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Tag: obesity

  • Defect in Gene Caused Massive Obesity in Mice Despite Normal Food Intake

    Defect in Gene Caused Massive Obesity in Mice Despite Normal Food Intake

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    Newswise — DALLAS – Oct. 28, 2022 – A faulty gene, rather than a faulty diet, may explain why some people gain excessive weight even when they don’t eat more than others, UT Southwestern researchers at the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense have discovered.

    The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, describe how a defect in a gene called Ovol2 caused mice with normal activity levels and food intake to become obese as they reached adulthood due to problems generating body heat. If the same holds true in humans, who share a nearly identical gene and its protein product, the findings could eventually help identify potential treatments for obesity.

    “Most cases of obesity are caused by overeating or by lack of physical activity, but our research has shown that a mutation of a little-studied gene called Ovol2 causes massive obesity – due solely to a defect in thermogenesis, or heat production,” said study leader Zhao Zhang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine who co-led this study with Nobel Laureate Bruce Beutler, M.D., Professor of Immunology and Director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense.

    About 42% of people in the U.S. are obese, a condition that drives up the risk of many other health problems including heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Although researchers agree obesity appears to stem from an interplay between a person’s genes and his or her environment, the genes that play important roles in the most common forms of obesity aren’t well understood, and the most famous obesity mutations in mice and humans cause a voracious appetite.

    To learn more about basic mechanisms of obesity, Drs. Zhang and Beutler and their colleagues used a chemical to generate random mutations in the DNA of mice. In a particular family of mice, obesity began at about 10 weeks of age – young adulthood for the rodents – and continued until the animals were massively overweight. The researchers identified the responsible mutation in a gene called Ovol2.

    “No one had associated this gene with obesity before,” Dr. Beutler said, “because it’s essential for life. The mutation we created was mild enough to allow survival but damaging enough to reveal a striking metabolic defect.”

    The obese mice experienced a 556% increase in fat weight, accompanied by a 20% reduction in lean weight, compared to littermates who had not undergone mutagenesis. Experiments showed the obese animals weren’t able to maintain their core body temperature when exposed to cold, which appeared to result from an inability to effectively use a type of tissue called brown fat, the primary function of which is to generate heat. Further tests suggested that the healthy Ovol2 gene suppressed development of white fat, the main tissue responsible for energy storage.

    When the researchers overexpressed the normal Ovol2 protein, they found that animals gained far less weight than wild-type controls in mice fed a high-fat diet. The authors said these findings suggest Ovol2 is a key player in energy metabolism – which probably holds true for humans since the human Ovol2 protein is very similar to the mouse version. Eventually, said Dr. Zhang, doctors may be able to treat obesity by giving patients drugs that drive up Ovol2 function.

    Drs. Beutler and Zhang are inventors on a patent related to these findings.

    UT Southwestern is a Nutrition Obesity Research Center, one of 12 in the nation funded by the National Institutes of Health and the only one in Texas. The Center supports work by more than 150 UT Southwestern scientists to investigate the causes, prevention, and treatment options for obesity.

    Dr. Beutler is a Regental Professor who holds the Raymond and Ellen Willie Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research, in Honor of Laverne and Raymond Willie, Sr. He received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of how the innate immune system is activated.

    Other UTSW researchers who contributed to this study include Yiao Jiang, Lijing Su, Sara Ludwig, Xuechun Zhang, Miao Tang, Xiaohong Li, Priscilla Anderton, Xiaoming Zhan, Mihwa Choi, Jamie Russell, Chun-Hui Bu, Stephen Lyon, Darui Xu, Sara Hildebrand, Lindsay Scott, Jiexia Quan, Rochelle Simpson, Qihua Sun, Baifang Qin, Tiffany Collie, Meron Tadesse, and Eva Marie Y. Moresco.

    This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (K99 DK115766, R00 DK115766, R01 AI125581, and U19 AI100627) and the Lyda Hill Foundation.

    About UT Southwestern Medical Center

    UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,900 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 4 million outpatient visits a year.

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  • Increased mitochondria and lipid turnover reduces risk for liver cancer

    Increased mitochondria and lipid turnover reduces risk for liver cancer

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    Newswise — Alcohol consumption and hepatitis C viral infection are known risk factors for causing hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. Apart from these, obesity-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has emerged as a major contributing factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in Western societies. The mechanisms underlying obesity-induced liver cancer are not well understood.

    A new study published this week in the journal Science Advances by University of Chicago researchers showed that in a mouse model, deletion of the BNIP3 protein resulted in decreased turnover of mitochondria and lipid droplets that led to the development of fatty liver and, ultimately, liver cancer. In human liver cancer, they also showed that loss of BNIP3 expression was linked to increased lipids and worse prognosis.

    “My lab is interested in mitochondria and the turnover of mitochondria in normal physiological settings, but also in cancer. In our studies, we work on a protein called BNIP3 that functions as a mitochondrial cargo receptor,” said Kay Macleod, PhD, senior author of the paper and a professor in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Normally, this protein is significantly upregulated in the liver in response to fasting in mice, where it plays a role in protecting the liver from fat accumulation; however, eliminating this protein caused fatty liver. So we studied this further to understand the underlying mechanisms of how loss of BNIP3 leads to lipid accumulation in the normal liver as well as liver cancer.”

