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Obese
people may lower their heart disease risk by losing a moderate amount
of weight, as shedding pounds appears to cut blood levels of proteins
involved in inflammation, according to Italian researchers.
Obesity,
a burgeoning problem in many developed nations, is a major risk factor
for heart disease. Abdominal fat, in particular, is linked to an increased
risk of cardiovascular disease.
Weight
gain, especially around the abdomen, is also known to increase levels
of immune system proteins called cytokines. Certain
cytokines cause an inflammatory response, which can contribute to the
formation of fatty deposits in the arteries known as atherosclerosis.
The investigators
found that obese women had increased levels of two cytokines -- called
tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 -- as well as increased
expression of atherosclerosis-promoting proteins that are known to be
triggered by increased cytokine levels.
After
one year on a program of diet, exercise and behavioral counseling, each
of the obese women lost at least 10% of their starting weight (about 22
pounds, on average). They also showed a significant reduction in their
levels of cytokines and other potentially damaging proteins.
Weight
loss represents a safe method for downregulating the inflammatory state
and ameliorating (blood-vessel) dysfunction in obese women. Cytokine levels
returned toward normal values, even though women did not lose all their
excess weight.
Circulation
January 15, 2002;105
More than one-fifth of US adults
-- roughly 47 million Americans -- are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes,
heart disease and death, an analysis of national medical data reveals.
According to the report, 22%
of adults aged 20 to 79 had at least three symptoms that characterize
metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with an elevated risk of diabetes
and heart disease. These symptoms include abdominal obesity or a thick
waist, elevated blood fats known as triglycerides, low levels of HDL ("good")
cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
The results point to a possible
increase in healthcare costs in the coming years if Americans fail to
address their burgeoning rates of overweight and obesity through diet
and exercise.
Studies have found that individuals
who adopted healthier lifestyle approaches for weight control and physical
activity were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than participants
who did not.
JAMA January 16, 2002;287:356-359
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