Jack Oughton - Compiled Health and Fitness Articles.pdf

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JACK ≠ OUGHTON Health Writing Portfolio • ≠ • Some Compiled Health and Fitness Articles

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© 2010 Jack Oughton

A little dark chocolate may go a long way for your heart.. A story recently reported by the Daily Express tell us that eating two small pieces of chocolate a week can cut the risk of heart failure by up to a third. The story is based on a study of the effects of chocolate on the heart health of elderly and middle aged women, carried out at Harvard Medical School and the Karolinska institute in Sweden. Results showed that women who ate moderate amounts of chocolate (one to two servings weekly, or one to three servings a month) were correlated with a lower heart failure risk. Unfortunately the study didn’t make clear how much ‘two small bits’ was, and relied on women recalling their precise intake of chocolate, which meant the results are not as accurate as metabolic ward studies where precise intakes are measured. Many other studies have looked at the health benefits of chocolate, however results are inconclusive at this time. Emerging evidence suggests that extremely dark chocolate (80%+ cocoa solids) may be healthy in moderation. Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, which the Aztecs fondly dubbed ‘the food of the Gods’. It contains many healthy ingredients such as anandamide (a euphoric substance) and arginine (a natural aphrodisiac Though a pleasure many enjoy, over consumption of chocolate is clearly linked to weight gain and obesity. Most commercial (milk) chocolate is a potent combination of sugars and fats, and is extremely high in calories. That’s part of why it tastes so good. As the link between overweight and heart disease is clearly associated, it is important to bear in mind that moderation is key. If you are a chocolate lover, you should try to moderate your weekly intake as the study suggests, and enjoy the richer taste of darker chocolate bars. Don’t forget to exercise regularly and enjoy healthy foods such as vegetables and fruit as the staples of your food plan.



Hard line

A report looking into the future of healthcare in Britain has suggested levying penalties imposed on overweight people who refuse to change their behaviour and drop to a healthy weight. The report, Visions Of Britain 2020, suggests that this legislation could be similar in nature to the smoking ban. The paper goes into great detail of the potential impact of people eating unhealthily, exercising too little, and drinking too much alcohol. Experts have condemned government campaigns designed to change attitudes towards health and fitness and now suggest taking a harder line. Experts told the researchers they expect treatments, such as IVF, dental treatment, obesity surgery and drugs, dementia treatment and complementary therapies will no longer be free in 2020. Instead, people will be encouraged to lead healthier lifestyles with the aim of preventing or staving off debilitating conditions in their older age. The report states: “In looking ahead to 2020 we anticipate tighter controls on ‘unhealthy’ behaviours at some cost to our liberties.” Today the NHS struggles to deal with its workload, and with both an increasingly aging population and the rate of obesity slowly climbing every year, drastic measures may need to be taken. The end of the NHS as we know it? Essentially, the report advises that people who refuse to change their ways should be made to pay for their care. Though a possible solution to what appears to be an impending crisis, some of the suggestions in the report go against the core principle of the NHS, which is that good healthcare should be freely available to all, regardless of wealth or background. Trevor Matthews, of Friends Provident, which was part of the team that compiled the report, said “We all need to adopt healthier lifestyles or else risk being faced with penalties in the years ahead.” Commenting directly on the obesity penalties implied by the research, Trevor added, “some of the behaviours identified in the report mean that these changes will be much harder on us than we expect them to be.” But government is optimistic Public Health Minister, Anne Milton, said: “This Government will always keep an NHS which is comprehensive, free and based on need, not ability to pay. This report suggests that improving public health is a lost cause and we don’t agree. We are determined to create a public health system that truly helps people live longer and healthier lives…”



