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Epoch Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Obesity in Teens Linked to Enlarged Brain Regions Associated with Memory and Emotion
With more than one in three American children now overweight or obese, researchers have uncovered a troubling connection: Teen obesity may be changing the size of brain regions critical for learning and emotional control, raising concerns about long-term cognitive and emotional development. According to the authors, both decreased and increased growth can be damaging. 'This is particularly alarming, given that the teenage years are such an important time for brain development,' said Augusto César F. De Moraes of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and the lead study author, in a press Abdominal Fat Affected the Brain Most The research, recently presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025), found that teenagers with abdominal obesity had significantly enlarged brain regions, particularly those responsible for memory, learning, and emotional regulation. Researchers used brain scans to measure the size of several brain regions in more than 3,300 young people with an average age of about 10, who were followed over four years. The results showed teenagers with abdominal obesity had a hippocampus approximately 6.6 percent larger and an amygdala about 4.3 percent larger compared with peers without obesity. The hippocampus helps with memory and learning, while the amygdala controls emotions like fear, happiness, and anger. Gillian Killiner, a specialist dietitian at 121 Dietitian, told The Epoch Times she considers the findings 'deeply concerning,' emphasizing that these brain changes raise significant worries about long-term cognitive development. Related Stories 1/24/2025 10/23/2024 The exact mechanisms are unclear, but one possible way obesity affects the brain is through inflammation. Excess body fat sends out inflammatory substances throughout the body. These chemicals can travel through the bloodstream and enter the brain. Once inside, they can trigger inflammation in brain tissue, potentially harming brain cells over time. The relationship between obesity and amygdala volume was particularly pronounced in those with very high obesity levels, suggesting a strong link between body fat and emotional regulation, according to De Moraes. Other regions, such as the thalamus and caudate, also showed volume changes, but to a lesser extent. The thalamus acts like the brain's central relay station, helping process and direct information to other regions. The caudate nucleus is involved in processing visual information and controlling movement. Socioeconomic factors also emerged as a key influence on brain development. Teenagers living in areas with limited access to quality education, safe parks, and healthy food showed less growth in key brain areas such as the hippocampus, putamen, and amygdala. 1 in 3 U.S. Teens Will Be Obese by 2050 The research comes amid alarming trends in childhood and adolescent obesity. The proportion of children and teens aged 5 to 19 carrying excess weight has more than Research published in December in Researchers warn that if current trends continue, by 2050, nearly one in three teens and two in three adults will be obese in the United States. Strategies for Healthier Brain Development To support healthy brain development and reduce obesity risk in teenagers, Killiner recommends several evidence-based approaches: Prioritize whole foods: Focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats—especially omega-3s, which support brain health. Establish regular meal patterns: Consistent meals throughout the day help maintain stable blood sugar levels and curb overeating. Reduce ultra-processed foods: Limit sugary drinks, packaged snacks, and takeaway foods, which often contribute to inflammation and weight gain. Share meals as a family: Eating together encourages healthy habits and open communication. Build teen food autonomy: Encourage teens to make food choices and learn basic cooking skills to build confidence in healthy decision-making. Certain dietary patterns may specifically benefit adolescent cognitive and emotional health. 'The Mediterranean diet is a good option for adolescents, as it is rich in antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats reducing inflammation, a key factor in both obesity and neurodevelopmental risk,' Killiner said, recommending the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet—a hybrid of Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets. 'This study is a sharp reminder that adolescent obesity is not solely a weight issue, it may also influence brain structure and emotional regulation,' Killiner said. 'We must act early with supportive, nonjudgmental interventions that focus on nourishment rather than restriction.'