    To understand BNIP3 involvement in the prevention of lipid accumulation and fatty liver condition, liver cancer was induced using chemical carcinogens in two sets of mice, one with BNIP3 intact and the other with BNIP3-deleted. The research team observed that tumors developed earlier and grew faster in BNIP3-deleted mice. Moreover, these tumors were full of fat, whereas tumors in BNIP3-intact mice were smaller and didn’t have lipids in them. When these tumors were followed over time, BNIP3-intact mice also developed lipid accumulation similar to that of BNIP3-deleted mice. More interestingly, BNIP3 had been silenced, suggesting that there is a selection for loss of BNIP3 in liver cancer as the disease progresses.

    These findings were consistent with human liver cancer patient data that reported a better prognosis in patients who had BNIP3 and less lipids in their tumors compared to patients who had a very high expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis. The data again suggests that BNIP3 is acting to suppress tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by preventing lipid accumulation. Then the next question is how does BNIP3 regulate lipids?

    When BNIP3 was reintroduced using lentivirus into hepatocellular carcinoma cells that lacked BNIP3, tumor cells stopped accumulating lipids, and they didn’t multiply or grow as fast as the ones that lacked BNIP3. The researchers showed that this was happening due to BNIP3 causing turnover of lipids with mitochondria in a degradative cellular process that they call “mitolipophagy.”

    Fatty liver is a growing health issue in Western societies because of diet. “Eating too much food and eating the wrong kind of food causes extra fat to be stored in the liver. When liver cells (hepatocytes) get overburdened with lipids, they undergo death, which leads to regenerative growth of liver cells. If this process is uninterrupted, it leads to hepatocellular carcinoma,” Macleod said.

    Next, her team wondered how reduced lipid droplet turnover prevents hepatocellular carcinoma. Lipid droplets store a variety of lipids that are used to make cell membranes. If a cell is growing or multiplying, it requires a lot more membrane. BNIP3 will limit the number of phospholipids in the cell thereby limiting the lipids required for new cell generation.

    “BNIP3 is both preventing initiation of tumors and also limiting progression of tumors that are already formed by preventing them from growing faster or becoming more aggressive,” Macleod said.

    This work suggests that for a hepatocellular carcinoma to actually to form, it has to get rid of BNIP3. This implies that if there was a way to somehow prevent BNIP3 from being silenced, this could limit liver tumor growth or prevent fatty liver in the first place.

    “I think the most exciting thing is that BNIP3 does more than just promote the turnover of mitochondria. By promoting the interaction and functionality of the mitochondria, it is actually regulating other organelles in the cell,” Macleod said.

    Much attention has been paid to tumor metabolism and how to target this process in cancers. Most of that tends to focus on amino acids and glucose metabolism but not as much on lipid biology. Understanding more about how lipid metabolism is deregulated in cancer has not been as heavily researched. The researchers’ future work focuses on understanding how BNIP3 is regulated in disease conditions as well as with age. Meanwhile, they are also interested in a number of other genes that play important roles in response to nutrient stress.

    The study, “Lipid droplet turnover at the lysosome inhibits growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in a BNIP3- 3 dependent manner” was supported by NIH R01 849 CA200310 and NIH T32 CA009594. Additional authors include Damian Berardi, Althea Bock-Hughes, Alexander Terry, Lauren Drake and Grazyna Bozek from the University of Chicago.

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  • 7 Cereals Can No Longer Claim ‘Healthy’ Label Under FDA Rule

    7 Cereals Can No Longer Claim ‘Healthy’ Label Under FDA Rule

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    Oct. 13, 2022 — Generations of Americans grew up being told that breakfast cereals like Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran were healthy ways to start their days.

    But now, under new federal guidelines, those cereals and other mainstays of the breakfast table can no longer make that claim.

    The guidance was proposed after the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, “as well as the release of the related national strategy, which aims to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, reduce diet-related diseases and close disparity gaps by 2030,” the FDA wrote in a press release.

    To be considered “healthy,” foods must meet certain criteria. The FDA used cereal as an example to illustrate how the guidelines affect how food will be presented to consumers.

    For that “healthy” label, cereals need three-fourth ounces of whole grains and no more than 1 gram of saturated fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2.5 grams of added sugars, CNBC reported.

    Here are seven common American brands that don’t meet the “healthy” label standards:

    • Raisin Bran (9 grams of added sugars)
    • Honey Nut Cheerios (12 grams of added sugars)
    • Corn Flakes (300 milligrams of sodium; 4 grams of added sugars)
    • Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Roasted (8 grams of added sugars)
    • Frosted Mini Wheats (12 grams of added sugars)
    • Life (8 grams of added sugars)
    • Special K (270 milligrams of sodium; 4 grams of added sugars)

    “Nutrition is key to improving our nation’s health,” said Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services secretary. “Healthy food can lower our risk for chronic disease. But too many people may not know what constitutes healthy food. FDA’s move will help educate more Americans to improve health outcomes, tackle health disparities and save lives.”

     

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  • These 7 Cereals Can No Longer Claim ‘Healthy’ Label Under FDA Rule

    These 7 Cereals Can No Longer Claim ‘Healthy’ Label Under FDA Rule

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    Oct. 13, 2022 — Generations of Americans grew up being told that breakfast cereals like Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran were healthy ways to start their days.

    But now, under new federal guidelines, those cereals and other mainstays of the breakfast table can no longer make that claim.

    The guidance was proposed after the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, “as well as the release of the related national strategy, which aims to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, reduce diet-related diseases and close disparity gaps by 2030,” the FDA wrote in a press release.

