Obesity: Researchers Find New Gene and Treatment Options

Obesity (Body Mass index (BMI) of 30 or more) in United States and around the world is chronic disease, excess amount of fat. The World Health Organization estimates, 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight (BMI between 25 - 29.9), and at least 400 million adults are obese. Increasingly obesity effects low and middle income countries, particularly in urban areas, besides, once being exclusive to high - income countries. Incidence of obesity has nearly doubled from 1991 to 1998. The World Health Organization projects by 2015, an estimate 2.3 billion overweight adults and more than 700 million obese adults. According to United States Department of Health and Human Services, estimates twenty percent of children will be obese by the year 2010.

Obesity or overweight increases the risk for developing high blood pressure, sleep apnea, Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis), diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, cancer of the breast, prostrate and colon, and increased mortality. Besides medical concerns and other health related issues, impose a tremendous demand for health care and overall imposes a substantial health cost for those with and without health insurance coverage or costs American adults with obesity approximately $100 billion. In the United States, 64.5 percent of adult Americans are categorized as being overweight (obese) or one -- third of the adult American population (approximately 60 million). Since 1960, the number of overweight obese Americans has continued to trend higher, and attributed to least 300,000 excess deaths in the United State. Also, obesity for many stigmatizing them from socializing and involvement in relationships, besides harsh cruelty of being teased or insulted, which in many cases begins at an early age. Unfortunately for many young adults or children, obesity starts at an early age as result of a high calorie diet, combined with a lack of physical activity or genetically related. Other factors related to obesity include taking medications, slow metabolism, race (African American women, and Hispanic women tend to experience weight gain earlier in life than Caucasians. Also, Asian levels of obesity are catching up with the West.), hormonal imbalance (menopause and use of oral contraceptives) and diseases.

Long term strenuous dieting and exercise for many has cured obesity, however more than ninety-five percent who have achieved short - term weight less within five years, have regained the weight. Certainly, long - term maintenance of weight loss significantly improves overall health and drastically decreases health concerns related to obesity, besides significant savings of health related costs or money better spend on eating healthy foods. Before beginning a regiment of general exercise and diet, one should get a physical checkup by a physician. Whatever the best regiment of exercise and diet is chosen, best suits each personal need and proven to be more successful to treat obesity. Medications are available help the treatment of obesity, patients who have health risks related to obesity or BMI greater than 30. These patients should be carefully monitored or evaluated by their physician, and regarding any side effects.

In 1991, A National Institutes of Health consensus development panel fully endorsed gastric restrictive surgery (four types bariatric procedures) as appropriate treatment for patients with medically severe obesity. Effectively reduce the amount of food that a patient can eat. Consultation between the doctor and the patient, evaluates the best procedure or the type of procedure the physician performs. Seventy to eighty percent of patients achieve success over the long - term treatment for obesity. Bariatric procedures are potentially reversible. From
1998 - 2003, bariatric operations increased 13,000 to 100,000, according to Rand Corporation study, will be published in the journal of Public Health late in 2007. Published study in
March 13, 2007, issue of Neurology, journal of the American Academy of Neurology, author Sonai Singh, an instructor in Internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, noted: Patients undergone obesity surgery should be monitored by their physician, ensure their patients are taking vitamin B1 (Thiamine - helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy), supplement preventing Wernicke encephalopathy. Condition develops after obesity surgery (Vitamin B deficiency - 12 weeks after any type of bariatric surgery, and in one case occurred 18 months later) in some cases, linked to symptoms of confusion, vomiting, poor coordination, and rapid rhythmic eye movement. Regarding patients who show symptoms, Sonai Singh said: " need to seek help immediately and get injections of thiamine as early as possible."

OBE101 is comprised of betahistine (generic name), known drug approved in many countries for the treatment of Meinere's disease (vertigo), being evaluated in a phase two clinical trial for the treatment of obesity. Dr. Yaffa Beck, Chief Executive Officer of Obecure (Biopharmaceutical company headquarters in Israel, pursuing the development of weight management drug therapies) said: "We are delighted with the rapid and efficient way in which the patient recruitment took place since it's initiation in late January (2007). We are currently looking forward to the successful completion of the trial in three months and hope to announce the results in the fall of this year, well ahead of our schedule." The study has been granted partial financial support from Eli Lilly & Company, the manufacture of Zprexa. OBE101 prevents massive weight gain, when taking Zprexa, (olanzapine) an antipsychotic medication.

Medication alone is not the only solution to defeat obesity but only part of the solution, combined with a determination and fortitude of diet and exercise, preferably prescribed by a licensed dietitian or expert in the field of weight loss, achieving optimal results. Besides, getting expert advice to answer questions regarding the treatment of obesity.

In the Journal Science, published on April 13, 2007, British researchers discovered a gene named FTO, attributed to cause obesity ('fat gene'). Researchers led by Andrew Hattersley of the Peninsula Medical School of Exeter and Plymouth, and Mark McCarthy of the University of Oxford: First identified the genetic link, initially studied 2,000 people diagnosed type two diabetes in the United Kingdom and Finland. Upon further study of 38,000 people (DNA in blood samples), researchers discovered people who carry two copies of a variation of the FTO gene, weighted on average seven pounds more than people who lack it. Scientists found that those people who had only one copy of the gene variation had a thirty percent increase of obesity, and those people who carry two copies, had almost seventy percent increase. Also, people with two copies of gene, were twice as likely to develop type two diabetes (non-insulin dependent), as those with one. Furthermore, up to one in six people carry FTO gene, which makes them more likely obese. According to Mark McCarthy of Oxford University, one of the study leaders, mentioned FTO was very active in the hypothalamus, part of the brain involved in appetite and overindulgence or excess. McCarthy notes the function of FTO remains uncertain, if the gene burns calories less efficiently or attributed to cause people to consume more food. Hattersley said: "And the critical role that it (FTO gene) plays is in predisposing how much fat people have." The FTO gene variation linked obesity or extra pounds as young as seven years old, but didn't appear to influence fetal weight. Discovery of FTO gene, suggest some people are not to blame for their excess weight, and hopefully will lead to a treatment, defend against FTO gene. Scientist plan to study FTO gene by creating genetically modified mice, in which the gene is knocked out.

Tam Fry, board member of the National Obesity Forum ("The NOF was established in May 2000 to raise awareness of the growing impact of obesity and overweight on our patients and our National Health Services. Membership is open to all healthcare professionals and is free."), said regarding the discovery of the FTO gene: "It does not remove the requirement to both eat sensibly and exercise."