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Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Chubby isn't cute: Belly fat in kids linked to heart risk by age 10
Belly fat growth patterns in childhood are tied to insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and early heart disease risk by age 10, finds a decade-long Danish study presented at ECO 2025 New Delhi Hi parents, have you ever shrugged off your child's growing tummy as just baby fat? New research from Denmark suggests it might be time to look a little closer. A large 10-year study titled Waist-to-height ratio trajectories from birth to age 10 years and cardiovascular risk markers found that kids with steadily increasing belly fat are more likely to show early warning signs of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes by age 10. These findings were presented at the ongoing European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) in Malaga, Spain, and are raising questions about how we monitor children's health from the earliest years. What does the study say about belly fat in children? The study tracked 700 children from birth to age 10, measuring their waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) at 14 different checkups. Researchers identified three key belly fat growth patterns: What is waist-to-height ratio and why does it matter? Waist-to-height ratio is a simple metric: divide your child's waist circumference by their height. It's increasingly recognised as a better indicator of central obesity, excess fat around the belly, than body mass index (BMI). The study found this ratio to be the strongest predictor of health risk. In fact, the child's belly size at age 10 was more important than the growth pattern over time. Where a child ends up in terms of belly size matters most. What health risks are associated with central obesity in kids? Central obesity is linked to dangerous conditions because this type of fat surrounds vital organs and contributes to: Chronic inflammation High blood pressure Insulin resistance (linked to Type 2 diabetes) Poor cholesterol levels The slow-rising group had elevated levels of C-peptide, glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)—all markers linked to heart disease and metabolic dysfunction. Is baby fat always harmless? When should parents worry? Not all tummy chubbiness is cause for alarm. But if a child's belly keeps growing faster than their height over several years, it may be more than just baby fat. The study highlights that early fat buildup can result in real metabolic changes, often going unnoticed until symptoms emerge later. Catching it early allows for simple interventions that can make a lifelong difference. What can parents do to reduce the long-term health risks? According to the researchers, you don't need fancy tests, just a tape measure and regular checkups. Here are some proactive steps: Monitor waist-to-height ratio with help from your paediatrician Encourage physical activity, at least 60 minutes of play daily Promote a balanced diet, rich in whole foods and low in added sugar Limit screen time and ensure kids get enough sleep Model healthy habits as a family When should preventive checks start for children? The study suggests risk patterns begin as early as infancy or toddlerhood. That means: Tracking belly size shouldn't wait until the school years Paediatric visits could include waist checks, not just weight or BMI Prevention strategies should ideally start before age 5 According to lead researcher Dr David Horner from the University of Copenhagen, 'We're not just looking at future problems—some children are already developing metabolic risk by age 10.' Why waist-to-height ratio could change how we view childhood obesity If your child's belly seems to be growing faster than the rest of them, it's not about body shaming or panic, it's about early action. This study reveals that health risks can develop quietly and early, often without obvious signs.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Can protein bars act as weight loss supplements? Important facts to know
Protein bars are absolutely adored by fitness enthusiasts. They come in all sizes, shapes, and flavours. Many opt for protein bars as a quick breakfast or snack option. The content promised on the label is the major reason for its popularity amongst fitness enthusiasts. But what if a protein bar could help you lose weight? According to a new Spanish study, have shown potential as a weight-loss aid. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) and published in the journal Nutrients suggests that protein bars containing collagen could be a safe and effective weight-loss supplement. Collagen, a protein commonly found in connective tissue. The researchers found that individuals with overweight and obesity, who ate protein bars enriched with collagen, lost twice as much weight compared to those who didn't consume them. The participants also showed a reduction in blood pressure, waist circumference, and improvement in liver function. They may also have increased skeletal muscle and fat-free mass. 'Many weight loss drugs are very expensive. We were interested in collagen because it is a protein that is cheap and easy to obtain and is not known to have any side effects. It is also a compound that the public is familiar with. Crucially, collagen's structure can be modified to allow it to absorb extra water, which leads to it growing in size. We wanted to know if such a compound creates a feeling of fullness when it expands in the stomach, reducing appetite and leading to weight loss,' researcher Dr Paola Mogna-Peláez, of the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, said in a statement. The researchers conducted a 12-week randomized controlled trial in 64 adults aged 20 to 65, with an average body mass index (BMI) of 29.65. All participants were advised to follow a Mediterranean-style diet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Half the group was additionally asked to consume a chocolate-flavored protein bar containing 10 grams of collagen with water before lunch and dinner. The collagen, which came from cows, had been treated to absorb extra water, so that it would increase in size when consumed with water. At the end of the study, the protein bar group lost an average of 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds), compared to 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) in the control group, despite both groups consuming the same number of calories. Study Biotech & Health Tech Abroad: Top Courses at Harvard, Stanford The collagen group felt less hungry and fuller than the control group. Levels of leptin, a hormone that induces feelings of satiety, fell in both groups but were higher in the collagen group than in the control group. No side effects were reported. Previously, collagen has shown decreased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, in animal experiments. The supplement also swelled to almost 20 times its original size in stomach acid and had low digestibility. 'Our results indicate that, by swelling in the stomach, the collagen made the participants feel less hungry, which would have led to them eating less and so losing weight. Collagen may also have led to the participants building muscle, and we know that muscle burns more calories than fat. It is also possible that collagen changes the make-up of bacteria in the gut, which may aid with weight loss and appetite control,' Dr Mogna-Peláez said.