    To be considered “healthy,” foods must meet certain criteria. The FDA used cereal as an example to illustrate how the guidelines affect how food will be presented to consumers.

    For that “healthy” label, cereals need three-fourth ounces of whole grains and no more than 1 gram of saturated fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2.5 grams of added sugars, CNBC reported.

    Here are seven common American brands that don’t meet the “healthy” label standards:

    • Raisin Bran (9 grams of added sugars)
    • Honey Nut Cheerios (12 grams of added sugars)
    • Corn Flakes (300 milligrams of sodium; 4 grams of added sugars)
    • Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Roasted (8 grams of added sugars)
    • Frosted Mini Wheats (12 grams of added sugars)
    • Life (8 grams of added sugars)
    • Special K (270 milligrams of sodium; 4 grams of added sugars)

    “Nutrition is key to improving our nation’s health,” said Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services secretary. “Healthy food can lower our risk for chronic disease. But too many people may not know what constitutes healthy food. FDA’s move will help educate more Americans to improve health outcomes, tackle health disparities and save lives.”

     

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  • Moms Eating Ultra-Processed Food Raises Kids’ Obesity Risk

    Moms Eating Ultra-Processed Food Raises Kids’ Obesity Risk

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    Oct. 7, 2022 – Moms who consume ultra-processed food during pregnancy may contribute to their children being obese or overweight in childhood and adolescence, a new study suggests. 

    Among the 19,958 mother-child pairs studied, 12.4% of children developed obesity or overweight in the full study group, and the children of those mothers who ate the most ultra-processed foods (12.1 servings/day) had a 26% higher risk of obesity/overweight, compared with those with the lowest consumption (3.4 servings/day), reports Andrew T. Chan, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and colleagues. 

    The results were published online in the journal BMJ. 

    The study shows the potential benefits of limiting ultra-processed food during reproductive years to decrease the risk of childhood obesity, the study authors note. Ultra-processed foods, such as packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, and sugary cereals, which are linked to an increase in adult weight, are frequently included in modern Western diets.  

    But the relationship between parents eating highly processed meals and their children’s weight is unclear across generations, the researchers note. 

    “Overall awareness of the importance of diet in one’s personal health, as well as in the health of their families, is something that we hope will be a source of change, and certainly does start with promoting and educating people about the importance of diet during those critical periods,” Chan said in an interview.

    He said it is important not to blame mothers for their kids’ health, as there are other things at play beyond just education. “It requires a concerted effort to ensure that we break down the social and economic barriers to access to healthy foods so that it becomes actually feasible for many women to be able to have access to a diet that will promote health for both themselves and their kids.”

    Does Eating Ultra-Processed Food During Pregnancy Make Kids Obese?

    In this study, investigators looked at whether eating ultra-processed food throughout pregnancy and while raising kids increased the likelihood of children and teens being overweight or obese.

    The study team evaluated 14,553 mothers and their 19,958 children using data collected from two large studies. Males comprised 45% of the children in the cohort. The children spanned from 7 to 17 years of age.

    Childhood obesity or overweight has been linked to maternal consumption of highly processed meals during child-rearing. 

    “We know that lifestyle during pregnancy is important for not only the health of the baby, but also the health of the mother. So, it does represent an opportunity for people to think critically about what they can do to really optimize their health, and it becomes a period of time where people are maybe thinking a little bit more about their health and are more open to new dietary counseling and also more motivated to effect change,” Chan says.

    It’s important for women to consider their diet, Chan says. Women need to take into account “what kinds of foods they are eating and, if possible, try to avoid ultra-processed foods that have very refined ingredients and a lot of additives and preservatives, because they tend to really have a higher content of those dietary factors that we think lead to overweight and obesity,” he says.

    Physical activity is also important during the reproductive years and pregnancy, and people should aim to sustain physical activity during pregnancy and beyond, Chan notes. 

    The findings may be limited, as they were based on self-reported questionnaires and some mother-children pairs stopped taking part in the study during follow-up. Most of the mothers were from similar personal and family educational backgrounds, had comparable social and economic backgrounds, and were primarily white, which limits how this study can apply to other groups of people, the researchers noted. 

    “Staying healthy isn’t something that you should really start doing in middle age or late adulthood, it is really something that should be promoted at a young age, and certainly during young adulthood, because of the influence that it has on your long-term health, but also the potential influence it might have on your family’s,” Chan says.

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  • Obesity Starts in the Developing Brain: Study

    Obesity Starts in the Developing Brain: Study

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    Oct. 5, 2022 — What if a baby’s developing brain at the critical time just before birth and in the early days afterward establishes the lifetime risk for obesity?

    Previous research has suggested that human genes associated with obesity determine whether a person will have a hard time maintaining a healthy weight later in life. For decades, researchers have looked for links between genetic variants and body mass index (BMI), explains Robert Waterland, PhD, professor of pediatrics-nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX.  But the problem is the genetic ties found so far don’t explain weight gain and who is most at risk, he says. 

    So could there be more behind rising obesity rates than genetics and lifestyle?

    In their new study published in Science Advances, Waterland and his team looked at the possibility that environmental influences – such as poor nutrition and stress – during a critical window of brain development might influence obesity risk.

    The research team led by Harry MacKay, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in pediatrics-nutrition at Baylor, focused on a tiny section of the brain called the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, which regulates the body’s energy balance between food intake, physical activity, and metabolism.

