[Obesity: epidemiology, socio-political implications and conventional management]. / Obésité: épidémiologie, implications socio-politiques et prise en charge de type conventionnelle.

Obesity: epidemiology, socio-political implications and conventional management Abstract. Obesity is a chronic and complex psychosomatic disorder of multifactorial origin associated with cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, orthopedic and psychological comorbidities. This polimorbidity requires lifelong monitoring and specialized multidisciplinary management. In addition, the silent nature of these diseases, associated with the aging of the population and growing life expectancy, further increases the impact of this chronic disease on the overall morbidity and mortality. In Switzerland, obesity is now epidemic, as it is worldwide, and affects about 11 % of our population. This percentage is gradually increasing to the point that obesity is considered a public health problem. The direct and indirect costs of obesity account for about 8 % of total health consumption. The management of this complex disease must always be long-term and must integrate the dietary, behavioral and psychological aspects according to the profile of the patient.

Résumé. L'obésité est une maladie psychosomatique chronique et complexe d'origine multifactorielle souvent associée à comorbidités cardiovasculaires, métaboliques, respiratoires, orthopédiques et psychologiques. Ce contexte de polimorbidité nécessite d'un suivi à vie et d'une prise en charge multidisciplinaire spécialisé. De plus le caractère silencieux de ces maladies, associé au vieillissement de la population et l'augmentation de l'espérance de vie, augmente encore plus l'impact de la maladie chronique sur la globalité de la morbidité et de la mortalité. En Suisse l'obésité a désormais un caractère épidémique, comme dans le monde entier, et concerne environ le 11 % de notre population. Ce pourcentage augmente progressivement au point que l'obésité est considérée comme un problème de santé publique. En effet les coûts directs et indirects imputés à l'obésité correspondent à environ 8 % des dépenses totales de la santé. La prise en charge de cette maladie complexe doit être toujours à long terme et doit intégrer les aspects diététiques, comportementaux et psychologiques en fonction du profil du patient.

Monoacylglycerol-enriched oil increases EPA/DHA delivery to circulatory system in humans with induced lipid malabsorption conditions.

It was hypothesized that under induced lipid malabsorption/maldigestion conditions, an enriched sn-1(3)-monoacylglycerol (MAG) oil may be a better carrier for n-3 long-chain PUFAs (LC-PUFAs) compared with triacylglycerol (TAG) from fish oil. This monocentric double blinded clinical trial examined the accretion of EPA (500 mg/day) and DHA (300 mg/day) when consumed as TAG or MAG, into the erythrocytes, plasma, and chylomicrons of 45 obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and ≤40 kg/m2) volunteers who were and were not administered Orlistat, an inhibitor of pancreatic lipases. Intake of MAG-enriched oil resulted in higher accretion of LC-PUFAs than with TAG, the concentrations of EPA and DHA in erythrocytes being, respectively, 72 and 24% higher at 21 days (P < 0.001). In addition, MAG increased the plasma concentration of EPA by 56% (P < 0.001) as compared with TAG. In chylomicrons, MAG intake yielded higher levels of EPA with the area under the curve (0-10 h) of EPA being 55% greater (P = 0.012). In conclusion, in obese human subjects with Orlistat-induced lipid maldigestion/malabsorption conditions, LC-PUFA MAG oil increased LC-PUFA levels in erythrocytes, plasma, and chylomicrons to a greater extent than TAG. These results indicate that MAG oil might require minimal enzymatic digestion prior to intestinal uptake and transfer across the epithelial barrier.

[Bariatric surgery in 2013: principles, advantages and disadvantages of the available procedures]. / Chirurgie bariatrique en 2013: principes, avantages et inconvénients des interventions a disposition.

For severe obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2), bariatric surgery is not only the best, but often the only means of obtaining sufficient and durable weight loss. This article aims to review the available bariatric procedures. Gastric bypass remains the reference when it comes to the risk/benefit ratio. Gastric banding is declining rapidly due to the high prevalence of long-term complications. Primary malabsorptive procedures remain largely unpopular because of their potential nutritional complications. Sleeve gastrectomy, although it is not reversible as it includes a significant gastric resection, increases currently in popularity because of its apparent simplicity and the fact that early results regarding weight loss mimic those obtained with gastric bypass.

[How to identify the risk for osteoporosis after bariatric surgery]. / Comment identifier le risque d'ostéoporose après un bypass gastrique?

Gastric bypass often reduces the protein and calcium consumption and causes deficiencies in vitamin D with secondary hyperparathyroidism. As a consequence, it is a risk for osteoporosis. It is therefore necessary to regularly evaluate protein consumption and the levels of vitamin D and PTH. In case of deficiency, supplements must be given in order to obtain PTH level < 50 ng/l. The interpretation of the results of the bone densitometry is difficult during rapid weight loss due to the presence of technical artifacts related to the reduction of the subcutaneous fat thickness, while from the second year postoperative, densitometry remains the gold standard of investigation to follow the evolution of the bone state after gastric bypass.

