Obesity, a disease of inflammation; researchers suggest
What is wrong with obesity?

OBESITY MAY RAISE MYELOID LEUKEMIA RISK

Researchers studied a pattern they saw among nearly 41,000 people over eight years, in Victoria, Australia.
The researchers checked the height and weight of these people at the study's start to calculate BMI (body
mass index). They also measured participants' waists and muscle mass and track cases of leukemia and
other blood cancers for about eight years.

Leukemia is divided into two main types-- myeloid and lymphoid. The researchers found only an association
between body size and myeloid leukemia. Overweight and obese people (BMI of 25 or greater) were five times
as likely to get myeloid leukemia as those of smaller BMI. For people with waist sizes over 37 inches, myeloid
leukemia risk rose 35% for every 4 extra inches of waist size. Increased height was not linked to a higher
myeloid leukemia risk. Increased muscle mass was also associated with a higher myeloid leukemia risk.

Sources Increased Body Size Linked to Leukemia, WedMD, August 2, 2005 Myeloid Leukemia Risk Linked to
Obesity HealthDay August 2, 2005


OBESITY IS LINKED TO GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISORDER (GERD)

Researchers concluded that excess weight nearly doubled the risk of GERD symptoms such as heartburn,
acid regurgitation, chest pain and difficulty swallowing, based on a meta-analysis of several studies. GERD
occurs when the valve between the stomach and the esophagus fails to close properly. As a result, the
contents in the stomach, including stomach acid, can spill up into the esophagus, leading to erosion of the
esophagus or even esophageal cancer.

People who were overweight, defined by a body mass index of 25 to 30, were 1.4 times as likely to develop
GERD symptoms, people who were obese were nearly twice as likely to develop symptoms compared to those
with a healthy body weight. While, people with a body mass index greater than 30 were about three times
more likely to develop esophageal cancer than those with a healthy body weight.

There are several explanations for the GERD symptoms and complications: (1) The excessive weight in the
abdomen compresses the stomach and raises the pressure inside, leading to gastric reflux, (2) abdominal
obesity contributes to the release of inflammatory substances. This may raise the risk of GERD (3) Obese
people usually eat excessive amounts of fat and fatty foods, increasing the risk of GERD,.

Reference Got GERD? Weight Loss May Help HealthDay, August 2, 2005

FRUCTOSE SWEETENER INCREASES BODY FAT, RESEARCH FINDS

Consumption of food products containing sucrose and high-fructose may lead to obesity. Sucrose and
high-fructose are commonly used in sweetened foods, carbonated soft drinks, beverages, some juices, corn
syrup and cereals. A widely used sweetener derived from corn, high-fructose corn syrup is similar to sucrose
(table sugar) in its composition, about half glucose and half fructose.

In a study of mice, Dr. Matthias Tsch, University of Cincinnati, used magnetic resonance technology to
carefully monitor body fat in mice. He measured the the average weight of the mice to be 39 grams. After
consuming fructose-sweetened water of a period of pre-determined time, the average weight became 48
grams. This group of mice had about 90 percent more body fat than the mice that consumed water only.

Sources [1] New link between soft drinks and weight gain, Medical News Today, Univerity of Cincinnati Jul 31,
2005
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Some researchers view obesity as a low-grade systemic inflammatory disease. It is because obese children
and adults have elevated serum levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and
leptin. These chemicals are commonly used as markers for inflammation and they are closely associated with
cardiovascular events [1-4]. Besides, plasma concentrations of all pro-thrombotic factors and plasminogen
activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have been shown to be higher in obese patients [5]. This may explain why obesity
is linked to coagulation and fibrinolysis abnormalities as well as increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and
many other chronic diseases.

Recently, Tongjian You and his group at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have examined small
samples of subcutaneous fat from the abdomen and found that the fat tissues actually produce interleukin 6,
tumor necrosis factor alpha and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. Interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor
alpha promote inflammation (as mentioned before), while plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 promotes blood
clots. These are also involved in atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty deposits in the linings of blood vessels.
They also found that higher levels of the "bad" proteins, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, were
associated with a lower ability to respond to insulin and use glucose. And, low production of adiponectin in
subcutaneous fat is linked with an elevated risk of heart disease.

OBESITY PREVENTION

Pischon T et al found an inverse-association between physical activity and plasma levels of sTNF-R1,
sTNF-R2, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein [2]. Thus, frequent physical activity is related to lower systemic
inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity.

Please, remember that the ideal BMI is 25. Being too thin may lead to medical complications such as infertility
and osteoporosis. Steve Bloomfield, the Eating Disorders Association considers anorexia and bulimia as
diseases. [A2]

OBESITY PREVENTION-NONTRADITIONAL METHODS


REFERENCES

1. Kaiser T and Schunker H, Cardiovascular changes in obesity, Herz. 2001 May;26(3):194-201.
2. Pischon T et al, Leisure-time physical activity and reduced plasma levels of obesity-related inflammatory
markers, Obes Res. 2003 Sep;11(9):1055-64.
3. Das UN , Is obesity an inflammatory condition? Nutrition. 2001 Nov-Dec;17(11-12):953-66.
4. Yudkin JS et al, Inflammation, obesity, stress and coronary heart disease: is interleukin-6 the link?,
Atherosclerosis. 2000 Feb;148(2):209-14.
5. De Pergola G et al, Coagulation and fibrinolysis abnormalities in obesity, J Endocrinol Invest. 2002
Nov;25(10):899-904.
6. Fat May Promote Inflammation, New Study Suggests, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Press
Release, March 28, 2005 [A2] British charity issues anorexia Internet warning Reuters Sat Jan 6
        
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