was tracked over a median period of 81 months. These participants were divided into quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) based on increasing waist circumference. To compensate for missing covariates, multivariate multiple imputation methods were used. Adjusted logistic regression models were employed to examine the correlation between waist circumference and cardiovascular disease prevalence. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analysis were utilized to evaluate the association between waist circumference and all-cause mortality, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Results

The adjusted logistic regression model indicated that a 10 cm increase in waist circumference was associated with a 1.45 times higher prevalence of CVD. As a categorical variable, there was a significant upward trend in CVD incidence across quartiles of waist circumference. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.41 (1.13-5.53) for Q2, 2.65 (1.18-6.39) for Q3, and 2.53 (0.9-7.44) for Q4, compared to Q1. Notably, individuals with high waist circumference showed significantly poorer survival compared to those with low waist circumference (p = 0.008). The Cox regression analysis revealed that each 10 cm increase in waist circumference contributed to an ~8% increase in all-cause mortality.

Conclusions

This study underscores a positive correlation between waist circumference and both CVD morbidity and all-cause mortality in metabolically healthy individuals. The findings highlight the significance of routinely monitoring waist circumference for effective CVD risk management, regardless of metabolic health status.

Facilitators and barriers to behavior change in overweight and obesity management using the COM-B model

Introduction

Increasing overweight and obesity rates represent one of the global public health challenges. COM-B is a theoretical model used to identify areas to target to achieve behavior change. It identifies three factors that are needed for any behavior to occur: capability, opportunity, and motivation. We aimed to assess the potential facilitators and barriers to behavior change in weight management using the COM-B.

Methods

The study included 139 people with overweight and obesity (mean age 48.81 ± 14.49 years; 64.5% female; body mass index 32.64 ± 6.51 kg/m2; waist-to-height ratio 0.62 ± 0.10) from primary care settings. All participants completed the Brief Measure of Behavior Change (COM-B), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE), and the Overall Evaluation of Health (OEH). Multiple linear regression was performed to analyse the data.

Results

The associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables and COM-B domains attenuated or were no longer significant when psychological resources were added to the regression models. Self-efficacy was identified as a stronger facilitator of health behavior change (p < 0.001) when compared to self-esteem (p < 0.05). No associations between automatic motivation and psychological resources were identified, however. Automatic motivation was found to be associated with higher age, being in a relationship, and better health.

Discussion

Behavioral interventions for weight management should specifically target different components of COM-B. Self-efficacy and self-esteem may play a significant role in individual capabilities, opportunities, and reflective motivation and should be included in tailored public health interventions. Health programs targeting younger and single people, and people with chronic conditions may help to promote sustainable behavior change.

An exploration of extreme obesity and weight loss management for adults in rural, remote, and regional areas: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Extreme obesity is a global health issue impacting health and related health outcomes. Although extreme obesity is prevalent across all geographical settings, the condition is more common in geographically isolated locations. The success of mainstream weight loss strategies such as surgery, exercise, and dietary information within these communities remains unknown, and it is unclear if isolation facilitates or hinders treatment for weight management.

AIM

This review aimed to identify common themes around weight loss and health and social impacts for extremely obese adults living in rural, remote, and regional locations.

METHODS

A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed publications from May 2013 to May 2023 was undertaken and appraised using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Sequential synthesis was thematically analysed and described within a narrative account. Earlier dates were not included as initial research indicated a global surge in obesity within the early 2010s (Wang, Y., Beydoun, M. A., Min, J., Xue, H., Kaminsky, L. A., & Cheskin, L. J. (2020). Has the prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity levelled off in the United States? Trends, patterns, disparities, and future projections for the obesity epidemic. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(3), 810-823) and a surge in bariatric treatments for the management of extreme obesity was noted around the same time (Mocanu, V., Dang, J. T., Sun, W., Birch, D. W., Karmali, S., & Switzer, N. J. (2020). An evaluation of the modern North American bariatric surgery landscape: current trends and predictors of procedure selection. Obesity Surgery, 30, 3064-3072).

RESULTS

This review identified 13 studies that reported negative trends in extreme obesity for isolated locations linked to gender, culture, and poor mental health. Individualised and community models of weight loss support can be positive for certain demographic groups, specifically females, through the promotion of cost-effective, and locally available traditional food choices.

CONCLUSION

Living with extreme obesity within geographically isolated locations and losing weight is challenging for women, Indigenous peoples, and people with low literacy and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Generalised advice about weight loss is often unsuccessful; however, weight loss is achievable with consumer engagement which considers the influence and impact of rurality. Further research focusing on individualised nursing models for managing morbid obesity within isolated locations is required.

Association between dietary inflammatory index and body fat percentage among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Obesity, particularly excessive body fat, is an established risk factor and substantial prognostic determinant in breast cancer. Recent studies suggested that diet-related inflammation plays a key role in obesity. This study aimed to determine the association between energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) and body composition, particularly body fat percentage, among patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 breast cancer outpatients within the first year of diagnosis and yet to commence oncological treatment. Body composition parameters [body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, fat mass over fat-free mass ratio (FM/FFM), muscle mass, and visceral fat] were obtained using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Body fat percentage was categorized into two groups which were normal (<35%) and high (≥35%). The E-DII was calculated from the validated 165-items Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and categorized into three groups or tertiles. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between the E-DII and body fat percentage.

RESULTS

Mean body weight, body fat percentage, FM/FFM, and visceral fat increased as E-DII increased from the lowest tertile (T1) to the most pro-inflammatory tertile (T3) (p for trend <0.05). E-DII was positively associated with body fat percentage (OR 2.952; 95% CI 1.154-7.556; p = 0.024) and remained significant after adjustment for cancer stage, age, physical activity, ethnicity, smoking history, and presence of comorbidities. Compared to T1, participants in T3 had a significantly lower consumption of fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, but a higher intake of total fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fatty acids.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher E-DII was associated with increased body fat percentage, suggesting the potential of advocating anti-inflammatory diet to combat obesity among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Ratio of waist circumference to body mass index: A novel predictor of clinical outcome in hypertension patients

We aim to investigate the influence of waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) on all-cause death and cardiovascular-specific death in patients with hypertension. This prospective cohort study, based on waist circumference and body mass index measurements in patients with hypertension, provided risk estimates of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. The waist circumference-to-BMI ratio (WtBR) is an anthropometric measure integrating waist circumference and BMI. We utilized multivariable Cox regression analysis, restricted cubic spline model, Kaplan-Meier plot, random forest analysis, and sensitivity analysis to assess the relationship of WtBR with all-cause mortality. Subsequently, Fine-Gray competing risk regression models were applied to precisely evaluate the probability of cardiovascular-specific death attributed to high WtBR. The results indicate that thea deceased group showed significantly higher WtBR and lower BMI compared with the alive groups (P < .05), while no significant difference was observed in waist circumference (P = .373). When analyzed as continuous, the risk of all-cause death elevated with increasing WtBR in the adjusted model with an HR of 2.42 (95% CI, 2.06-2.85). The restricted cubic spline illustrated an elevated risk of all-cause mortality as WtBR increased (J-shaped curve). Nevertheless, WtBR showed no significant association with cardiovascular-specific death and the prediction model exhibited a reliable performance in the testing set. This study supported that WtBR, an anthropometric measure, is independently associated with all-cause death in hypertensive patients. It's advisable to routinely assess waist circumference in hypertensive patients regardless of BMI, in order to more effectively manage the risk of obesity-related health.