    They studied mice in the first few weeks of life and found that the arcuate nucleus undergoes extensive growth in a critical window of time when brains are particularly sensitive to programming, which will later determine how well the body senses whether it is hungry and when the body has enough food.

    The scientists focused on epigenetics and worked to bookmark which genes would and would not be used in different cells. A big surprise in the research came when the investigators compared their epigenetic data in mice to human data and found that the regions targeted for epigenetic maturation in the mouse arcuate nucleus overlapped strongly with human genomic regions associated with BMI.

    Waterland says that even though the work did not address when the epigenetic changes happen in humans, previous research has shown it happens earlier in humans than in mice. 

    “My hunch is that the same epigenetic development that we have documented in the early postnatal mouse actually occurs during late fetal development in humans,” he says. 

    If that is the case, “a big, big concern is the very high prevalence of maternal obesity in the U.S. and many developed countries in the world,” which may be affecting the health of new babies.

    If future weight problems begin before birth or in those first weeks of life, some might feel doomed to a fate of obesity. But Waterland says the focus on genetics in earlier research wasn’t particularly encouraging either since it’s very difficult to change your genetics. 

    “At least if we understand how environment affects development, then at least we can look for ways to improve this in the future,” he says. 

    It’s too early to say whether obesity is actually a neurodevelopment disorder, Waterland explains, but if early research like this continues to build evidence, public health interventions to curb the worldwide obesity epidemic could focus more on prenatal and early life nutrition, healthy weight gain, and stress reduction.

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  • Better Body Image: Accepting Your Body at Any Size

    Better Body Image: Accepting Your Body at Any Size

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    No matter what your scale says, being comfortable in your own skin is up to you. It can be tough, in a society that prizes unrealistic images. But it’s possible, and it starts with what you say when you look in the mirror.

    One of the first rules of achieving a healthy and happy body image is to stop allowing “put-downs” in front of the mirror, says Lori Osachy, body image expert and lead therapist at The Body Image Counseling Center in Jacksonville, Fla.

    “Even if in the beginning that means you have to jump in front of the mirror and shout, ‘You’re awesome,’ and then immediately jump back out, that’s OK,” she says. “The goal is to retrain your brain how to think positively about your reflection and your body.”

    Over time, telling yourself that you’re beautiful, even if you don’t believe it at first, will improve your confidence, she says. The psychology behind this technique is called “cognitive behavioral therapy,” a method that psychologists and therapists use to stop negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones instead.

    Robyn Silverman, PhD, body image expert and author, agrees that “faking” confidence will eventually turn bad body thoughts into good ones, though it takes time.

    To speed up the process, Silverman suggests posting notes with positive messages on your mirror to remind yourself of your good qualities. Those notes don’t always have to be about your looks. Jotting down things about your character will help you develop a more positive attitude toward your reflection.

    Be Your Own Body Image Advocate

    You would never tell your friend she looks fat in a bathing suit, or tell your coworker his arms are scrawny, so why would you tell yourself that?

    “Treat yourself as you would treat others, and you’ll find negative thoughts will lessen over time,” says Leslie Goldman, MPH, body image expert and author of Locker Room Diaries.

    Ditch the things in your life that make you feel inferior, whether that is body-bashing friends, fashion magazines with supermodels, or TV shows that portray men and women in an unrealistic, sexist way, Silverman says. If a family member or roommate makes you feel bad about the way you look, talk to them directly and establish a “fat-talk-free policy,” she says.

    If an advertisement or TV commercial makes you feel bad about yourself, examine it closer and look for the ways it’s trying to sell you something. “Remember, if we didn’t feel inferior to the models in the ads, we wouldn’t want to buy the product,” Silverman says.

    Look Beyond the Scale

    All too often, people get hung up on the number on the scale, rather than paying attention to how they feel, Silverman says. People of all sizes do that, and it doesn’t help.

    Instead of focusing on one number — your weight — pay attention to how you feel when you wake up or after you hurry to catch the bus. Also check on all your other numbers, such as blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Those may paint a better picture of your health than just your weight alone.

    If you’re trying to lose weight, Silverman suggests swapping weight-loss oriented goals with fitness goals like keeping your cholesterol level down or training for your first 5K.

    “Instead of running away from your old body on the treadmill or the StairMaster, work toward a goal that makes you feel accomplished,” she says.

    Choose an exercise you love, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it, Osachy says. When you exercise for stress relief and fun, your weight and health may naturally start to fall into place, she says.

    As an added bonus, doing something you love will make you see your body in a different light, Silverman says. For instance, instead of loathing your thighs, you’ll appreciate them because they enable you to do the things that you love, whether that is yoga or cycling.

    Cut Yourself Some Slack

    Forget perfection or rigid rules. It’s OK to splurge once in a while even if you’re trying to lose weight, Goldman says. Not letting yourself have a little cake at a party may make you more likely to overindulge later.

    Focus on the bigger picture and praise yourself for the healthy choices you make, rather than the times you think you’ve “failed,” Silverman says.

    Don’t label any food as “bad” or “good.” You’ll only feel worse about yourself and your body if you eat something that isn’t your definition of perfect, Goldman says.

    Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

    “Healthy comes in all shapes and sizes,” Goldman says.

    Never resort to unhealthy measures, such as not eating or taking potentially dangerous supplements, to fit society’s idea of what looks healthy, Silverman says.