[How to facilitate protein consumption after gastric bypass?]. / Comment faciliter la consommation de protéines après un bypass gastrique?

After a gastric bypass, covering protein needs is impossible. This deficit is co-responsible for several postoperative complications so it is essential to inform, prepare and train every patient candidate for such an intervention. To increase protein intake, it is important to work on two different aspects: on the one hand on food sources, targeting the richest food and, on the other hand, on food tolerance so that these foods can be consumed. In fact, gastric bypass induces not only a reduction in gastric volume, but also reduces the passage from the stomach to the intestine. Changes in feeding behavior are much needed to improve food tolerance.

[Treatment of hypertension in obese patients]. / Traitement de l'hypertension artérielle chez le sujet obèse.

Prevalence of obesity and hypertension has increased these last decades. Around 60 to 70% of the incidence of hypertension is related to obesity. The relationship between obesity and hypertension is now well established. The sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system are activated in obese patients, mostly by insulin, and predispose the kidney to reabsorb sodium and water. In obese patients with hypertension, it is recommended to target a blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg. Lifestyle changes (weight loss, physical activity, low-salt diets) are useful to decrease blood pressure but are difficult to maintain in the long-term. When drugs are necessary, drugs that are metabolically neutral should be used, and often need to be combined to other drug classes in order to achieve blood pressure target.

[When the obese patient can't lose any weight or keeps putting some on]. / Lorsque le patient obèse ne perd pas de poids ou continue a en prendre....

The traditional obesity treatments have proven to be ineffective in the long-term. The presence of eating disorders frequently explains this phenomena. Eating educational and behavioral aspects must be addressed in a practical way so that patients could gradually become aware of their behavior towards food as well as internal sensations associated with hunger, satiety, craving and pleasure. Finally, the link between emotions and compulsive eating behaviors during and between meals is an essential aspect that the general practitioner can help the patient to understand. A specialized psychological treatment can then be considered when the patient shows sufficient motivation and consciousness.

[Light food and beverages: what to think about?]. / Aliments et boissons allégés: qu'en penser?

Light food and beverages are increasing on the market for many years, first for economic reasons and, more and more for aesthetisme, however without aimed a defined population. The interest of these products is not evident, reason why it is difficult to get a clear and objective opinion without being influenced by marketing messages. Under what circumstances can they be a solution? Can we advise them? Do they have an influence in the loss or weight control? This article offers some thoughts and suggestions on the use of these specific products.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: significant long-term weight loss, improvement of obesity-related comorbidities and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To present long-term results of a large series of patients submitted to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity. BACKGROUND: Reports on long-term results of RYGBP are scarce and focus primarily on weight loss. Our aim is to provide mid- to long-term data of RYGBP, with detailed results on weight loss, evolution of comorbidities and quality of life, also using the BAROS score. METHODS: All patients who underwent a primary RYGBP for morbid obesity in our 2 hospitals between 1999 and August 2008 were included. Data were collected prospectively in a computerized database, and reviewed for the purpose of this study. RESULTS: A total of 379 patients were included in the analysis of long-term results, 282 women, and 97 men, with a mean BMI of 46.3 kg/m². After 5 years, 74.9% of the patients achieved an excess weight loss of at least 50%, with a mean of 62.7% and 76.8% achieved a BMI <35 kg/m². The corresponding figures after 7 years were 64.9, 58.1, and 71.9, respectively. There was a small but significant long-term weight regain. All comorbidities improved markedly in the vast majority of patients, with no significant difference between the 3- and 5-year terms. Quality of life also improved markedly, and more than 95% of the patients had a good to excellent 5-year overall result according to the BAROS score. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic RYGBP for morbid obesity results in good and maintained weight loss up to 7 years in the majority of patients, improves quality of life and markedly improves all the evaluated comorbidities, resulting in good to excellent overall 5-year results in 97% of the patients according to the BAROS score.