[Diseases of the nervous system as the underlying cause of death]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the leading causes of death in the adult population from the class of diseases of the nervous system (DNS, class G) according to medical death certificates (MDC) and to discuss the problems of their assessment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The source of information was the electronic database of the Main Department of the Civil Registry Office of the Moscow Region. All cases of class G deaths were selected (total 10.739), an analysis was carried out according to underlying cause of death (UCD) codes and the immediate cause of death.

RESULTS

In 2022, mortality from diseases included in the DNS amounted to 130.7 per 100 000 of the population over 18 years old (100.3 among men, 191.0 among women). The average age of men is 74.3±14.1, women - 83.5±9.9 years (p<0.0001) due to the younger age of death of men from «G31.2 Degeneration of the nervous system caused by alcohol» and a higher contribution of this cause to male mortality; 82.5% of deaths were for codes G90-G99 («Other disorders of the nervous system»); 15.5% were neurodegenerative diseases (G10-G32). Sixty-six percent of all UCD in both women and men accounted for «unspecified encephalopathy» (G93.4), in 2nd place (10.5%) was «cerebral cyst» (G93.0). In 45 cases, code G93.6 (cerebral edema) was mistakenly used as UCD. Differences in the structure of causes of death at home, in hospital and elsewhere are statistically significant (p<0.00001). In 58.3%, cerebral edema and herniation were indicated as the immediate cause of death (G93.6 and G93.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Nosologically unfounded, insufficiently well-defined UCD were established in most cases of death from DNS, In 0.5% of the total number of deaths from DNS, an erroneous presentation as UCD of transient disorders of cerebral circulation or cerebral edema was noted. The results indicate the need for an analysis of the causes of death based on a comparison of medical records and MDC.

Revisiting Waist Circumference: A Hypertension Risk Factor that Requires a More In-depth Understanding

As a major cause of various cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence of hypertension has been increasing in the past 30 years, leading to significant socioeconomic and health burdens. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for hypertension. Body mass index (BMI) is the most used anthropometric index to measure obesity in clinical practice and to assess the risk of obesity-related diseases. However, obesity is a heterogeneous disease, and the accumulation of fat in different body regions leads to differences in cardiovascular and metabolic risks. BMI only reflects the overall obesity but does not consider the distribution of fat and muscle mass. The limitation of BMI makes it insufficient to assess the risk of hypertension attributed to obesity. In addition, waist circumference is an easily obtainable anthropometric index to evaluate abdominal fat distribution. High waist circumference is an independent risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality regardless of BMI. Preliminary data indicate that waist circumference is significantly associated with the risk of hypertension at different BMI levels. However, routine measurement of waist circumference is currently not required in current clinical guidelines or is only recommended for obese populations, indicating an insufficient understanding of waist circumference. In this review, we summarize the measurement methods and diagnostic thresholds of waist circumference for abdominal obesity, the trend of central obesity prevalence, the superiority of waist circumference over other anthropometric indices, and recent cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on the association between obesity and hypertension.

Obesity, obesities and gastrointestinal cancers

Obesity has been recognized to be increasing globally and is designated a disease with adverse consequences requiring early detection and appropriate care. In addition to being related to metabolic syndrome disorders such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and premature coronary artery disease. Obesity is also etiologically linked to several cancers. The non-gastrointestinal cancers are breast, uterus, kidneys, ovaries, thyroid, meningioma, and thyroid. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and colorectal. The brighter side of the problem is that being overweight and obese and cigarette smoking are mostly preventable causes of cancers. Epidemiology and clinical studies have revealed that obesity is heterogeneous in clinical manifestations. In clinical practice, BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of the person's height in square meters (kg/m2). A BMI above 30 kg/m2 (defining obesity in many guidelines) is considered obesity. However, obesity is heterogeneous. There are subdivisions for obesity, and not all obesities are equally pathogenic. Adipose tissue, in particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is endocrine and abdominal obesity (a surrogate for VAT) is evaluated by waist-hip measurements or just waist measures. Visceral Obesity, through several hormonal mechanisms, induces a low-grade chronic inflammatory state, insulin resistance, components of metabolic syndrome, and cancers. Metabolically obese, normal-weight (MONW) individuals in several Asian countries may have BMI below normal levels to diagnose obesity but suffer from many obesity-related complications. Conversely, some people have high BMI but are generally healthy with no features of metabolic syndrome. Many clinicians advise weight loss by dieting and exercise to metabolically healthy obese with large body habitus than to individuals with metabolic obesity but normal BMI. The GI cancers (esophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, and colorectal) are individually discussed, emphasizing the incidence, possible pathogenesis, and preventive measures. From 2005 to 2014, most cancers associated with overweight and Obesity increased in the United States, while cancers related to other factors decreased. The standard recommendation is to offer or refer adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more to intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions. However, the clinicians have to go beyond. They should critically evaluate BMI with due consideration for ethnicity, body habitus, and other factors that influence the type of obesity and obesity-related risks. In 2001, the Surgeon General's ``Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity'' identified obesity as a critical public health priority for the United States. At government levels reducing obesity requires policy changes that improve the food and physical activity for all. However, implementing some policies with the most significant potential benefit to public health is politically tricky. The primary care physician, as well as subspecialists, should identify overweight and Obesity based on all the variable factors in the diagnosis. The medical community should address the prevention of overweight and Obesity as an essential part of medical care as much as vaccination in preventing infectious diseases at all levels- from childhood, to adolescence, and adults.