    If you’re physically fit, and everything checks out with your doctor, you may want to redefine your weight-loss goals altogether. If negative thoughts about your body become overwhelming, or if you are finding it hard to give up perfectionistic habits about food, weight, or exercise, talk to your doctor or a counselor or therapist.

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  • Endocrine Society experts recommend individualized approach to use of telehealth

    Endocrine Society experts recommend individualized approach to use of telehealth

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    Newswise — WASHINGTON—Following rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth visits are expected to remain an important part of endocrine care, according to a new Endocrine Society policy perspective published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

    Health care providers need to consider a variety of factors when determining which type of visit best serves an individual patient’s needs at a given moment. For many patients, scheduling a mixture of in-person and telehealth visits can make medical care more convenient and effective.

    “Clinicians will need to draw upon their own knowledge of each patient and their clinical goals to decide when to incorporate telehealth into their care,” said Varsha G. Vimalananda, M.D., M.P.H., of VA Bedford Healthcare System in Bedford, Mass., and Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Mass. She is the policy perspective’s first author. “Telehealth visits can be considered as an option each time we schedule an appointment. Patient preference should be elicited, and decisions guided by weighing the factors we describe in the perspective piece.”

    The policy perspective explores five aspects of care that determine when telehealth is appropriate, including:

    • Clinical factors, including whether an in-person physical exam or assessment is needed;
    • Patient factors, such as geographic distance to the clinic, access to transportation, work and family obligations, and comfort level with technology;
    • The patient-clinician relationship;
    • The clinician’s physical surroundings and personal circumstances; and
    • Availability of infrastructure needed to provide quality telehealth services.

    Telehealth can be a valuable component of an individualized care plan. Health care providers and patients should discuss how telehealth fits into care as they develop a care plan together, the policy perspective recommended.

    Telehealth can play an important role in reducing disparities in health care access. Telehealth appointments can make it easier for patients facing barriers such as travel, cost, mobility, mental health, and work or caregiver responsibilities to access the medical care they need.

    Other authors of this study include: Juan P. Brito, M.D., M.S., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.; Leslie A. Eiland, M.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb.; Rayhan A. Lal, M.D., of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif.; Spyridoula Maraka, M.D., M.S., of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark., VA Central Arkansas Healthcare System, Little Rock, Ark., and the Mayo Clinic; Marie E. McDonnell, M.D., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass., and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.; Radhika Narla, M.D., of the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash., and VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, Wash.; Mara Y. Roth, M.D., of the University of Washington; and Stephanie S. Crossen, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of California Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento, Calif.

    The manuscript, “Appropriate Use of Telehealth Visits in Endocrinology: Perspective Statement of the Endocrine Society,” was published online, ahead of print.

    # # #

    Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

    The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

     

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  • Whoopi Goldberg says she didn’t wear a fat suit for ‘Till,’ correcting a reviewer | CNN

    Whoopi Goldberg says she didn’t wear a fat suit for ‘Till,’ correcting a reviewer | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Whoopi Goldberg is correcting the record after a review of her new film, “Till,” purported that Goldberg was wearing a fat suit during filming.

    In a mixed review, a Daily Beast reporter mentions Goldberg only once, writing that Goldberg was “in a distracting fat suit” for her role as Emmett Till’s grandmother. The review has since been edited to omit that line and features an editor’s note.

    “I don’t really care how you felt about the movie, but you should know that was not a fat suit,” Goldberg said on Monday’s episode of “The View.” “That was me. That was steroids.”

    Goldberg was referring to the health challenges she experienced last year with sciatica, a type of nerve pain, for which she was hospitalized and started using a walker. She said on “The View” that at the time, she was taking steroids, which can be used to treat sciatica symptoms.

    “It’s OK to not be a fan of the movie, but you want to leave people’s looks out,” Goldberg said.

    It’s not uncommon for a popular and awarded actress in a prestigious film to wear a fat suit, though. Plenty of stars have donned fat suits, sometimes in demeaning ways. From Gwyneth Paltrow as an obese woman in 2001’s “Shallow Hal” to Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp in last year’s “American Crime Story: Impeachment,” the actors inside the fat suits are often not fat. Men, too, have worn fat suits, largely in comedic roles, including John Travolta in “Hairspray,” Ryan Reynolds in “Just Friends” and Eddie Murphy in “Norbit.”

    This year alone has seen a surge of famous actors wearing fat suits: Renée Zellweger in “The Thing About Pam” and Tom Hanks in “Elvis” are two examples of Oscar winners who have worn fat suits for roles. Emma Thompson wears one in the musical adaptation of “Matilda” due out later this year, and in the awards season vehicle “The Whale,” Brendan Fraser plays an obese man at the end of his life under several pounds of prostheses.

    Viewers often criticize the practice, particularly when a filmmaker chooses not to cast an actor whose body type already matches that of the character. In a recent interview with the New York Times, retired professor and media researcher J. Kevin Thompson said that uses of fat suits in media – particularly when the characters portrayed by actors in fat suits are made fun of or portrayed in an unflattering light – can be psychologically damaging to viewers and that women disproportionately incur most of that damage.

    “These roles were most often associated with ‘humor,’ which, of course, might not be so funny if one were the butt of the joke,” Thompson told the Times.

    For its part, “Till” ostensibly does not feature actors in fat suits. The film, which focuses on Mamie Till’s activism and her contributions to the civil rights movement after the murder of her son, Emmett, will be released on October 14.