Medscape
13-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Eating in Any 8-Hour Window Daily Yields Durable Weight Loss
Restricting eating to an 8-hour window for 3 months improved weight loss in patients with overweight or obesity for at least a year, regardless of the timing of the eating window, according to preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial. The strategy, called time-restricted eating (TRE), limits when — but not what — an individual eats on a daily basis. 'A key point of this study is that the timing of the 8-hour eating window may not be as critical as previously thought, suggesting flexibility in implementation,' Jonatan Ruiz, PhD, of the University of Granada, Granada, Spain, and the Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition in Madrid, Spain, told Medscape Medical News . The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2025 in Málaga, Spain, is an extension of an earlier randomized controlled trial that showed benefits of TRE at three different schedules over the short term (12-week follow-up). 'Low-Cost and Sustainable' Ruiz and colleagues conducted the 12-month follow-up in 99 adults with overweight or obesity (50% women; average age, 49 years; average BMI, 32) from Granada. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups for 12 weeks: Habitual eating window of ≥ 12 hours; early TRE (8-hour eating window starting before 10:00 AM); late TRE (8-hour eating window starting after 1 PM); or self-selected TRE (allowing participants to choose their own 8-hour eating window). All groups also took part in a Mediterranean diet education program to encourage healthy eating. Researchers measured body weight and waist and hip circumferences at the start of the trial, after the 12-week intervention, and 12 months after the intervention ended. After the intervention, the habitual eating group experienced an average weight loss of –1.4 kg (–1.5%). All TRE groups achieved significantly greater weight loss: An average of –4.2 kg (–4.5%) in the early TRE group, –3.1 kg (–3.5%) in the late group, and –3.8 kg (–3.9%) in the self-selected group. In addition, the habitual eating group had a lower waist circumference (–1.1 cm) and hip circumference (–1.4 cm) after 12 weeks of intervention. In comparison, the early TRE group experienced significantly greater reductions in waist and hip circumferences (average, –4.1 and –4.6 cm, respectively). The late TRE group also achieved a significant reduction in waist circumference (average, –4.1 cm), but there was no significant reduction in hip circumference (average, –3.2 cm). The self-selected TRE group also achieved reductions in waist and hip circumferences (average, –3.7 and –3.6 cm, respectively), although the reductions were not significant. One possible explanation for the less robust response in the self-selected group, Ruiz said, 'is that allowing participants to choose their own eating window may have led to greater variability in timing, potentially reducing the consistency of the fasting window. This is just a hypothesis we plan to explore further in future studies.' At 12 months after the intervention ended, preliminary results reveal that the habitual eating group had an average body weight increase of 0.4 kg (+0.5%). By contrast, both the early TRE and the late TRE groups maintained significantly greater weight loss (average, –2.1% [−2.2 kg] and –2.0% [−2.0 kg], respectively). The self-selected TRE group also maintained greater body weight loss than the habitual eating group (average, –0.7% [−0.7 kg]), although the change was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the habitual eating group showed an increase in waist circumference of +1.8 cm at 12 months and a slight increase of +0.03 cm in hip circumference. In comparison, both waist and hip circumferences remained significantly lower in the late TRE group (average, –5.6 and –3.4 cm, respectively) than the habitual eating group. And, although not statistically significant, the early TRE group and self-selected TRE group also showed lower values in waist (average, –0.5 and –1.3 cm, respectively) and hip circumferences (average, –1.0 and –1.8 cm, respectively). 'This makes TRE a potentially attractive, low-cost, and sustainable strategy to support weight management — particularly for patients who struggle with strict calorie counting or rigid diet plans,' Ruiz said. 'However, longer and larger trials are needed to confirm these findings across different populations.' The team's next steps include combining TRE with exercise, he noted. 