[Overweight and obesity in adults: general principles of treatment and conservative management]

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is steadily increasing in Austria as well as internationally. Obesity in particular is associated with multiple health risks, comorbidities, functional disability, and social stigma. Obesity is an independent, complex, chronic disease and should be treated as such by a multidisciplinary team of appropriately qualified personnel. In addition to recent international guidelines, this consensus paper outlines the overall principles of the management of overweight and obesity and provides guidance for the diagnosis and conservative treatment, focusing on lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapy. Using the "5A" framework of behavioral health intervention, guidelines for a structured, pragmatic, and patient-centered medical care of adults with overweight or obesity are presented.

Comparative effects of nutraceuticals on body weight in adults with overweight or obesity: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 111 randomized clinical trials

There is no research on the comparative effects of nutraceuticals on weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity. This study aimed at quantifying and ranking the effects of different nutraceuticals on weight loss. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to November 2022. We included randomized trials evaluating the comparative effects of two or more nutraceuticals, or compared a nutraceutical against a placebo for weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity. We conducted random-effects network meta-analysis with a Frequentist framework to estimate mean difference [MD] and 95% confidence interval [CI] of the effect of nutraceuticals on weight loss. One hundred and eleven RCTs with 6171 participants that investigated the effects of 18 nutraceuticals on body weight were eligible. In the main analysis incorporating all trials, there was high certainty of evidence for supplementation of spirulina (MD: -1.77 kg, 95% CI: -2.77, -0.78) and moderate certainty of evidence that supplementation of curcumin (MD: -0.82 kg, 95% CI: -1.33, -0.30), psyllium (MD: -3.70 kg, 95% CI: -5.18, -2.22), chitosan (MD: -1.70 kg, 95% CI: -2.62, -0.78), and Nigella sativa (MD: -2.09 kg, 95%CI: -2.92, -1.26) could result in a small improvement in body weight. Supplementations with green tea (MD: -1.25 kg, 95%CI: -1.68, -0.82) and glucomannan (MD: -1.36 kg, 95%CI: -2.17, -0.54) demonstrated small weight loss, also the certainty of evidence was rated low. Based on our findings, supplementations with nutraceuticals can result in a small weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity.

Impact of specialized obesity management services on the reduction in the use of acute hospital services

Severe obesity affects 4% of Australians and is associated with increased use of healthcare services and higher healthcare costs. This study evaluates the effect of attending a public tertiary obesity service on acute hospital use. This record-linkage study included people aged ≥16 years with severe obesity who attended the Nepean Blue Mountains Family Metabolic Health Service (FMHS), New South Wales, Australia between January 2017, and September 2021. Emergency department (ED) presentations and acute hospital admissions and respective costs in the 1-year and 3-years pre-and-post first FMHS attendance were compared, overall and for adequate attendance (≥5 visits). A total of 640 patients (74% female, 50% <45 years) attended the FMHS, totalling 15 303 occasions of service, average 24 per person. There was a 31.0% and 17.6% reduction in acute admissions and ED presentations, respectively, translating into 34.0% and 23.4% decrease in costs. Adequate engagement was associated with a 48% decreased risk of acute admission (odds ratio 0.52; 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.94). Over 3-years, there was a 19.8% and 20.7% reduction in acute hospital admissions and ED presentations, respectively. Findings indicate that tertiary obesity services reduce acute hospital use. Improved access to specialized obesity management may offload hospitals and contribute to acute healthcare cost avoidance.

Obesity and breast cancer prognosis: pre-diagnostic anthropometric measures in relation to patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics

PURPOSE

Examine the association between obesity and clinical outcomes in early breast cancer and assess if patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics modify such associations in Malmö Diet and Cancer Study patients (MDCS).

METHODS

The MDCS enrolled 17,035 Swedish women from 1991 to 1996. At enrollment, participants' body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body fat percentage measures were collected. We identified all female MDCS participants with invasive breast cancer from 1991 to 2014. Follow-up began at breast cancer diagnosis and ended at breast cancer recurrence (BCR), death, emigration, or June 8, 2020. The World Health Organization guidelines were used to classify BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage into three categories of healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. We fit Cox regression models to compute adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of BCR according to body composition. To evaluate effect measure modification, we stratified Cox models by patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics.

RESULTS

In total, 263 BCRs were diagnosed over 12,816 person-years among 1099 breast cancer patients with a median follow-up of 11.1 years. Obesity according to BMI (HR = 1.44 [95%CI 1.00-2.07]), waist circumference (HR = 1.31 [95%CI 0.98-1.77]), and body fat percentage (HR = 1.41 [95%CI 1.02-1.98]) was associated with increased risk of BCR compared with healthy weight. Obesity was stronger associated with BCR in patients with low socioeconomic position (HR = 2.55 [95%CI 1.08-6.02]), larger tumors > 20 mm (HR = 2.68 [95%CI 1.42-5.06]), estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer (HR = 3.13 [95%CI 1.09-8.97]), and with adjuvant chemotherapy treatment (HR = 2.06 [95%CI 1.08-4.31]).

CONCLUSION

Higher pre-diagnostic BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage was associated with increased risk of BCR. The association between obesity and BCR appears dependent on patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Consensus Statement: Addressing Stigma and Bias in the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Obesity/Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease and Assessing Bias and Stigmatization as Determinants of Disease Severity

OBJECTIVE

To focus on the intersection of perception, diagnosis, stigma, and weight bias in the management of obesity and obtain consensus on actionable steps to improve care provided for persons with obesity.

METHODS

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) convened a consensus conference of interdisciplinary health care professionals to discuss the interplay between the diagnosis of obesity using adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD) nomenclature and staging, weight stigma, and internalized weight bias (IWB) with development of actionable guidance to aid clinicians in mitigating IWB and stigma in that context.

RESULTS

The following affirmed and emergent concepts were proposed: (1) obesity is ABCD, and these terms can be used in differing ways to communicate; (2) classification categories of obesity should have improved nomenclature across the spectrum of body mass index (BMI) using ethnic-specific BMI ranges and waist circumference (WC); (3) staging the clinical severity of obesity based on the presence and severity of ABCD complications may reduce weight-centric contribution to weight stigma and IWB; (4) weight stigma and internalized bias are both drivers and complications of ABCD and can impair quality of life, predispose to psychological disorders, and compromise the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions; (5) the presence and of stigmatization and IWB should be assessed in all patients and be incorporated into the staging of ABCD severity; and (6) optimal care will necessitate increased awareness and the development of educational and interventional tools for health care professionals that address IWB and stigma.