Effects of gastric bypass surgery on postprandial gut and systemic lipid handling.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Obesity is often associated with increased postprandial triglyceride (TG) concentrations, mainly from chylomicrons- and VLDL-TG. These alterations are usually reverted to normal after gastric bypass surgery (GB), through mechanisms which remain unknown. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the contribution of exogenous labelled fatty acids ingested with a meal to postprandial blood chylomicrons and VLDL-TG concentrations after GB. SUBJECTS/METHODS: 7 GB patients 3-5 years after surgery (GB: 2M/5F, mean BMI 30 ± 2 kg/m2, mean age 40 ± 3 years), 6 overweight non operated subjects (OW: 1M/5F, mean BMI 31 ± 3 kg/m2, mean age 38 ± 2 years) and 8 normal weight healthy subjects (NW: 4M/4F, mean BMI 22 ± 1 kg/m2, mean age 26 ± 4 years) were studied over 7 h following ingestion of a liquid meal containing 18 g fat labelled with 250 mg 13C16 palmitate, 22 g protein, 36 g fructose and 36 g glucose. TG, 13C palmitate (13C-palm) and apoB48 concentrations were measured hourly in whole plasma and/or in chylomicrons and VLDL lipoprotein sub-fractions. RESULTS: OW subjects had higher chylomicron-than NW (chylo-TG 96.5 (23.1) vs 28.8 (11.8) mmol/l*420min (p = 0.02)), but similar total, chylo-13C-palm and apoB48 iAUCs. In GB, chylo- 13C-palm and apoB48 increased earlier after meal ingestion, but then remained lower than in NW and OW throughout the postprandial period. GB also had lower chylo-TG iAUCs than OW (8.9 (11.5) vs 96.5 (23.2) mmol/l*420min, p = 0.003). Their apoB48 iAUCs were not different from NW and OW (509.2 (90.5) vs 710.2 (80.5) and 870.1 (297.6) pg/ml*420min, all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An accelerated postprandial apoB48 rise, together with unchanged postprandial apoB48 iUAC, suggests that intestinal fat absorption and chylomicron secretion was quantitatively unaltered, but accelerated after gastric bypass. In contrast, the decreased postprandial chylo-TG and 13C-palm iAUCs suggest that plasma chylomicron clearance was enhanced after gastric bypass.

Insulin modulation of luteinizing hormone secretion in normal female volunteers and lean polycystic ovary syndrome patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endocrine features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) include altered ovarian steroidogenesis, hyperinsulinemia and abnormal luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. This study was undertaken to further evaluate the role of insulin to modulate LH secretion in lean PCOS patients with normal insulin sensitivity and normal volunteers. METHODS: The study was performed in five nonobese patients diagnosed with PCOS on the basis of amenorrhea and a polycystic morphology at ovarian ultrasound, and 5 normal controls in early to mid-follicular phase and matched for weight and age. All subjects were phenotyped, and then admitted for 12 h of frequent (q 10') blood sampling on two separate occasions, once for a baseline study and the other time for a hyperinsulinemic and euglycemic clamp study. LH was measured in samples obtained throughout each admission in order to perform LH pulse analysis. RESULTS: Baseline LH secretion in PCOS subjects was significantly different from controls: they had higher LH levels, higher LH/FSH ratios as well as a faster LH pulse frequency than normal women. Insulin administration did not affect the pattern of LH secretion of PCOS patients, whereas it significantly increased the LH pulse frequency while decreasing the LH interpulse intervals in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm that an abnormal pattern of LH secretion characteristic of PCOS can be observed in lean patients, and appears independent of peripheral insulin levels. Furthermore, our results in lean controls provide the first direct evidence that peripheral insulin can modulate the activity of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the human.

[Food intake: not only a question of will!]. / Prise alimentaire: pas uniquement une question de volonté!

During many years, we thought that food intake was only a question of will. Nevertheless, in the second part on the XXth century, we identified several hormones regulating food intake and energy expenditure. Furthermore, these hormones seem to be implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and in weight loss following bariatric surgery. This short review highlights the main mechanisms implicated in food intake and energy expenditure and also their implication in obesity and bariatric surgery.

[Female athlete triad]. / Triade de la femme sportive.

The practitioner, as well as specialist such as gynecologist and endocrinologist, may face in their office women with eating disorders, abnormalities of menstrual cycles and low bone mass, which may be the first hints of the female athlete triad. In these situations, the practitioner may search other findings of these triad by looking at some particular physical findings and by using appropriate questionnaire. In some advanced forms of this triad specific abnormalities of eating disorders (anorexia and boulimia) may be present as well as amenorrhea and osteoporosis, which may disturb the well-being and cause health damages of women practising sport either as amateur or in a elite setting. An appropriate handling of such disorders has to be proposed to these women.

[Patient with type 2 diabetes: don't forget eating disorders!]. / Diabète de type 2: n'oubliez pas les troubles du comportement alimentaire!

The coexistence of diabetes and eating disorder (ED) is more prevalent than we think; indeed it seems to occur in 10 to 20% of cases. Therefore ED deserve attention to be detected and treated in order to permit a decreased in morbidity and better outcomes in body weight loss. The association of type 2 diabetes and ED is frequently seen in younger, overweighed or obese patients suffering of at least one psychiatric co-morbidities and frequently in a difficult psychosocial setting. To succeed in ED treatment, a multidisciplinary and specialised team in eating disorder is requested, however these patients are highly fragile and complex and therapeutic failure has to be feared.

