Advancements in the management of obesity: a review of current evidence and emerging therapies.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is the modern world's current epidemic, with substantial health and economic impact. This study aimed to provide a narrative overview of the past, currently available, and future treatment options that offer therapeutic and preventive advantages for obesity management. AREAS COVERED: Historically, rimonabant, and lorcaserin, were approved and used for managing non-syndromic obesity. Currently, orlistat, naltrexone/bupropion, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), and a few promising therapeutic agents are under investigation, including retatrutide, cagrilintide and orforglipron, which show promising weight reduction effects. We have developed a search string of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), including the terms GLP-1 RAs, obesity, and weight loss. This string was then used to perform a systematic literature search in the database including PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Scopus up to January 31st, 2024. EXPERT OPINION: Managing obesity often requires medical interventions, particularly in cases of severe obesity or obesity-related comorbidities. Thus, it is important to approach obesity management holistically, considering individual needs and circumstances. In our opinion, consulting with healthcare professionals is crucial to developing a personalized plan that addresses both weight loss and overall health improvement.

Nutrition interventions for body composition, physical function, cognition in hospitalized older adults: A systematic review of individuals 75 years and older.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the oldest old population is expected to triple by 2050. Hospitalization and malnutrition can result in progressive functional decline in older adults. Minimizing the impact of hospitalization on functional status in older adults has the potential to maintain independence, reduce health and social care costs, and maximize years in a healthy state. This study aimed to systematically review the literature to identify nutritional interventions that target physical function, body composition, and cognition in the older population (≥ 75 years). METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of nutritional interventions on physical function, body composition, and cognition in adults aged ≥ 75 years or mean age ≥80 years. Searches of PubMed (National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine), Scopus (Elsevier), EMBASE (Elsevier), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) with Full Text (EBSCOhost), and PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) were conducted. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed in duplicate and independently (CRD42022355984; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=355984). RESULTS: Of 8311 citations identified, 2939 duplicates were excluded. From 5372 citations, 189 articles underwent full-text review leaving a total of 12 studies for inclusion. Interventions were food-based, protein-based, carbohydrate-based, personalized, or used parenteral nutrition. Ten studies monitored anthropometric or body composition changes with three showing maintenance or improvements in lean mass, body mass index, triceps skinfold, and mid-upper arm circumference compared with the control group. Six studies monitored physical function but only the largest study found a beneficial effect on activities of daily living. Two of three studies showed the beneficial effects of nutritional intervention on cognition. CONCLUSION: There are few, high-quality, nutrition-based interventions in older adults ≥75 years. Despite heterogeneity, our findings suggest that large, longer-term (>2 weeks) nutritional interventions have the potential to maintain body composition, physical function, and cognition in adults aged 75 years and older during hospitalization.

Intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring and hypoglycaemia awareness in drivers with diabetes: Insights from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists Nationwide audit.

AIM: Frequent hypoglycaemia results in disruption to usual hypoglycaemic autonomic responses leading to impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, which is associated with an increased risk of severe hypoglycaemia requiring third-party assistance (SH). The UK Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not permit car driving if they have either a complete loss of hypoglycaemia awareness or more than one SH event a year. METHODS: The FreeStyle Libre (FSL) Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) Nationwide Audit consists of data collected by clinicians during routine clinical work, submitted into a secure web-based tool held within the National Health Service (NHS) N3 network. Analysis of paired baseline and follow-up data for people with type 1 diabetes who also held a driving licence was undertaken. RESULTS: The study consisted of 6304 people who had data recorded about driving status from 102 UK specialist diabetes centres, of which 4218 held a driving licence: 4178 a group 1, standard licence, 33 a group 2, large lorries and buses, seven a taxi licence; 1819 did not drive. Paired baseline and follow-up data were available for a sub-cohort of 1606/4218. At a mean follow-up of 6.9 months [95% CI (6.8, 7.1)], the Gold score had improved (2.3 ± 1.5 vs. 2.0 ± 1.3 p < .001), and the number of people who experienced an SH episode was also significantly lower (12.1% vs. 2.7%, p < .001). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring may improve impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia and reduce the number of people with type 1 diabetes with a driving licence experiencing a severe hypoglycaemic episode.