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  • New US Army regulation could result in more soldiers failing body fat assessments | CNN Politics

    New US Army regulation could result in more soldiers failing body fat assessments | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    As the US Army moves to a new way to measure soldiers’ body fat, officials acknowledged Wednesday that some soldiers who had previously passed under the old regulations may now fail under the new.

    The Army is changing its tape test – a method to measure soldiers’ body fat by taking the circumference of various parts of a soldier’s body with a measuring tape. The tape test, an often-dreaded practice among soldiers, is used when soldiers’ weights do not fall within the mandated body mass index screening table.

    Previously, men were taped around their neck and abdomen, while women were taped around their neck, waist, and hips. Now, all soldiers regardless of gender will be taped in one area – around the navel – to calculate their body fat.

    Many soldiers had cheered the Army’s efforts to update its Body Composition Program when the study started in 2021.

    But Holly McClung, a lead researcher on the Army’s Body Composition Study that resulted in the change, told reporters Wednesday that more soldiers will fail the new test.

    Army data provided to CNN showed that 34% of people were passing the previous version of the tape test when they should have failed. The new test is expected to align with the regulations and lead to more failures, the data said.

    The change is a potential concern considering that soldiers who fail to meet the weight standards can be separated from the service, after several months of attempting to get within their weight standard.

    Asked about concerns over more soldiers potentially failing because of the updated body composition study, Sgt. Maj. Christopher Stevens, the senior enlisted leader of the Army’s personnel office, told reporters on Wednesday that the Army is “putting everything on the table to really look at how we can ensure that we continue to assess and retain quality.”

    The tape test practice has long been criticized as outdated and inaccurate, particularly as the Army shifted to a new fitness test that introduced more weightlifting than the old test, sparking concerns that the body assessment wouldn’t account for gaining muscle mass.

    The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the measurement of waist circumference can help predict who may be at higher risk of developing obesity-related health problems like diabetes and heart disease, but it is not a diagnostic tool to determine body fatness or health.

    Indeed, the Army said in March that soldiers “with a high volume of lean muscle mass were still at risk of failing the body fat assessment.” So the Army made an exemption for soldiers who scored a 540 out of 600 total points on the Army Combat Fitness Test, saying that those soldiers would not need to be taped. The exemption requires a minimum of 80 out of 100 points earned in each of the six fitness tests.

    “As soldiers leverage all domains of Holistic Health and Fitness and strive to reach their maximum potential, our policies should encourage their progress, not constrain It,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston said at the time.

    McClung said Wednesday that efforts by the Army to link data of body composition to soldiers’ performance is “kind of groundbreaking.”

    “And what we hope is that over years to come, maybe the bar will get heightened and that it won’t be a 540 it’ll be a 550, it’ll be a continuous moving benchmark because the soldiers will become more fit,” she said.

    For the next year, soldiers will have the option of using the previous measuring methods if they fail the tape test under the new regulations. If a soldier fails both, they have the option of requesting another assessment using specific machines that use X-ray or other methods to measure body fat.

    Soldiers who still weigh outside the required standard for their gender and height are enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program, which is meant to help them lose weight and get back within standards. Army regulations say they will be provided “exercise guidance” by a fitness trainer in the unit and meet with a registered dietitian.

    Soldiers who fail to get within standards after six months can be separated from the service.

    McClung said Wednesday that those who had been inaccurately passing would not be “necessarily separated from the Army.”

    “We want to help them,” she said, “we want to put them on a health promotion track, work with some dietitians and some trainers, and bring them up to standards.”

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  • Wantagh Resident Scott Lannan is Working to Launch the Santa Cause, a New Campaign to Help Those Who Are Sick

    Wantagh Resident Scott Lannan is Working to Launch the Santa Cause, a New Campaign to Help Those Who Are Sick

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    By donating a portion of all the sales of Santa merchandise, Lannan believes it could generate funding to help those who are sick.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Dec 21, 2018


    WANTAGH, N.Y., December 21, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
     Scott Lannan, a Wantagh resident, who has been known to ride his bicycle in town dressed as Santa, has been working to launch a new campaign. What he calls The Santa Cause is an initiative to raise funding through the sale of current Santa merchandise including pictures, lawn decorations and other Santa gear. He believes taking a portion of these sales could fund initiatives to help the sick and those in need.

    “I want us to get back to the real meaning of Santa as a giver, more than the commercialized industry that Santa now represents,” explains Lannan. “The legend of Santa originated with St. Nicholas in what is now Turkey. His story was about giving selflessly. I think if we can use that image of Santa today, we can get back to a place of helping those who are less fortunate, particularly those who are sick.”

    Allowing Santa to be active and in better health rather than obese encourages not just youth, but all those older father and grandfathers who play Santa to do so in a healthy way.

    Scott Lannan, The Santa Cause

    Health is important to Lannan. He believes it’s also important while helping the sick to show Santa in a new way. With the rates of childhood obesity rising, Lannan believes it’s time to show this most beloved childhood icon in a way that promotes activity and good health, which is why he’s Santa on a bike.

    “Allowing Santa to be active and in better health rather than obese encourages not just youth, but all those older father and grandfathers who play Santa to do so in a healthy way,” says Lannan. “Many balk at the idea because of tradition, but there’s no reason why Santa has to carry so much weight. Santa being active and eating healthy could be a great role model to children and adults of all ages.”

