CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – You eat healthy, and you exercise, yet the numbers on your scale just nudge their way up. If you wonder why your health habits mirror that of a friend’s but she’s skinny and you are not, researchers at the University of Virginia say genes may play a big part, and now, they’ve identified specific genes that may be making some people fat, and others that help people stay thin. Curbing Obesity.
With more than 41 percent of Americans considered obese, it’s a critical question – when diet and exercise fail, what else can people do to get to a healthy weight?
“We really need to develop drugs that are safe and that can be used for the average person,” says Professor of Genomics at UVA Health, Professor Eyleen O’Rourke, PhD.
Researchers at the University of Virginia have taken the first step by studying a tiny invertebrate, a worm called C. elegans, that has a very similar genetic makeup to humans. The scientists have identified 14 genes that may put people at higher risk for gaining weight.
Professor O’Rourke explains, “So, if you eat the same as your cousin that doesn’t have that variant, you are more likely to become obese.”
The researchers have also identified three gene variants that may do the opposite. People with these genes can eat more and maintain a healthy weight.
With specific targets identified, Professor O’Rourke says researchers can develop drugs that would inactivate the genes, which in turn, could accelerate weight loss.
Professor O’Rourke says the gene discovery could also open the way for researchers to test drugs that are currently FDA-approved for other uses, to see if they impact the obesity genes. By the way, the worm, C. elegans, is used in genetic studies because they have more than 70 percent of the same genes as humans.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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Sources:
https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2021/09/20/uva-discovers-genes-that-cause-obesity/
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: A TINY WORM MAY HOLD THE KEY TO CURBING OBESITY
REPORT: MB #5094
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers. In the United States, it is estimated that 93 million Americans are affected by obesity. More than nine million adolescents (children and teens six to 19 years old) are affected by excess weight. Children who are affected by obesity are 70 percent more likely to continue being affected by it into adulthood.
https://www.obesityaction.org/get-educated/public-resources/obesity-statistics-fact-sheets/)
DIAGNOSING: The most common way to determine if a person is affected by overweight or obesity is to calculate BMI, which is an estimate of body fat that compares a person’s weight to their height. Healthcare providers use BMI, along with information about additional risk factors, to determine a person’s risk for developing weight-related diseases. Usually, the higher a person’s BMI, the higher the risk of disease. Common symptoms of obesity in adults include excess body fat, particularly around the waist, shortness of breath, sweating more than usual, snoring, fatigue, which can range from mild to extreme, and pain, especially in the back and joints.
(Sources: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/obesity/conditioninfo/diagnosed
https://www.verywellhealth.com/obesity-symptoms-4689168)
NEW THERAPY: Gelesis100 (Plenity), just approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April and expected to come on the market later this year, is an exciting recent innovation in weight management. Although Plenity comes in capsule form, it is actually a weight loss device, not a medication. The capsules are filled with hydrogel particles. When taken with a full glass of water before meals, the particles expand in the stomach and take up space, leading to the sensation of fullness. The gel particles eventually move through the intestinal tract and are broken down by enzymes and excreted. In the pivotal randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial about 60% of those who followed a diet and exercise plan plus took Plenity lost 5% or more of their initial weight. And about 25% of those who took it were high responders, losing 10% or more of initial weight.
(Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/new-fda-approved-weight-loss-device-shows-promise-2019072917362)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Joshua Barney
1 (434) 906-8864
Jdb9a@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu
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