CONCLUSIONS

The consensus panel has proposed an approach for integrating bias and stigmatization, psychological health, and social determinants of health in a staging system for ABCD severity as an aid to patient management. To effectively address stigma and IWB within a chronic care model for patients with obesity, there is a need for health care systems that are prepared to provide evidence-based, person-centered treatments; patients who understand that obesity is a chronic disease and are empowered to seek care and participate in behavioral therapy; and societies that promote policies and infrastructure for bias-free compassionate care, access to evidence-based interventions, and disease prevention.

The human gut virome: composition, colonization, interactions, and impacts on human health

The gut virome is an incredibly complex part of the gut ecosystem. Gut viruses play a role in many disease states, but it is unknown to what extent the gut virome impacts everyday human health. New experimental and bioinformatic approaches are required to address this knowledge gap. Gut virome colonization begins at birth and is considered unique and stable in adulthood. The stable virome is highly specific to each individual and is modulated by varying factors such as age, diet, disease state, and use of antibiotics. The gut virome primarily comprises bacteriophages, predominantly order Crassvirales, also referred to as crAss-like phages, in industrialized populations and other Caudoviricetes (formerly Caudovirales). The stability of the virome's regular constituents is disrupted by disease. Transferring the fecal microbiome, including its viruses, from a healthy individual can restore the functionality of the gut. It can alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses such as colitis caused by Clostridiodes difficile. Investigation of the virome is a relatively novel field, with new genetic sequences being published at an increasing rate. A large percentage of unknown sequences, termed 'viral dark matter', is one of the significant challenges facing virologists and bioinformaticians. To address this challenge, strategies include mining publicly available viral datasets, untargeted metagenomic approaches, and utilizing cutting-edge bioinformatic tools to quantify and classify viral species. Here, we review the literature surrounding the gut virome, its establishment, its impact on human health, the methods used to investigate it, and the viral dark matter veiling our understanding of the gut virome.

The impact of general and central obesity for all-cause hospitalization among Iranian adults: a 20 year follow-up-results from the TLGS cohort

BACKGROUND

Few studies have examined the effect of obesity indices on total number of hospitalizations. We examined the associations between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and rate of all-cause hospitalizations among Iranian adult participated in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study cohort.

METHODS

This study included 8202 individuals (3727 men) aged ≥ 30 years, who were followed for a median of 18 years. Participants were categorized into three groups according to their baseline BMI: normal weight, overweight and obese. In addition, they were classified according to WC in two categories: normal WC and high WC. Negative Binomial regression model was used to estimate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of all-cause hospitalizations in relation to obesity indices.

RESULTS

The overall crude rate of all-cause hospitalizations were 77.6 (95% CI, 73.9-81.2) and 76.9 (73.4-80.3) per 1000 person-year in men and women, respectively. The covariate adjusted rate of all-cause hospitalizations was 27% higher in obese men than normal weight men (IRR (95% CI): 1.27 (1.11-1.42)). Among women, overweight and obese individuals had 17% (1.17 (1.03-1.31)) and 40% (1.40 (1.23-1.56)) higher rate of hospitalization compared to normal weight women. Having high WC was associated with 18% (1.18 (1.08-1.29)) and 30% (1.30 (1.18-1.41)) higher rate of all-cause hospitalization in men and women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity and high WC were associated with increased hospitalization rates during long-term follow-up. Our findings suggests that successful obesity prevention programs may decrease the number of hospitalizations, particularly, in women.

Association between obesity and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: results from a case control study in south western Uganda

BACKGROUND

Though obesity has been said to be associated with a number of malignancies including cervical cancer, its association with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is still a contentious issue. This study was designed to determining the prevalence and association between obesity and CIN.

METHODS

This was an unmatched case control study, involving women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (cases) and those negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (controls) at the cervical cancer clinic of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, in south-western Uganda, between April and November 2022. Cases and controls provided written informed consent and were recruited in a ratio of 1:1. Cases were identified by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and subsequent confirmation with cytology and/or histology. Demographic information was collected using an enrolment form and height, weight and waist circumference were recorded. We calculated body mass index (BMI) and identified obese women as those with body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m² from both case and control groups. Central obesity was defined as waist: height ration of ≥ 0.5. Data was analysed using STATA version 17. Categorical variables were analysed using proportions, chi-square and logistic regression analysis to determine association between obesity and CIN. Our level of statistical significance was set at ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

The prevalence of general and central obesity among cases was 25.5% (24/94) and 0% (0/94) respectively while the prevalence of general and central obesity among controls was 33.3% (37/111) and 0% (0/111) respectively. There was an increased prevalence of general obesity among women with low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL). However, there was no statistically significant association between general obesity and CIN. Factors associated with general obesity included residing in Mbarara city (AOR 2.156, 95%CI 1.085-4.282, P-value 0.028), age group of 31-45 years (AOR 2.421, 95%CI 1.577-9.705, P-value 0.003) and ≥ 46 years (AOR 1.971, 95%CI 1.022-11.157, P-value 0.046).

CONCLUSION

We observed an increased prevalence of general obesity among women with LSIL. However, there was no association between obesity and CIN. Factors associated with general obesity included residing in Mbarara city, and being in the age groups of 31-40 and ≥ 46 years. This highlights the need to rethink management of CIN to control other non-communicable diseases that could arise due to general obesity.

Comparative effectiveness of single foods and food groups on body weight: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 152 randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

This study aimed at quantifying and ranking the effects of different foods or food groups on weight loss.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase to April 2021. We included randomized trials evaluating the comparative effects of two or more food groups, or compared a food group against a control group (usual diet, no intervention) for weight loss in adults. We conducted random-effects network meta-analysis with Bayesian framework to estimate mean difference [MD] and 95% credible interval [CrI] of the effect of food groups on weight loss.

RESULTS

152 RCTs with 9669 participants were eligible. Increased consumption of fish (MD - 0.85 kg, 95% CrI - 1.66, - 0.02; GRADE = low), whole grains (MD - 0.44 kg, 95% CrI - 0.88, 0.0; GRADE = very low), and nuts (MD - 0.37 kg, 95% CI - 0.72, - 0.01; GRADE = low) demonstrated trivial weight loss, well below minimal clinically important threshold (3.9 kg), when compared with the control group. Interventions with other food groups led to no weight loss when compared with either the control group or other food groups. The certainty of the evidence was rated low to very low with the point estimates for all comparisons less than 1 kg. None of the food groups showed an important reduction in body weight when restricted to studies conducted in participants with overweight or obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions with a single food or food group resulted in no or trivial weight loss, especially in  individuals with overweight or obesity. Further trials on single foods or food groups for weight loss should be highly discouraged.