    To learn more about the campaign and how to help, contact Scott Lannan at 516-408-0219 or email thesantacause@outlook.com.

    About The Santa Cause

    The Santa Cause is an initiative launched by Scott Lannan a Wantagh, New York resident, who wants to use Santa merchandising as a way to raise funding to help those who are sick and in need.

    Media Contact:

    Scott Lannan

    Phone: 516-408-0219

    Email thesantacause@outlook.com

    Source: Scott Lannan

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  • TABLE FOR TWO Launches the Wa-Shokuiku Pilot Program: Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!

    TABLE FOR TWO Launches the Wa-Shokuiku Pilot Program: Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 14, 2017


    New York, NY, June 14, 2017 (Newswire.com)
    –
     TABLE FOR TWO USA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, devoted to promoting healthy eating for children both in the United States and around the world, has launched the inaugural pilot program of its new initiative, Wa-Shokuiku: Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese! This project aims to teach elementary and middle school students in the U.S. about Japanese food and foodways through hands-on cooking and learning activities. Introducing pilot programs in Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. throughout spring, Wa-Shokuiku is expected to begin officially in autumn 2017.

    Wa-Shokuiku combines the Japanese words “Washoku(和食)” which refers to Japanese food and, “Shokuiku(食育),” food education. Washoku, literally harmony in food, is recognized as one of the world’s healthiest diets. Shokuiku, a government-mandated school curriculum in Japan, promotes a wide range of knowledge about food as well as the ability to make appropriate food choices. The Wa-Shokuiku program is inspired and informed by the educational philosophy, flavors and food of Japan.

    “The Wa-Shokuiku Project allows our students to experience not only a new cuisine but a new culture. The lessons are organized, interesting, and balance new learning with hands-on cooking.”

    Kirsten Svenson, Teacher at Community Health Academy of the Heights

    The Wa-Shokuiku project is aimed at after-school programs as an enrichment activity and centers on three main focuses: (1) preparing delicious and healthy Japanese food, (2) understanding the “washoku” world, and (3) making a difference in the world through understanding food-related concerns regarding issues such as food waste, food insecurity, and unwholesome eating. Students will learn how to make iconic Japanese foods such as onigiri (rice ball), sushi rolls, miso soup, and okonomiyaki and be introduced to less well-known foods in the Japanese diet such as wakame seaweed and lotus root. Dietary concepts such as choosing foods with “5 colors” (red, black, yellow, white and green) help students identify foods with a variety of nutrients and flavors that aid in creating a balanced meal. In addition, students will learn how to put together a bento box lunch, chopstick etiquette, the importance of eating together as a group, appreciation for those who both prepare and grow our food with the words “Itadakimasu” and “Gochisosama“, the importance of presentation and the concept of “Mottainai” (avoiding waste) as part of this 7-week program.

    “The key is to make Japanese food approachable,” says curriculum designer and cookbook author Debra Samuels. “We’re teaching our students about the healthy habits and cooking styles that can be used across a wide range of ingredients.” Students aren’t just learning about how to make Japanese dishes; they are learning about so much more. Program Coordinator Alexis Agliano Sanborn adds, “It’s about a mindfulness towards cooking and lifestyle.”

    The project launched its first pilot program at New York City school Community Health Academy of the Heights (CHAH) in Washington Heights under the supervision of Kirsten Svenson. After the first session, Svenson said: “The Wa-Shokuiku Project allows our students to experience not only a new cuisine but a new culture. The lessons are organized, interesting, and balance new learning with hands-on cooking. It is clear that Joshua-sensei (teacher) and the entire team of organizers and volunteers truly care about the culture that they are sharing and the students with whom they are sharing it. The enthusiasm in the room is palpable as our students practice new Japanese words, sample seaweed, rice ball, and arrange their bento boxes. Even as students left the very first session, they kept asking when Wa-Shokuiku would be back.” Students from CHAH had this to say about the program: “I like the new flavors in the Japanese recipes we make. At first, they seem different, but they taste really good!” “I like the program because we get to learn about a new culture that we wouldn’t know about otherwise.”

    Wa-Shokuiku was born from the shared passion for Japanese food and food education of the project members. “We saw a need for this type of work in schools,” says Project Leader and TABLE FOR TWO USA Co-President Mayumi Uejima-Carr. Uejima-Carr has been holding workshops in American schools and noticed the need for a new approach to food and programming. “Rather than one-off cultural events, we really wanted to create a structured curriculum to make as meaningful an impact on students as possible.” Boston University Anthropology Professor Merry White, a Japanese food and education expert, is a consultant on the project and Yamagata University Professor Katsura Omori, an expert in Japanese food education, has provided continued support and guidance. “Pleasure and curiosity are at the core of Japan’s food learning: children are taught to develop their senses and their sensibilities through education in food,” says White.

    The Wa-Shokuiku program has been made possible thanks to a grant from the United States-Japan Foundation as well as several charitable foundations, Japanese food corporations and pro bono support. David Janes, Director of Foundation Grants and Assistant to the President at the United States-Japan Foundation, says: “Wa-shokuiku not only promotes healthy eating, but promotes greater interest in the ties between the U.S. and Japan.” SMBC Global Foundation, CHALK (Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids) Program of New York-Presbyterian, JFC International/Nishiki, Zojirushi America, City Year Boston, Kid Power and Polite Piggy’s also provided necessary support and supplies for the pilot program. The Wa-Shokuiku team is excited to launch the pilot program and has set their sights on providing Wa-Shokuiku to more students in more schools this Fall. “Our initial experiences in the classrooms have been overwhelmingly positive,” says Uejima-Carr. “We continue to seek support and instructors that will help us bring this experience to more students.”