Overweight diminishes sperm quality and quantity New findings from a research term lead by Dr. Uwe Paasch at the University of Leipzig have been released in the Journal Of Fertility And Sterility. They indicate that obese young men may have a lower sperm count than their counterparts of a normal weight. This discovery adds to mounting evidence that links obesity to lower quantity and quality of sperm. However, in all such studies, age is a problem factor in finding the relationship between weight and sperm quality. Older men tend to have a lower sperm quality than younger men, and also tend to carry more body fat. Hard data Overall Dr. Paasch’s group found that obese men had a relatively lower sperm count than normal weight men, but still fell within a normal range, which is between 20 and 150 million per millilitre of semen. Other evidence suggests that body fat, and abdominal fat in particular, is closely related to sex-hormone levels. Paasch also mentioned that in other studies he and his colleagues found high levels of body fat are to able cause changes in the collection of proteins that control sperm function and survival. Study methodology and uncertainty In the study, Paasch and his colleagues used information from a database on men who had come to their fertility clinic for a semen analysis between 1999 and 2005. The 2,157 men included in the study were 30 years old, on average, and had no known infertility problems. This study had did have a number of limitations which included the fact that the men were patients at a fertility clinic rather than a sample from the general population, which could have introduced another factor to the measurements based on the type of people who volunteered. It is not entirely clear why obesity is related to sperm quality. Some studies have found that obese men tend to have altered levels of testosterone and other reproductive hormones compared with thinner men. However, in this study, hormone levels correlated with age, but not with body weight. The researchers also pointed out that weight categories were based on body mass index, or BMI, a measure of weight in relation to height. Unfortunately BMI does not precisely measure bodyfat, factors such as additional muscle mass can on subjects can skew the results. Stay safe Though the effects of obesity on sperm quality are becoming clear, studies have not yet come to a firm conclusion if obesity affects fertility or not. Regardless of the uncertainty in the results Dr. Paasch recommended “..relationship between weight and sperm count offers young men another reason to try to maintain a normal weight.”



Trapped cells, diabetes and obesity

New evidence published in the medical journal Diabetes indicates that the cells trapped in inflamed fat tissue cause to the body to become resistant to the effects of insulin.

Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute made this connection after studying 100 Australians who had undergone lap band surgery.

Professor Len Harrison, a researcher at the Institute who worked on the project commented on the findings;

"We have shown that insulin resistance in human obesity is closely related to the presence of inflammatory cells in fat tissue, in particular a population of macrophage cells.."

Burning up inside

Results show that the effects of excessive bodyfat work like an infection, where the complications include insulin resistance.

Macrophages are immune cells that normally respond to infections. In obese people, these become trapped in fat tissue, where they cause inflammation and release cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins, which carry messages between cells. Certain cytokines cause cells to become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin, leading to the complications of insulin resistance such as diabetes and heart disease.

Resistance is futile

Insulin resistance is the cause of diabetes, and is the condition in which blood sugar levels are less responsive to the effects of insulin.

Insulin works to lower blood sugar levels, detoxifying the body. If the cells become resistant to insulin this can lead to chronically elevated blood sugar levels which can cause a variety of internal damage such as ongoing oxidative stress and harm to our body.

Professor Harrison explained;

“Complications of obesity such as insulin resistance and diabetes, cardiovascular disease associated with hardening of the arteries, and liver problems are the result of inflammation that occurs in the fat tissue"

Lose the weight, lose the problem.

One participant in the study was Denise Balnaves, from Victoria, aged 62. She reported that after dropping from 98KG to 70KG, her need for insulin injections dropped from four daily, to one.

Commenting on the findings Dr. Harrison said:

“ When obese people lost weight the macrophages in the fat tissue disappeared, as did the risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes.”

Evidence from the study suggests that losing extra fat stores allows trapped, inflamed cells to escape, which causes the body’s sensitivity to insulin to rise again, which is great news for diabetics.