European Association for the Study of Obesity Position Statement on Medical Nutrition Therapy for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults Developed in Collaboration with the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians

INTRODUCTION

Obesity affects nearly 1 in 4 European adults increasing their risk for mortality and physical and psychological morbidity. Obesity is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by abnormal or excessive adiposity with risks to health. Medical nutrition therapy based on the latest scientific evidence should be offered to all Europeans living with obesity as part of obesity treatment interventions.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted to identify the latest evidence published in the November 2018-March 2021 period and to synthesize them in the European guidelines for medical nutrition therapy in adult obesity.

RESULTS

Medical nutrition therapy should be administered by trained dietitians as part of a multidisciplinary team and should aim to achieve positive health outcomes, not solely weight changes. A diverse range of nutrition interventions are shown to be effective in the treatment of obesity and its comorbidities, and dietitians should consider all options and deliver personalized interventions. Although caloric restriction-based interventions are effective in promoting weight reduction, long-term adherence to behavioural changes may be better supported via alternative interventions based on eating patterns, food quality, and mindfulness. The Mediterranean diet, vegetarian diets, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, portfolio diet, Nordic, and low-carbohydrate diets have all been associated with improvement in metabolic health with or without changes in body weight. In the November 2018-March 2021 period, the latest evidence published focused around intermittent fasting and meal replacements as obesity treatment options. Although the role of meal replacements is further strengthened by the new evidence, for intermittent fasting no evidence of significant advantage over and above continuous energy restriction was found. Pulses, fruit and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and dairy foods are also important elements in the medical nutrition therapy of adult obesity.

DISCUSSION

Any nutrition intervention should be based on a detailed nutritional assessment including an assessment of personal values, preferences, and social determinants of eating habits. Dietitians are expected to design interventions that are flexible and person centred. Approaches that avoid caloric restriction or detailed eating plans (non-dieting approaches) are also recommended for improvement of quality of life and body image perceptions.

Cardiometabolic-based chronic disease: adiposity and dysglycemia drivers of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome, associated with high rates of mortality, hospitalization, and impairment of quality of life. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are major cardiometabolic drivers, represented as distinct stages of adiposity- and dysglycemia-based chronic disease (ABCD, DBCD), respectively, and leading to cardiometabolic-based chronic disease (CMBCD). This review focuses on one aspect of the CMBCD model: how ABCD and DBCD influence genesis and progression of HF phenotypes. Specifically, the relationships of ABCD and DBCD stages with structural and functional heart disease, HF risk, and outcomes in overt HF are detailed. Also, evidence-based lifestyle, pharmacological, and procedural interventions that promote or reverse cardiac remodeling and outcomes in individuals at risk or with HF are discussed. In summary, driver-based chronic disease models for individuals at risk or with HF can expose prevention targets for more comprehensive interventions to improve clinical outcomes. Future randomized trials that investigate structured lifestyle, pharmacological, and procedural therapies specifically tailored for the CMBCD model are needed to develop personalized care plans to decrease HF susceptibility and improve outcomes.

Obesity, malnutrition, and the prevalence and outcome of hypertension: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background

Nutritionally unhealthy obesity is a newly introduced phenotype characterized by a combined condition of malnutrition and obesity. This study aims to explore the combined influence of obesity and nutritional status on the prevalence and outcome of hypertension.

Methods

Participants collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database were divided into four subgroups according to their obesity and nutritional conditions, as defined by waist circumference and serum albumin concentration. The lean-well-nourished was set as the reference group. Logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the hypertension risk. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the survival curve and outcome risk of participants with hypertension.

Results

A total of 28,554 participants with 10,625 hypertension patients were included in the analysis. The lean-malnourished group showed a lower hypertension risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.94), while the obese-well-nourished condition elevated the risk (OR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.3-1.67). Two malnourished groups had higher mortality risks (HR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12-1.80 and HR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03-1.69 for the lean and obese, respectively) than the reference group. The outcome risk of the obese-well-nourished group (HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.76-1.36) was similar to the lean-well-nourished.

Conclusion

Malnutrition was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension in both lean and obese participants, but it was associated with a worse outcome once the hypertension is present. The lean-malnourished hypertension patients had the highest all-cause mortality risk followed by the obese-malnourished. The obese-well-nourished hypertension patients showed a similar mortality risk to the lean-well-nourished hypertension patients.

Management of obesity across women's life course: FIGO Best Practice Advice

Obesity is a chronic, progressive, relapsing, and treatable multifactorial, neurobehavioral disease. According to the World Health Organization, obesity affects 15% of women and has long-term effects on women's health. The focus of care in patients with obesity should be on optimizing health outcomes rather than on weight loss. Appropriate and common language, considering cultural sensitivity and trauma-informed care, is needed to discuss obesity. Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological change. Pre-, ante-, and postpartum clinical encounters provide opportunities for health optimization for parents with obesity in terms of, but not limited to, fertility and breastfeeding. Pre-existing conditions may also be identified and managed. Beyond pregnancy, women with obesity are at an increased risk for gastrointestinal and liver diseases, impaired kidney function, obstructive sleep apnea, and venous thromboembolism. Gynecological and reproductive health of women living with obesity cannot be dismissed, with accommodations needed for preventive health screenings and consideration of increased risk for gynecologic malignancies. Mental wellness, specifically depression, should be screened and managed appropriately. Obesity is a complex condition and is increasing in prevalence with failure of public health interventions to achieve significant decrease. Future research efforts should focus on interprofessional care and discovering effective interventions for health optimization.

[Indications in Obesity Therapy - Surgeons First?]

Obesity is a growing problem worldwide. For the first time since 2010, more people have been overweight than underweight. In particular, obesity-associated diseases, above all type 2 diabetes mellitus, pose enormous challenges to the healthcare system. On July 3, 2020, the German Bundestag recognised obesity as a disease and initiated the development of a diseases management program (DMP), which is currently being drawn up. So far, the indication for treatment of obesity in Germany has been based on the S3 guideline "Surgery of obesity and metabolic diseases" of the DGAV from 2018 and the S3 guideline "Prevention and therapy of obesity" of the German Obesity Society e. V. from 2014. This article gives an overview of the currently available conservative, medical, endoscopic and surgical treatment methods for overweight and obesity in Germany and explains the indications. Against the background of the reorientation of obesity treatment as a part of the DMP and the forthcoming revisions of the guidelines, the previous indication should be discussed critically. The scientific findings of the last few years show that surgical treatment of obesity not only achieves the greatest weight loss in the long term, but also that obesity-associated diseases are then treated more effectively and overall mortality is reduced significantly more effectively than with conservative treatment.

