Overweight and Obesity: The Interplay of Eating Habits and Physical Activity

A novel nomogram for predicting optimal weight loss response following diet and exercise intervention in patients with obesity

This study aimed to identify factors associated with optimal weight loss response by analyzing pre-weight loss data from a cohort of 2577 patients with obesity who visited weight management clinics between 2013 and 2022. Out of these, 1276 patients had follow-up data available. Following dietary and exercise interventions, 580 participants achieved optimal weight loss outcomes. Participants were subsequently divided into two groups based on their weight loss outcomes: those who achieved optimal weight loss response and those who did not. Statistical analysis, conducted using RStudio, identified thirteen predictor variables through LASSO and logistic regression, with age emerging as the most influential predictor. A nomogram was developed to predict optimal weight loss response, showing good predictive performance (AUC = 0.807) and clinical applicability, validated by internal validation methods. Decision curve analysis (DCA) further illustrated the nomogram's clinical utility. The developed nomogram prediction model for optimal weight loss response is user-friendly, highly accurate, and demonstrates excellent discriminative and calibration capabilities.

Emotional Eating among College Students in Israel: A Study during Times of War

Emotional eating, the act of consuming food to cope with negative emotions rather than responding to hunger cues, can lead to overeating in an attempt to regulate and alleviate these emotions. This study aimed to assess emotional eating among college students in Israel, specifically during times of war, which present unique and heightened stressors that accumulate on top. A total of 575 participants from the Ashkelon Academic College completed an online questionnaire examining background information, stress levels, and emotional eating symptoms. Our findings indicate that factors, such as being female, not having children, younger age, lower body satisfaction, higher BMI, and increased stress, are predictors of heightened emotional eating. These results highlight risk factors predisposing college students to engage in emotional eating. Developing targeted interventions, particularly campus-based programs to address emotional eating by promoting healthy coping strategies, a positive body image, and stress management skills is needed. In addition, raising awareness concerning emotional eating risks during challenging life transitions and distressing situations is necessary. The college leadership, led by the departments of Nutrition, Psychology, and Public Health, in collaboration with stakeholders in the Israeli Ministry of Health, must consider the mental effects of war on students and their involvement in emotional eating.

Metabolic Syndrome and Biotherapeutic Activity of Dairy (Cow and Buffalo) Milk Proteins and Peptides: Fast Food-Induced Obesity Perspective-A Narrative Review

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is defined by the outcome of interconnected metabolic factors that directly increase the prevalence of obesity and other metabolic diseases. Currently, obesity is considered one of the most relevant topics of discussion because an epidemic heave of the incidence of obesity in both developing and underdeveloped countries has been reached. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2023 report, 38% of the world population are presently either obese or overweight. One of the causes of obesity is an imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure, where nutritional imbalance due to consumption of high-calorie fast foods play a pivotal role. The dynamic interactions among different risk factors of obesity are highly complex; however, the underpinnings of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia for obesity incidence are recognized. Fast foods, primarily composed of soluble carbohydrates, non-nutritive artificial sweeteners, saturated fats, and complexes of macronutrients (protein-carbohydrate, starch-lipid, starch-lipid-protein) provide high metabolic calories. Several experimental studies have pointed out that dairy proteins and peptides may modulate the activities of risk factors of obesity. To justify the results precisely, peptides from dairy milk proteins were synthesized under in vitro conditions and their contributions to biomarkers of obesity were assessed. Comprehensive information about the impact of proteins and peptides from dairy milks on fast food-induced obesity is presented in this narrative review article.

Long-Term Changes to the Microbiome, Blood Lipid Profiles and IL-6 in Female and Male Swedish Patients in Response to Bariatric Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Lipid metabolism dysregulation is a critical factor contributing to obesity. To counteract obesity-associated disorders, bariatric surgery is implemented as a very effective method. However, surgery such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is irreversible, resulting in life-long changes to the digestive tract. The aim of the present study was to elucidate changes in the fecal microbiota before and after RYGB in relation to blood lipid profiles and proinflammatory IL-6. Here, we studied the long-term effects, up to six years after the RYGB procedure, on 15 patients' gut microbiomes and their post-surgery well-being, emphasizing the biological sex of the patients. The results showed improved health among the patients after surgery, which coincided with weight loss and improved lipid metabolism. Health changes were associated with decreased inflammation and significant alterations in the gut microbiome after surgery that differed between females and males. The Actinobacteriota phylum decreased in females and increased in males. Overall increases in the genera Prevotella, Paraprevotella, Gemella, Streptococcus, and Veillonella_A, and decreases in Bacteroides_H, Anaerostipes, Lachnoclostridium_B, Hydrogeniiclostridium, Lawsonibacter, Paludicola, and Rothia were observed. In conclusion, our findings indicate that there were long-term changes in the gut microbiota after RYGB, and shifts in the microbial taxa appeared to differ depending on sex, which should be investigated further in a larger cohort.

Regional differences of physical fitness and overweight and obesity prevalence among college students before and after COVID-19 pandemic since the "double first-class" initiative in China

Introduction

Physical fitness has been widely recognized as a powerful marker of health in children and adolescents, and it negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines, known as the "Double First-Class" Initiative (DFC), is a major commitment made by the Chinese government to adapt to changes in the educational environment, both domestically and internationally, in order to promote the development and practice of international higher education. The aim of the study was to look deep into the regional differences of physical fitness and overweight and obesity prevalence among college students before and after the COVID-19 pandemic since the DFC.

Methods

The original physical fitness parameters of students from 10 DFC universities and colleges in Central South China were downloaded from the official website of Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Database (CNSPFD) and then divided into 3 groups based on the pandemic periods: pre-pandemic (2019), the first year after pandemic outbreak (2020), and the second year after pandemic outbreak (2021). All the data were stored in Excel 2010, analyzed by SPSS 17.0, and plotted with ArcGIS 10.4.

Results

The total "fail" percentage (from 9.19% in 2019 to 12.94% in 2021) and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys (from 22.53 to 29.25% in 2021) exhibited a continuous increase year by year, and among all the physical fitness indicators the score of strength in boys and endurance quality in all individuals were the lowest in overweight and obesity groups. Students with 'fail' rate developed from northern and northeastern province to southern areas from 2019 to 2021. For grade 2019th, overweight and obesity students who also failed the test had covered nationwide and the most affected areas including northeast, east, as well as central north in senior year. The distribution of overall fitness assessments in Hubei province was in accordance with the national data, and the overall scoring growths in both class of 2021st and 2022nd were measured with a negative increase (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The government and related functional departments should take into consideration the student regional sources, especially in western and northeast regions of China, and school polices and physical education (PE) teachers should pay more attention to put training efforts on endurance for all adolescents and strength for boys and the group of overweight and obesity who also failed in the standard test, when designing specific interventions to promote physical health and counteract the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic in college students.