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Obesity is a globally expanding silent epidemic having multiple risk factors and consequences associated with it. Genetic factors have been found to be playing undeniable roles in obesity. Intermingled relationship between epigenetics, metagenomics, and the environment influences obesity traits. High precision diagnostic tools have outlined many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as many novel genes, that have been identified that create an obesogenic environment. Rare single-gene diseases can lead to early childhood obesity and less satiety. With almost 30% of the global population being under the grip of obesity, the coming days are alarming. This review summarizes the existing knowledge on the genetic causes of obesity including the epidemiology as well as the issues of concern and new additions to the list. Furthermore, we discuss the ways to enhance the healthcare outcome for patients of obesity through interdepartmental collaborations apart from pharmacological therapy that is still limited to a few drugs. The teamwork of geneticists, genetic counselors, physicians, bariatric surgeons, nurses, endocrinologists, and pharmacists may provide promising results in intervention.
RESUMO
Age at menarche (AM) is an important growth and maturity indicator in girls. Pre- and post-menarcheal age-peers differ in BMI-based nutritional status and growth of linear dimensions of body measurements. Methods: Using a cross-sectional approach, body size and nutritional status were evaluated in pre-menarcheal (n=50) and post-menarcheal (n=50) school-going Hindu girls aged 10.0 to 12.87 years. All were from socio-economically poor families in a rural area of Kashipur, Purulia district, West Bengal state, India. Anthropometric parameters included the following: height; body weight; body mass index (BMI); sitting height (SH); subischial leg length (SLL); knee height (KH); bi-acromial diameter (BAD); bi-iliocristal diameter (BILCD); and hip breadth (HB). Z-scores of height-for-age (HAZ) and BMI-for-age (BMIZ) were calculated following WHO to evaluate stunting (low HAZ) and thinness (low BMIZ) Results: The mean age was 11.12 years for pre-menarcheal girls and 11.32 years for post-menarcheal girls. Mean and median AM were 10.52 years and 10.80 years respectively. Post-menarcheal girls had higher mean anthropometric characteristics than pre-menarcheal girls with significant difference (p< 0.05). Undemutrition was frequent among girls, including stunting (pre-menarcheal 62%, post-menarcheal girls 38%), thinness or low BMI-for-age (pre-menarcheal 16%, post-menarcheal 28%), and composite burden of stunting and thinness (pre-menarcheal 14%, post-menarcheal girls 18%). Girls with low BMI-for-age had shorter SH, SLL, KH, BAD, BILCD, and HB. Linear combination of body dimensions significantly (p< 0.05) predicted post-menarcheal status through binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Pre-menarcheal girls experienced a higher degree of chronic undernutrition (stunting). Post-menarcheal girls showed a greater body size than pre-menarcheal age-peers.
RESUMO
The proximate composition and functional properties of three edible mushroom (Ganoderma spp., Omphalotus olearius (DC.) Sing. and Hebeloma mesophaeum (Pers.) Quél.) flours used in Nasarawa state, Nigaria were investigated using standard analytical techniques. The samples contained crude protein in the range of 18.5% in Omphalotus olearius to 21.5% in Ganoderma spp. Crude fat varied with values ranging from 6.9% in Ganoderma spp. to 8.7% in Omphalotus olearius. Other proximate composition values were in the following ranges: moisture content 10.0 – 11.1%, ash 7.3 – 8.3%, crude fibre 2.8 – 3.5% and carbohydrate (by difference) 50.3 – 50.9%. The range values of functional properties were: foaming capacity 101.8 – 131.5%, foaming stability 51.0 – 54.0%, water absorption capacity 260.0 – 390.0%, oil absorption capacity 450 – 480%, oil emulsion capacity 57.3 – 61.0mLg– 1, least gelation concentration 12.0 – 14.0% and bulk density 230.0 – 410.0gmL–1. The results showed that these nutrient rich mushroom flours under investigation may prove useful in the formulation of different food products where foaming, emulsification, retention of flavour and palatability as well as gel formation are required.
RESUMO
Concentrations of serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were studied in discrete areas of brain and in large intestine of Swiss mice following transplantation of Sarcoma 180 (S 180) ascites tumor. Significant increase in 5-HT levels (2 to 3.5-fold over controls, P < 0.05) was observed in raphe region of the brain throughout the period of tumor growth. Concomitant increase, although of lesser magnitude, was recorded in raphe 5-HIAA content. 5-HT content of hypothalamus, mid brain and caudate putamen, on the other hand, remained relatively unaltered except for an increase at the advanced stage of the disease. While mid brain and hypothalamic 5-HIAA were elevated at the late stage, 5-HIAA values of caudate putamen were normal or slightly reduced during the progression of tumor. Both 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels of the large intestine showed an early decline followed by a modest increase at the late stages. Brain and plasma tryptophan levels were also elevated significantly (P < 0.05) in the tumor hosts. The results suggest a close relationship between increase in serotonin concentrations in the brain, particularly in raphe region, and the progression of S-180 tumor in mice.