Hypertension Related to Obesity: Pathogenesis, Characteristics and Factors for Control

The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk. Obesity was first designated as a disease in 2012 and since then the cost and the burden of the disease have witnessed a worrisome increase. Obesity and hypertension are closely interrelated as abdominal obesity interferes with the endocrine and immune systems and carries a greater risk for insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Many factors are at the interplay between obesity and hypertension. They include hemodynamic alterations, oxidative stress, renal injury, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance, sleep apnea syndrome and the leptin-melanocortin pathway. Genetics, epigenetics, and mitochondrial factors also play a major role. The measurement of blood pressure in obese patients requires an adapted cuff and the search for other secondary causes is necessary at higher thresholds than the general population. Lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise are often not enough to control obesity, and so far, bariatric surgery constitutes the most reliable method to achieve weight loss. Nonetheless, the emergence of new agents such as Semaglutide and Tirzepatide offers promising alternatives. Finally, several molecular pathways are actively being explored, and they should significantly extend the treatment options available.

Severe Obesity and Heart Failure

Obesity is associated with reduced mortality in some patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF). In this analysis, we determine if this nonlinear relation, referred to as the obesity paradox, extends to secondary outcomes in patients diagnosed with severe obesity. This is a retrospective cohort study using the 2017 and 2018 National Inpatient Sample that includes adults hospitalized for HF. Patients with diagnosis codes specifying severe obesity, nonsevere obesity, or without obesity are compared. The primary outcome is mortality. Secondary outcomes include the length of stay (LOS), total charges, and cardiogenic shock (CS). Multivariate regression is used to adjust for demographics and co-morbidities. A total of 2,439,845 hospitalizations are included. A decreased mortality is found in nonsevere obesity (odds ratio 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.69 to 0.80, p = 0.000), affirming the obesity paradox. However, this decreased mortality is not found in severe obesity (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.94 to 1.08, p = 0.766). Severe obesity and nonsevere obesity are also associated with less CS and increased LOS compared with non-obese patients. Severe obesity is associated with increased total charges. In conclusion, a nonlinear, U-shaped relation between obesity and mortality in patients hospitalized for HF is demonstrated, where those not obese and those severely obese experience greater mortality compared with the nonseverely obese. However, for secondary outcomes of CS, LOS, and total charges, the relation is linear and therefore not interpreted as paradoxical. More information is needed using the adiposity-based chronic disease model to characterize complex relations between obesity and mortality.

New Horizons. A New Paradigm for Treating to Target with Second-Generation Obesity Medications

In treating obesity as a chronic disease, the essential goal of weight loss therapy is not the quantity of weight loss as an end unto itself but rather the prevention and treatment of complications to enhance health and mitigate morbidity and mortality. This perspective on obesity care is consistent with the complications-centric American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) obesity guidelines and the diagnostic term of adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD). Many complications require 10% to 20% weight loss to achieve therapeutic goals; however, existing obesity medications fail to produce ≥10% weight loss in the majority of patients. In June, 2021, semaglutide 2.4 mg/week was approved for chronic weight management. Phase 3 clinical trials demonstrated that this medication produced > 10% placebo-subtracted weight loss, more than half of patents lost ≥15%, and over one third lost ≥20% of baseline weight. This essentially doubles effectiveness over existing obesity medications, provides sufficient weight loss to ameliorate a broad range of complications, and qualifies as the first member of a second-generation class of obesity medications. The advent of second-generation medications fully enables a treat-to-target approach for management of ABCD as a chronic disease. Specifically, with this degree of efficacy, second-generation medications permit active management of body weight as a biomarker to targets associated with effective treatment and prevention of specific complications. ABCD can now be managed similar to other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis, which are treated to biomarker targets that can be modified based on the clinical status of individual patients [ie, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)] to prevent the respective complications of these diseases.

Should obesogenic- effect be replaced with adipose tissue related alterations in childhood?

During the last year, primary prevention programs for childhood obesity have not obtained the goal in decreasing the prevalence of obesity in pediatric population. This phenomenon remains a crucial issue for the future translating itself in major health problems for the next young-adult generation. However ectopic adipose tissue distribution shows the same obesogenic effect also in slim people. Therefore, the use of adequate language is essential to develop consciousness of overall healthy lifestyle throughout the population. We therefore propone to replace “obesogenic effect” with adipose tissue related alterations also in childhood population.

Weight loss interventions and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Optimizing liver outcomes

The growth in prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most important global health challenges. The three chronic diseases are closely linked in their epidemiology and pathophysiology. Currently, weight loss is the most effective treatment for NAFLD (even in the minority of patients with NAFLD who do not have obesity) and is recommended in all national and international guidelines. Accumulating evidence has shown that weight loss, whether achieved by diet and lifestyle interventions, bariatric surgery or pharmacotherapy, can improve biomarkers of NAFLD, as well as prevent progression and, in some cases, reverse fibrosis. There is a dose dependency of weight loss with NAFLD improvement. Pharmacotherapy with antiobesity medications, alone or in combination with intensive lifestyle interventions or other weight-loss drugs, is closing the efficacy gap between diet and exercise and weight-loss surgery in efficacy at reversing obesity. Given the importance of providing effective weight-loss treatment to patients with NAFLD, weight management services need to be made increasingly available and embedded within hepatology services. This narrative review addresses the evidence that weight loss optimizes liver outcomes in people with NAFLD.

Obesity in Adults: A 2022 Adapted Clinical Practice Guideline for Ireland

BACKGROUND

This Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the management of obesity in adults in Ireland, adapted from the Canadian CPG, defines obesity as a complex chronic disease characterised by excess or dysfunctional adiposity that impairs health. The guideline reflects substantial advances in the understanding of the determinants, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of obesity.

SUMMARY

It shifts the focus of obesity management toward improving patient-centred health outcomes, functional outcomes, and social and economic participation, rather than weight loss alone. It gives recommendations for care that are underpinned by evidence-based principles of chronic disease management; validate patients' lived experiences; move beyond simplistic approaches of "eat less, move more" and address the root drivers of obesity.