[Sweeteners: between myth and reality]. / Edulcorants: entre mythe et réalité.

As the prevalence of obesity and diabetes are continually increasing, the use of "false sugars" otherwise known as sweeteners, and their associated health issues are being more and more discussed. A higher sugared power, less calories as well as a moderated or non-existent effect on blood sugar would lead to believe that sweeteners are helpful. However, we CANNOT say that they are THE solution as they can contain calories, may have some undesired effects, and moreover they ease the conscience without actually allowing a weight loss with their sole use. They are to be used with judgment, wittingly and especially when comparing sweetened products. The sweetener myth is often far from reality. It is therefore important to give our patients the means to analyze their dietary intake with regard to their sweeteners ingestion.

[Nutritional deficiencies in candidates for bariatric surgery]. / Déficits dans les apports nutritionnels chez les candidats a la chirurgie bariatrique.

98% of patients who have undergone a gastric bypass for treating severe obesity develop multiple micronutrient deficits. However, prior to surgery, it isn't rare to find nutrient deficiencies. Indeed, the dietary intakes of surgery candidates are often unbalanced, lacking in variety especially in high vitamin and mineral nutrients. We present the preliminary results concerning the qualitative and quantitative analysis in a group of patients waiting for a gastric bypass. The recommended daily amounts in vitamin B9, vitamin D and iron are insufficient in the majority of the patients. The correction of nutritional intakes is advisable, even before the surgery, in order to reduce the risks of developing biological deficiencies.

Preoperative upper gastrointestinal testing can help predicting long-term outcome after gastric banding for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: Gastric banding (GB) is one of the most popular bariatric procedures for morbid obesity. Apart from causing weight loss by alimentary restriction, it can interfere with functions of the esophagus and upper stomach. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the results of extensive preoperative upper GI testing were correlated with long-term outcome and complications after GB. METHODS: Using a prospectively maintained computerized database including all the patients undergoing bariatric operations in both our hospitals, we performed a retrospective analysis of the patients who underwent complete upper gastrointestinal (GI) testing (endoscopy, pH monitoring, and manometry) before GB. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-four patients underwent complete testing before GB. Abnormal pH monitoring (increased total reflux time, increased diurnal reflux time, increased number of reflux episodes) predicted the development of complications and especially pouch dilatation and food intolerance. The mean De Meester score was higher among patients who developed complications than in the remaining ones (25.4 vs 17.7, P=0.03). High lower esophageal sphincter pressure also predicted progressive long-term food intolerance. Endoscopic findings were not predictive of the long-term outcome. CONCLUSIONS: There is some association between the function of the upper digestive tract and long-term complications after gastric banding. Abnormal pH monitoring predicts overall long-term complications, especially food intolerance with or without reflux, and pouch dilatation, and a high lower esophageal sphincter pressure predicts long-term food intolerance. Extended upper gastrointestinal testing with endoscopy, 24-h pH monitoring, and esophageal manometry is probably worthwhile in selecting patients for gastric banding.

Brachial or wrist blood pressure in obese patients: which is the best?

OBJECTIVE: Blood pressure (BP) measured in obese patients with a large arm circumference using a cuff of standard width may be overestimated. METHODS: We compared in this study the BP readings obtained with oscillometric devices at the left arm (OMRON HEM 705-CP) and the left wrist (OMRON R6) (Omron Medizintechnik, Mannheim, Germany) in lean (n=15) and obese (n=11) patients. RESULTS: No difference was found in diastolic BP between the two groups, nor between the arm and the wrist. Systolic BP measured at the arm was, however, significantly lower in obese (99+/-9 mmHg, mean+/-SD) than in lean (107+/-14 mmHg; P<0.001) patients, whereas systolic BP determined at the wrist averaged 106 mmHg in both groups. CONCLUSION: The use of validated wrist BP measuring devices appears therefore particularly appealing in obese individuals with a large arm circumference.

[Fruit and vegetable beverages: advantages and disadvantages]. / Shots de fruits et légumes: avantages et inconvénients.

In Switzerland, fruits and vegetables recommendations are of 600 gr per day. In reality, the average intake is about 60% of these recommendations, it means 380 gr per day. The use of products like fruits and vegetables shots could reduce the gap by making drinking easier. However, they cannot replace one hundred percent fresh food for their content in fibers and vitamin C are lower and they interfere with the physiology of the food intake (satiety). These products can have their importance in a various supply by taking the place of one fruit or vegetable portion. Another non negligible aspect is the price as if we consume these products over one week instead of fresh food, the difference would be of about CHF 30.- more.