Fast insulin, fat cells

New evidence has been uncovered that insulin may be a more significant cause of obesity than genetics. Researchers at Purdue University found genetically identical cells store greatly varied amounts of fat, depending in subtle variations on how cells process insulin. Research suggests that the faster a cell processes insulin, the more fat it stores. Researchers used a biological process called adipogenesis, taking cell cultures of a line called 3T3-L1, which is often used to study fat cells. In adipogenesis, these cells turn straight to fat. The ‘fat gene’ fallacy Previously, scientists had suggested that certain "fat genes" might be associated with excessive fat storage in cells. However, the Purdue researchers confirmed that these fat genes were or activated in all of the cells, not all of which stored the same level of fat. The main finding was that the differences in fat storage depended more on the “insulin signalling pathway” in the cell – which enables these cells to take up glucose from the blood. Inuslin attaches to cell membranes, and signals cells to take up glucose from the blood. Cells that are said to be insulin resistant fail to take up glucose, causing blood levels of glucose to raise above normal. This is the main culprit for Type II Diabetes, a condition, which is linked to complications such as heart disease and a host of other health problems. In the UK, diabetes is estimated to affect around 1 in 20 people. The Purdue discoveries are detailed in a research paper published by the Public Library Of Science a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians. Future breakthroughs now very possible Understanding the mechanism that processes insulin storage in cells could lead to breakthroughs in combating obesity. Ji-Xin Cheng, an assistant professor in Purdue University's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering commented "Insights from our study also will be important for understanding the precise roles of insulin in obesity or Type II diabetes, and to the design of effective intervention strategies" The research, which is funded by the National Institutes Of Health, is ongoing. Future work may seek to understand the insulin signalling pathway a little better and how manipulating it may better allow us to control obesity and treat fat storage.



New research finds that cold weather triggers heart attacks The Study New research suggests that cold days make people more susceptible to heart attacks, with a 1°C temperature drop on a given day related to around 200 extra heart attacks. We already know through many studies that weather and death rates are related, with people dying from a variety of ailments during extremes of temperature including heart complications. However, interpreting the link between weather and death rates isn't a simple matter, there could be any number of factors at work, and linking a single cause is quite complicated. For example, summer months could be linked with higher levels of air pollution, whilst the winter months could be linked to an increase in flu rates. The Results Interestingly, the results of the new study suggest that cold weather, but not hot weather, is related to a greater number of heart attacks. Hospital admissions data for 84,010 heart attacks in Wales and England from between 2003 and 2006 was studied. Researchers also collected temperature records from the British Atmospheric Data Centre, and information on circulating viral infections such as flu. The research concluded that a 1°C fall in average temperature on any given day increased the risk of a heart attack by 2 percent over the next 28 days. The researchers say that this is the first co-ordinated large scale study to look at the link between temperature and heart attacks, adjusting for the effects of pollution and flu, which makes this study particularly reliable. A Deadly Combination This new research arrives behind a growing mountain of evidence of a global decline in health and an obesity epidemic that is spiralling out of control, especially in the west. In 2008 in the UK, 25% of men and 29% of women reported meeting the government ‘5 a day’ guidelines of consuming five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Furthermore, around 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 15 consumed five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day (19% of boys and 20% of girls). Combined with the worsening problem of obesity, evidence suggests that extremes of temperature could see larger numbers of hospital admissions and fatal complications in the coming years. Though we cannot control the weather, we can work to reduce our vulnerability to fatal heart disease by increasing our activity levels and ensuring we eat sensibly.



Innovative American Initiative Prescribing vegetables to obese patients In Maine and Massachusetts, health care providers are testing an inventive new scheme, aimed at getting low-income families to eat healthier meals. The idea is to subsidize one extra serving a day of locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables for trial participants. Participants are given $1 worth of vouchers a day to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables. The program, which was created by Connecticut based ‘Wholesome Wave’ was first launched in Massachusetts on Wednesday and will be started five days later in Portland and Skowhegan. Part of the study is to directly measure how fresh produce effects the wellness of participating families. Researchers will be keep tracking on how the dietary changes affect health indicators such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The study will also be keeping track of activity levels. Study participants at Lawrence, Holyoke and Boston are chosen based on financial limitations, levels of obesity in the family and compliance with the dietary changes brought about by the study. Wholesome Wave Chief Operating Officer, Juliette Taylor-DeVries was optimistic about the potential benefits of the scheme "… it has tremendous positive effects on the communities because it invigorates the local economy and it provides a new revenue stream for local farmers — and access and affordability to people who do not have access to fresh healthy food." It is hoped that the plan will stimulate the local economy as well as work to change attitudes to health amongst lower income families. The organizers intend to expand the plan to additional sites next year, and are currently aiming to reach more than 100 families in Maine and Massachusetts. In Portland the programme focuses on refugees, all of which diabetic or pre diabetic, or are pregnant. They are at particular risk as many of them are unfamiliar with fruits and vegetables, seen as a luxury amongst the desperately poor. In Maine the study targets new mothers and low-income pregnant women at Reddington-Fairview General Hospital. This is further evidence that combating obesity and its ill effects on health are important priorities for local and national government. In the UK the NHS released figures in 2010 that show the number of prescription items dispensed for the treatment of obesity to be 1.28 million; this is a disastrous ten times the number dispensed in 1999. If successful, these innovative health initiatives could be implemented on larger scales. There is no doubt that prescribing vegetables could go a long way towards improving health, but will study participants work with the researchers to develop and maintain these new healthy habits?