KEY MESSAGES

People living with obesity face substantial bias and stigma, which contribute to increased morbidity and mortality independent of body weight. Education is needed for all healthcare professionals in Ireland to address the gap in skills, increase knowledge of evidence-based practice, and eliminate bias and stigma in healthcare settings. We call for people living with obesity in Ireland to have access to evidence-informed care, including medical, medical nutrition therapy, physical activity and physical rehabilitation interventions, psychological interventions, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. This can be best achieved by resourcing and fully implementing the Model of Care for the Management of Adult Overweight and Obesity. To address health inequalities, we also call for the inclusion of obesity in the Structured Chronic Disease Management Programme and for pharmacotherapy reimbursement, to ensure equal access to treatment based on health-need rather than ability to pay.

Exploring Psychosocial Determinants of Eating Behavior: Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Brazilian Adolescents

In most Western countries, children and adolescents do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (FVs). Theoretical frameworks on social psychology of eating, such as the Reason Action Approach, Social Cognitive Theory, and Theory of Normal Conduct have been applied to understand how psychosocial variables can explain FV intake. However, considering those predictors is still rare on the understanding of FV intake among adolescents (particularly in Brazil) despite its importance within eating behavior. Therefore, this study explored important psychosocial determinants of weekly frequency of FV intake among Brazilian adolescents in a model testing socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional design was performed with 429 students (58% female), mean age 14.45 (SD 1.86). Key variables of theoretical framework on social psychology of food were investigated by structural equation modeling. The model included self-efficacy, attitudes, and social norms (with its subcomponents descriptive and injunctive) as psychosocial predictors of weekly frequency of FV intake along with SES and BMI. An instrument developed for Brazilian Portuguese was used to collect psychosocial variables as well as to verify FV reported intake. The total model explained 45.5% of weekly frequency of FV intake, and self-efficacy was the only significant psychosocial determinant (λ = 0.51, p = 0.001). SES also showed an important effect on the model (λ = 0.21, p = 0.001), while for BMI no significance was observed. In conclusion, the model was adequate to understand psychosocial determinants of weekly frequency of FV intake for Brazilian adolescents, with self-efficacy and SES as the major determinants of this eating behavior.

The lived experience of patients with obesity: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis

Although the deleterious effects of obesity have been well documented in terms of morbidity and mortality, less is known about what it is like to live with this complex and chronic disease. This study systematically reviewed and synthesized peer-reviewed studies relating to the lived experience of patients with obesity. A total of 12,388 records were screened, resulting in the inclusion of 32 final studies. Meta-ethnographic synthesis of these 32 studies generated five "third-order constructs" or themes: the development of obesity; a life limited; stigma, judgment, shame, and blame; treatment and; experiences of specific or minority groups. These constructs describe, from the patient's perspective, the factors associated with the development and maintenance of obesity; the effects of the disease on their day-to-day lives; the impact of the stigma and judgment many patients are subjected to; and their experience of accessing, or trying to access, treatment for their healthcare needs. This synthesis reveals the dearth of studies that focus solely on the experience of the patient and highlights the tendency for participant-informed, rather than participatory, methods in obesity research. It concludes with a call for further participatory research into the experiences of people living with obesity.

New Horizons: Is Obesity a Disorder of Neurotransmission?

Obesity is a disease of the nervous system. While some will view this statement as provocative, others will take it as obvious. Whatever our side is, the pharmacology tells us that targeting the nervous system works for promoting weight loss. It works, but at what cost? Is the nervous system a safe target for sustainable treatment of obesity? What have we learned-and unlearned-about the central control of energy balance in the last few years? Herein we provide a thought-provoking exploration of obesity as a disorder of neurotransmission. We discuss the state of knowledge on the brain pathways regulating energy homeostasis that are commonly targeted in anti-obesity therapy and explore how medications affecting neurotransmission such as atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antihistamines relate to body weight. Our goal is to provide the endocrine community with a conceptual framework that will help expending our understanding of the pathophysiology of obesity, a disease of the nervous system.

Pathophysiology of Obesity

As obesity continues a relentless march across the globe, researchers are beginning to unlock the complicated interplay among obesity, its ensuing inflammation, and downstream complications. It is becoming clear that obesity is a chronic, multifactorial, inflammatory disease of maladaptive adipose tissue mass involving complex links among genetics, hormonal-signaling, and the environment. Understanding the intricate pathogenesis of obesity and its sequela will go a long way to discovering better treatment options and lessen anti-obesity bias.

Prevalence of adiposity-based chronic disease in middle-aged adults from Czech Republic: The Kardiovize study

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The need for understanding obesity as a chronic disease, its stigmatization, and the lack of actionability related to it demands a new approach. The adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD) model is based on adiposity amount, distribution, and function, with a three stage complication-centric rather than a body mass index (BMI)-centric approach. The prevalence rates and associated risk factors are presented.

METHODS

In total, 2159 participants were randomly selected from Czechia. ABCD was established as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 or high body fat percent, or abdominal obesity and then categorized by their adiposity-based complications: Stage 0: none; Stage 1: mild/moderate; Stage 2: severe.

RESULTS

ABCD prevalence was 62.8%. Stage 0 was 2.3%; Stage 1 was 31.4%; Stage 2 was 29.1%. Comparing with other classifiers, participants in Stage 2 were more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome than those with overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, and increased fat mass. ABCD showed the highest sensitivity and specificity to detect participants with peripheral artery disease, increased intima media, and vascular disease.

CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION

The ABCD model provides a more sensitive approach that facilitates the early detection and stratification of participants at risk compared to traditional classifiers.

Cardiometabolic risk: New chronic care models

Cardiometabolic risk factors and the chronic cardiovascular diseases (CVD) that result from them are highly prevalent in the U.S. and amenable to clinical nutrition interventions. This creates an urgency to develop comprehensive care models that incorporate prevention-based actions by improving lifestyle routines. Such care models should account for social determinants of health, ethnocultural variables, and challenges to sustainability. The relevance of these newly designed chronic care models are to inform and facilitate early intervention, primarily consisting of lifestyle change and healthy nutrition, which mitigates progression from one stage to subsequent, higher morbidity stages to a greater extent than late intervention. In this paper, the mechanistic drivers and ethno-cultural validation of the Cardiometabolic-Based Chronic Disease (CMBCD) model are reviewed. Main findings are that in CMBCD, primary (genetics, environment, and behavior) and metabolic (obesity as Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease [ABCD], type 2 diabetes as Dysglycemia-Based Chronic Disease [DBCD], hypertension, and dyslipidemia) drivers initiate and perpetuate the progression of CVD. Epidemiological findings and molecular mechanisms support intra ABCD/DBCD, as well as ABCD to DBCD stage progression culminating in CVD. The ABCD definition overcomes weight stigma and BMI underperformance by considering adiposity amount, distribution, and function; and the DBCD definition overcomes criticisms of prediabetes and an exclusive glucocentric approach by considering insulin resistance and residual vascular risk along a clinical spectrum. In conclusion, clinicians should approach patients using the CMBCD model to incorporate lifestyle change as early as possible to optimally mitigate the burden of CVD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The lived experience of people with obesity: study protocol for a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a prevalent, complex, progressive and relapsing chronic disease characterised by abnormal or excessive body fat that impairs health and quality of life. It affects more than 650 million adults worldwide and is associated with a range of health complications. Qualitative research plays a key role in understanding patient experiences and the factors that facilitate or hinder the effectiveness of health interventions. This review aims to systematically locate, assess and synthesise qualitative studies in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the lived experience of people with obesity.

