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Hyper-alimentation - effects on health and well-being

01 Jan 2010-
TL;DR: Hyper-alimentation and limited physical activity during a short-term period of 4 weeks is sufficient to temporarily induce worsened HRQoL, cause depressive symptoms and lack of energy in healthy normal weight individuals, suggesting that hyperaliments per se can induce profound ALT elevations in less than 4 weeks.
Abstract: The general aim of this thesis was to prospectively examine the effects on health and well-being when healthy normal weight individuals increase their energy intake, mainly from fast food and simultaneously adopt a sedentary lifestyle.This thesis is based upon a prospective experimental study design where 18 healthy normal weight individuals, 12 men and 6 women, aged 26 (6.6) years, increased their energy intake with in average 70 % during four weeks. Simultaneously their physical activity was limited to a maximum of 5000 steps per day. An age and gender matched control group (n=18), was recruited and asked not to change their eatingand physical activity habits for four weeks. Long-term follow-up measurements were performed after 6 and 12 months and 2.5 years after the intervention.During the intervention body weight increased with 6.4 (2.8) kg and measurements of body composition showed an increase of both fat mass and fat free mass after the intervention. Lower physical and mental health scores on SF-36 as well as depressive symptoms were found compared to baseline. They were temporary and when followed up 6 and 12 months after the intervention, physical and mental health had returned to baseline values, despite a somewhat increased body weight. The main essence of adopting an obesity provoking behaviour was lack of energy emerging from five structures: influenced self-confidence, commitment to oneself and others, managing eating, feelings of tiredness and physical impact. Laboratory measurements showed an increase of ALT above reference limits in 14 of the 18 participants during the intervention and HTGC increased, although this was not related to the increase in ALT levels. Twelve months after the intervention an increase of body weight with 1.5 (2.4) kg was found compared to baseline (p=0.018), fat free mass was unchanged compared to baseline while fat mass had increased, + 1.4 (1.9) kg (p=0.01). Two and a half years after the intervention an increase of body weight with 3.1 (4.0) kg was found compared to baseline (p=0.01), while there was no change in controls compared to baseline, + 0.1 (2.5) kg (p=0.88).Hyper-alimentation and limited physical activity during a short-term period of 4 weeks is sufficient to temporarily induce worsened HRQoL, cause depressive symptoms and lack of energy in healthy normal weight individuals. There were also temporary but clear effects on biochemical markers, suggesting that hyperalimentation per se can induce profound ALT elevations in less than 4 weeks. During the intervention both fat mass and fat-free mass increased while after 12 months there was only an increase of fat mass which was greater than expected from epidemiological studies. The marked difference between the increase in body weight in the intervention- and control group at 2.5 years also raises the question whether there is a long-term effect of increasing fat mass after a short period of hyperalimentation.

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The EQ-5D, EQ-VAS and SF-6D were in agreement that, relative to a normal BMI, obesity is associated with a lower HRQL, even after controlling for patient characteristics and co-morbidity.
Abstract: No other studies have compared the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) on more than one utility measure. Estimating the HRQL effects of obesity on a (common) utility scale enables the relative cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to alleviate obesity to be estimated. To examine the relationship between BMI and HRQL according to the EQ-5D, EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) and SF-6D. Patients aged ⩾45 years at one UK general practice were asked to complete the EQ-5D, EQ-VAS, SF-36 questionnaire (used to derive the SF-6D), and information on their characteristics and co-morbidity. Body mass index was categorized according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Regression analysis was used to compare the HRQL of normal BMI patients to the HRQL of patients in other BMI categories, while controlling for patient characteristics and co-morbidity. A total of 1865 patients responded (67%), mean BMI 26.0 kg/m2, 16% obese (BMI⩾30). Patients with back pain, hip pain, knee pain, asthma, diabetes or osteoarthritis were also significantly more likely to be obese. After controlling for other factors, compared to normal BMI patients, obese patients had a lower HRQL according to the EQ-5D (P<0.01), EQ-VAS (P<0.001) and SF-6D (P<0.001). Pre-obese patients were not estimated to have a significantly lower HRQL, and underweight patients were only estimated to have a significantly lower HRQL according to the SF-6D. These results arose because, on the EQ-5D, obese patients were found to have significantly more problems with mobility and pain, compared to physical functioning, social functioning and role limitations on the SF-6D. Whereas, according to the SF-6D, underweight patients had significantly more problems on the dimension of role limitation. The EQ-5D, EQ-VAS and SF-6D were in agreement that, relative to a normal BMI, obesity is associated with a lower HRQL, even after controlling for patient characteristics and co-morbidity. These three measures are thereby sensitive to the HRQL effects of obesity and can be used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to alleviate obesity.

259 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The nutrition transition in Egypt has occured in the context of abundant dietary energy availability, urbanisation and moderate fat intakes, and both the prevalence of obesity in adults and of diet-related chronic disease are very high.
Abstract: Objectives: To describe changing food consumption patterns in Egypt over the last several decades, current levels of overweight and obesity, and current data on obesity-related morbidity. Design: Secondary analysis and synthesis of existing data from national-level food consumption surveys, large recent surveys of hypertension and diabetes, and documentation of historical and policy context. Setting: Arab Republic of Egypt. Subjects: As selected and described in primary data sources. Results and conclusions: The nutrition transition in Egypt has occured in the context of abundant dietary energy availability, urbanisation and moderate fat intakes. The prevalence of obesity in adults is very high, particularly among women. The prevalences of diabetes mellitus and of hypertension parallel that of obesity, and both are very high. Little information is available on physical activity, but it is likely that a large proportion of the population is quite sedentary, particularly in the cities. At the same time, rates of early childhood malnutrition remain stubbornly stable and relatively high. Public awareness of the increasing prevalence of obesity and of diet-related chronic disease is increasing, and attention has turned to documenting the problem(s).

237 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The intent of as mentioned in this paper is to move beyond the work of Weber and construct a concept of health lifestyles applicable to the current phase of modernity, beginning with the early twentieth century.
Abstract: The intent of this article is to move beyond the work of Weber and construct a concept of health lifestyles applicable to the current phase of modernity. Beginning with the early twentieth-century ...

235 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a study was conducted to determine the effect of stress on appetite and eating habits related to comfort foods in a college population and found that subjects with an increased appetite chose significantly more types of sweet foods and mixed dishes.

230 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review of studies into the effects of portion size on energy intake shows that increased food portion sizes lead to increased energy intake levels and important mechanisms explaining why larger portions are attractive and lead to higher intake levels are value for money and portion distortion.
Abstract: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased. A strong environmental factor contributing to the obesity epidemic is food portion size. This review of studies into the effects of portion size on energy intake shows that increased food portion sizes lead to increased energy intake levels. Important mechanisms explaining why larger portions are attractive and lead to higher intake levels are value for money and portion distortion. This review also shows that few intervention studies aiming to reverse the negative influence of portion size have been conducted thus far, and the ones that have been conducted show mixed effects. More intervention studies targeted at portion size are urgently needed. Opportunities for further interventions are identified and a framework for portion size interventions is proposed. Opportunities for intervention include those targeted at the individual as well as those targeted at the physical, economic, political and socio-cultural environment.

228 citations