Fat recruits rejected Military recruiters in the USA are facing a new weighty challenge. As the timer ticks down on to the September 30th recruitment deadline for 2010, the number of overweight teenagers being turned away from the chance to serve their country is escalating. A study in April conducted by Mission: Readiness, a non-‐profit group made up of senior retired military officials, yields interesting figures on the trend. According to the results, between 1995-‐2008 over 140,000 individuals failed their military entrance physicals because of weight problems. The report cited obesity as the leading medical reason for recruits being rejected, referring to the condition as "a potential threat to our national security." Data from the study reveals that the military faces a $60 million annual price-‐tag to recruit and retrain replacements. These need to be brought in to fill the gaps left by soldiers discharged for obesity related problems. More than 1200 new enlistees have their contracts terminated a year because of weight problems. Signs of a deeper problem Some military officials are beginning to perceive this obesity problem as larger than it may appear. Dr. Curtis Gilroy, director of accession policy in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, commented on the findings; “[Obesity] is a critical long-‐term challenge, for not only the military, but for the nation, we're talking about national health here, which is a significant issue for this country." Lt. Gen. Norman Seip, a retired Air Force officer with over 35 years of experience, was moved to comment by the findings "That's our future" Seip said. "If we don't get that right, then bad on us, because we have no one else to blame but ourselves." Get ‘em young Seeing the importance of tackling the problem early, Amy Dawson Taggert, national director for Mission: Readiness has launched a campaign against unhealthy school lunches. The campaign is lobbying for stricter school nutrition standards and increased anti-‐obesity programming for children in an attempt to iteach the positive health and fitness habits that future recruits will need if they wish to be fit for military life.

Though a promising initiative, many in the military feel that it has not come soon enough, and could take many years for the full benefits to begin to show. "It's taken us years to get to where we are, and it's gonna take years to get us back.. “Siep said.



Skipping breakfast now linked to childhood obesity in new Essex University study

A study conducted at the University of Essex has found a connection between skipping breakfast and childhood obesity. The study that tracked the activity of 4,000 10-‐16 year old boys and girls examined the weight, fitness, physical activity and breakfast habits of school children in the UK. It found that a quarter of boys and a third of girls regularly skip breakfast. These children were found to be less physically active and fit than those who made time for food. Children who skipped breakfast were also more likely to be overweight or obese. Start the day right Magic Breakfast, England’s largest provider of free breakfasts at schools, is part of the response to try and get children to eat a hearty morning meal. It’s founder, Carmel McConnell is passionate about the subject and commented on Essex University’s findings “this study is pretty shocking, and as a country we need to wake up to the fact that there is something wrong.” Excuses, excuses When asked by researchers, children provided the same sorts of reasons as to why they skipped breakfast. Girls thought it would help them lose weight, and boys claimed it was a lack of time in the early morning rush. Taking action Mcconnel also added, referring to the enlightening results, 'Magic Breakfast is seeing an extreme need for healthy breakfast food for school-‐age children, and it is important we take action from an early age to break bad habits. We need to educate parents on the importance of a good breakfast and make sure good food is available to children through breakfast clubs.' The Weight-‐control Information Network (WIN), an America based Information Service which advices on obesity and stresses the importance of teaching children to eat breakfast. One of its guidelines states “Breakfast may provide your child with the energy he or she needs to listen and learn in school. Skipping breakfast can leave your child hungry, tired, and looking for less healthy foods later in the day.” Keeping breakfast healthy A study by Oxford Brookes University from 2003 also found that children who ate a healthy breakfast of porridge oats where less likely to snack between meals and ate significantly smaller lunches than children fed a breakfast of sugary breakfast cereal and white bread.