    About TABLE FOR TWO USA:
    TABLE FOR TWO USA (TFT) is a 501(C)(3) organization that addresses issues of hunger and obesity through a unique “meal-sharing” program. TFT partners with corporations, restaurants, schools and other food establishments to serve healthy, low-calorie, TFT-branded meals. For each one of these healthy meals served, a small portion of the cost is donated to provide one school meal for a child in need. TFT started in Japan and now operates in 14 countries. As one of the most well-known NPOs in Japan which is noted for the longevity of its people, TFT promotes Japanese healthy eating culture as well to tackle the critical health issues.

    Photos by Carlos Bido of 10×10 studio.com

    Media Contact:
    Mayumi Uejima-Carr
    Co-President, TABLE FOR TWO USA
    E: m.uejima@tablefor2.org
    P: 318-359-9736

    Source: TABLE FOR TWO USA

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  • Harvest Snaps and Table for Two Reunite to Fight Obesity and Hunger With Students – Snappy Idea for Giving Back

    Harvest Snaps and Table for Two Reunite to Fight Obesity and Hunger With Students – Snappy Idea for Giving Back

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    Press Release
    –

    May 12, 2016


    New York, NY, May 12, 2016 (Newswire.com)
    –
    ​​​​​​Harvest Snaps and TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) are rejoining their efforts to address both obesity and hunger. From April through November, over 100 elementary, middle and high schools nationwide are expected to participate in this unique program that provides a healthy bite for all involved. Students will receive better-for-you snacks of Harvest Snaps Snapea Crisps donated by Harvest Snaps, and for each snack distributed Harvest Snaps will donate an additional 25 cents to TFT to provide healthy school meals for children in need in East Africa and our local communities. With a simple act of snacking on Harvest Snaps Snapea Crisps students enable another child to receive a vitally important and nutritious school meal.

    Harvest Snaps and TFT aim to elevate awareness of children’s obesity and hunger in their “Snappy Idea for Giving Back” campaign. One of the participating schools, Community School of Naples in Florida, has over 800 children excited to participate in the program. During a school assembly, their students gave a presentation about world hunger and obesity issues, how the Giving Back program works and what kind of school meals can be provided to children in Africa.

    “As one of the participating schools, we are extremely thrilled to provide a great educational opportunity to our students. They can learn about world critical issues and most importantly, they can take a step towards the solution in a very creative and fun way.”

    Parthena Draggett, World Language Department Chair, Community School of Naples

    “As one of the participating schools, we are extremely thrilled to provide a great educational opportunity to our students. They can learn about world critical issues and most importantly, they can take a step towards the solution in a very creative and fun way,” said Parthena Draggett, World Language Department Chair of Community School of Naples.

    In addition, Harvest Snaps and TFT aim to raise enough donated funds to provide over 80,000 school meals to African children in Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia and simultaneously to local communities in the US. In Africa, the 25 cents from the program funds one school meal to each child, and in the US it facilitates school meal upgrades for healthier options in low-income neighborhood districts.

    “We are very excited about launching our Giving Back campaign again this year. Over 50 participating schools last year gave really positive feedback, so we decided to expand the program to enable more schools to be part of it. Thanks to Harvest Snaps, students can make a difference by doing good for themselves and eating a healthier snack” said Mayumi Uejima-Carr, Co-President of TFT. “Among seven billion people in the world, one billion suffer from hunger, while one billion people are overweight or obese. What better way to learn than to take action toward these critical issues.”

    Harvest Snaps provides snack enthusiasts with a tasty, crunchy, green pea snack that offers necessary nutrients to help growing bodies and minds like plant-based protein, fiber, vitamin B, calcium, iron, and potassium. “We are proud to continue working on the obesity and hunger issues stateside and internationally,” said Angelica Lasley, Harvest Snaps Brand Marketing Manager. “We specifically choose to work with TFT because of their unique method of educating and empowering local children to make healthier snacking choices while making a positive difference in a needy child’s life both in the US and in Africa. ”

                                                                          ###

    TABLE FOR TWO USA (TFT-USA) is a 501(C)(3) organization that addresses the opposite issues of hunger and obesity through a unique meal-sharing program. TFT-USA partners with corporations, restaurants, schools and other food establishments to serve healthy, low-calorie, TFT- branded meals. For each one of these healthy meals served, $0.25 is donated to provide one school lunch for a student in need. It is in this way that TFT-USA has served healthy meals to both sides of the “table” and helped to right the global food imbalance. For more information about TFT-USA, visit usa.tablefor2.org

    Harvest Snaps® has been manufactured by Calbee North America since 2001. The Harvest Snaps brand philosophy is driven by minimal ingredients and minimal processing, great taste and the naturally better-for-you benefits of a legume-based snack. Harvest Snaps Snapea Crisps and Lentil Bean are available in six delicious flavors and offer a low sodium, high protein and fiber snack alternative in each satisfyingly crunchy bite. New this summer is the Harvest Snaps Black Bean snaps in Habanero and Mango Chile Lime. For more information about Harvest Snaps, visit www.HarvestSnaps.com

    Source: TABLE FOR TWO USA | Harvest Snaps

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