METHODS

This is a protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis of the lived experience of people with obesity. A defined search strategy will be employed in conducting a comprehensive literature search of the following databases: PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, PsycArticles and Dimensions (from 2011 onwards). Qualitative studies focusing on the lived experience of adults with obesity (BMI >30) will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, abstracts and full-text articles and abstract data. The quality of included studies will be appraised using the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) criteria. Thematic synthesis will be conducted on all of the included studies. Confidence in the review findings will be assessed using GRADE CERQual.

DISCUSSION

The findings from this synthesis will be used to inform the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)-funded SOPHIA (Stratification of Obesity Phenotypes to Optimize Future Obesity Therapy) study. The objective of SOPHIA is to optimise future obesity treatment and stimulate a new narrative, understanding and vocabulary around obesity as a set of complex and chronic diseases. The findings will also be useful to health care providers and policy makers who seek to understand the experience of those with obesity.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020214560 .

Body mass index trajectories among people with obesity and association with mortality: Evidence from a large Israeli database

Objective

Previous studies using longitudinal weight data to characterize obesity are based on populations of limited size and mostly include individuals of all body mass index (BMI) levels, without focusing on weight changes among people with obesity. This study aimed to identify BMI trajectories over 5 years in a large population with obesity, and to determine the trajectories' association with mortality.

Methods

For inclusion, individuals aged 30–74 years at index date (1 January 2013) with continuous membership in Clalit Health Services from 2008 to 2012 were required to have ≥1 BMI measurement per year in ≥3 calendar years during this period, of which at least one was ≥30 kg/m². Latent class analysis was used to generate BMI trajectories over 5 years (2008–2012). Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between BMI trajectories and all‐cause mortality during follow‐up (2013–2017).

Results

In total, 367,141 individuals met all inclusion criteria. Mean age was 57.2 years; 41% were men. The optimal model was a quadratic model with four classes of BMI clusters. Most individuals (90.0%) had stable high BMI over time. Individuals in this cluster had significantly lower mortality than individuals in the other trajectory clusters (p < 0.01), including clusters of people with dynamic weight trajectories.

Conclusions

The results of the current study show that people with stable high weight had the lowest mortality of all four BMI trajectories identified. These findings help to expand the scientific understanding of the impact that weight trajectories have on health outcomes, while demonstrating the challenges of discerning the cumulative effects of obesity and weight change, and suggest that dynamic historical measures of BMI should be considered when assessing patients' future risk of obesity‐related morbidity and mortality, and when choosing a treatment strategy.

Diagnosing Obesity as a First Step to Weight Loss: An Observational Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between an obesity diagnosis and weight loss as a percentage of total body weight loss over 9 to 15 months, using electronic health record data.

METHODS

An observational study of 688,878 adult patients at 15 health systems with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² examined the relationship between weight loss and documentation of obesity diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression models were created using a stepwise backwards elimination procedure to identify potential predictors of weight loss.

RESULTS

Of patients with BMI ≥ 30, 44.9% had an obesity diagnosis on a claim or electronic health record problem list; 16.9% and 5.9% lost ≥ 5% and ≥ 10% of their body weight, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed a diagnosis of obesity on the same day as the initial weight (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3; CI: 1.2-1.3; P < 0.001) as a predictor of ≥ 5% total body weight loss in 9 to 15 months. Other significant predictors included an antiobesity medication prescription, female sex, diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, Medicare/Medicaid insurance, and number of ambulatory visits.

CONCLUSIONS

While controlling for potentially confounding factors, documentation of an obesity diagnosis remained independently predictive of at least 5% weight loss. This suggests that documenting a diagnosis of obesity may be an important step toward engaging patients to lose weight.

Innovations in Infant Feeding: Future Challenges and Opportunities in Obesity and Cardiometabolic Disease

The field of nutrition in early life, as an effective tool to prevent and treat chronic diseases, has attracted a large amount of interest over recent years. The vital roles of food products and nutrients on the body’s molecular mechanisms have been demonstrated. The knowledge of the mechanisms and the possibility of controlling them via what we eat has opened up the field of precision nutrition, which aims to set dietary strategies in order to improve health with the greatest effectiveness. However, this objective is achieved only if the genetic profile of individuals and their living conditions are also considered. The relevance of this topic is strengthened considering the importance of nutrition during childhood and the impact on the development of obesity. In fact, the prevalence of global childhood obesity has increased substantially from 1990 and has now reached epidemic proportions. The current narrative review presents recent research on precision nutrition and its role on the prevention and treatment of obesity during pediatric years, a novel and promising area of research.

The performance of anthropometric tools to determine obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the performance of anthropometric tools to determine obesity in the general population (CRD42018086888). Our review included 32 studies. To detect obesity with body mass index (BMI), the meta-analyses rendered a sensitivity of 51.4% (95% CI 38.5-64.2%) and a specificity of 95.4% (95% CI 90.7-97.8%) in women, and 49.6% (95% CI 34.8-64.5%) and 97.3% (95% CI 92.1-99.1%), respectively, in men. For waist circumference (WC), the summary estimates for the sensitivity were 62.4% (95% CI 49.2-73.9%) and 88.1% for the specificity (95% CI 77.0-94.2%) in men, and 57.0% (95% CI 32.2-79.0%) and 94.8% (95% CI 85.8-98.2%), respectively, in women. The data were insufficient to pool the results for waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) but were similar to BMI and WC. In conclusion, BMI and WC have serious limitations for use as obesity screening tools in clinical practice despite their widespread use. No evidence supports that WHR and WHtR are more suitable than BMI or WC to assess body fat. However, due to the lack of more accurate and feasible alternatives, BMI and WC might still have a role as initial tools for assessing individuals for excess adiposity until new evidence emerges.