Obesity Epidemic Linked To Traditional British Barbeques Health researchers at the Boots and Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program have released information that links the British love of the summer grill to the obesity epidemic. Their study found that during a barbecuq, women would often consume 2500 calories in one sitting, and men would take in an even more massive 3500 calories. The main foods consumed where sausages, steaks and potato salad. The researchers also mentioned that the average family had 9 such barbecues every summer. Commenting about the findings, Gaila Ferguson, the co-founder of the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program stated “Fish is also great. Peppered tuna is quick on the barbecue and it's full of omega 3s and 6s. Even a steak is great so long as you cut the fat off” The researchers have suggested that better educating the public on healthy eating may help us to continue enjoying healthier barbecues when the summer comes. The number of overweight British people has roughly doubled since the mid 1980s. Obesity is on the rise and is now seen as a global problem. The World Health Organization has made the forecast that by 2015 there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults globally, over 700 million of them obese. It is thought that the increasing prevalence of convenience foods, motorized transport and sedentary work environments is making eating habits change for the worse and people less active. Statistics gathered by the University of Oxford show that Britain is one of the fattest countries in the world, with about 46% of men and 32% of women overweight. As we age the statistics get worse, with about 76% of men and 68% of women aged 55-64 overweight or obese.



Information worth knowing

A study conducted in America and published in the journal Pediatrics this week brings both good and bad tidings. The good news is that obesity rates among some groups of white children are on the decline. The bad news is that obesity rates among African American and Native American girls are on the definite rise.

There is a public education directive called ‘The No Child left behind Act’ – and amongst its many lofty goals are an equal provision of education amongst children of all racial groups and backgrounds. Perhaps a contentious point, but it would appears that once again, some children are being left behind, at least as far as public health is going.

Some more equal than others

The study published in Pediatrics shows that as the obesity rate fell for non-‐Caucasian girls, the rate for Hispanic girls remained stable. The rate in black girls grew from 20% to 22% over 7 years, and in American Indian girls, it blew up to 23% from 15% over the same 7 year period.

Commenting on the data was the study’s lead researcher, based at the University Of California St Francisco, Dr. Kristine Madsen. She said “On the one hand, it is really heartening to see the declines in white and Asian children and the plateau in Latino youth. But this is tempered by concerns about increasing racial disparities in childhood obesity. The fact that the gap appears to be widening is very troubling.”

Gaps widening everywhere

These results add to mounting evidence that programs and policies aimed at combating childhood obesity aren’t working amongst the more vulnerable areas and populations. Similarly, some nutritional commentators in American legislature have started referring to ‘food deserts’; poorer neighborhoods where the availability of fresh and healthy food is greatly restricted, mainly for financial reasons.

Taking some responsibility

Of course, to place the impetus and blame squarely on government is naïve at best and dangerously irresponsible at worst. It is clear that parents and caregivers have just as much responsibility to provide the right example and means for their children to develop the habits that make for long, healthy lives. American experts are recommending that children are taught to eat healthy meals at home with the family, limit their intake of sugary and salty drinks, encouraged to exercise and to learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods.

After all, it is all fine and well trying to teach children at school but it is something of a losing battle if the familiar social conditioning, and unfortunately, many of these children come from very unwell families.



Many are calling the obesity rate a genuine medical epidemic. In America today, 23 million children and teenagers are obese or overweight.

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Jack Oughton - Compiled Health and Fitness Articles.pdf