'We are currently finalizing the last measurements, and we are eager to see the outcomes.' Expert Reactions 'One general note of caution on TRE protocols is that altering the opportunities to eat and the potential for meal skipping may compromise the nutritional adequacy of the diet,' Adam Collins, PhD, associate professor of nutrition, University of Surrey, Surrey, England, said in expert commentary in a press release on the presentation. 'This may be an issue for those whose diet was marginally nutritionally replete to start with,' he said. 'To this end, we are midway through a study exploring the impact of TRE specifically on eating behavior and nutritional adequacy of people's diets.' Regarding the finding that the self-selected group didn't manage to keep weight off as successfully, he noted, 'It is possible that following the more regimented early and late TRE created more sustainable changes in eating behavior and dietary habits that remained after the intervention.' Maria Chondronikola, PhD, principal investigator and lead for Human Nutrition, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, commented, 'It is important to note this study did not include a caloric restriction group, and therefore, its results cannot be directly compared with other weight loss strategies that involve intentional caloric restriction.' 'Furthermore, additional information on participant adherence to the prescribed eating windows is crucial,' she said. 'Understanding how well participants adhered to the timing of their meals, the level of their caloric intake, and whether TRE changed any obesity-related metabolic outcomes would provide valuable insight into the true effectiveness of TRE.' Ruiz told Medscape Medical News that 'adherence was high (85%-88%)' and that 'no serious adverse events were reported.' Ruiz and Collins declared no relevant interests. Chondronikola is currently leading an intervention study on the effects of TRE on cardiometabolic health in the United Kingdom and globally.
Hans India
10-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Study shows weight-loss drugs can cut alcohol intake by almost two-thirds
New Delhi: Medications such as liraglutide or semaglutide taken for weight loss also have the potential to reduce alcohol consumption by almost two-thirds, according to new research. Alcohol use disorder is a relapsing condition that accounts for 2.6 million deaths a year -- 4.7 per cent of all deaths globally. Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), therapies that aim to strengthen motivation to stop or reduce drinking, and medication can be very successful in the short term, however, 70 per cent of patients relapse within the first year. The study showed that Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues -- drugs developed to treat obesity -- likely curb alcohol cravings in the brain. Average alcohol intake decreased from 11.3 units/week to 4.3 units/week after four months of treatment with the GLP-1 analogues a reduction of almost two-thirds. Among the regular alcohol drinkers, intake decreased from 23.2 units/week to 7.8 units/week in four months. This reduction of 68 per cent is comparable to that achieved by nalmefene -- a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder in Europe, said Professor Carel le Roux, of University College Dublin, Ireland. "The exact mechanism of how GLP-1 analogues reduce alcohol intake is still being investigated, but it is thought to involve curbing cravings for alcohol that arise in subcortical areas of the brain that are not under conscious control. Thus, patients report the effects are 'effortless'," Roux said. The study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, was also presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025). GLP-1 analogues have reduced alcohol intake in animal studies, but research on their effect in humans is less. To find out more, the team prospectively collected data on the alcohol intake of patients who were being treated for obesity at a clinic in Dublin. The real-world study involved 262 adults with a BMI more than 27 kilograms per square metre (kg/m2) (79 per cent female, average age 46 years, average weight 98kg) who were prescribed the GLP-1 analogs liraglutide or semaglutide for weight loss. A total of 188 of the 262 patients were followed up for an average of four months. None of them had increased their alcohol intake. "GLP-1 analogues have been shown to treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results," Roux said.
