Obesity and the vitality of food in Finland, ca. 1950-1970.

Mainstream and alternative nutrition doctrines have crucially shaped our understanding of the vital aspects of and forces in human nutrition. Drawing upon a diverse array of sources, this article delves into cultural, social, and scientific conceptions of vital nutrition and how they evolved in relation to the Finnish obesity discourse from the 1950s to the 1970s. The Association to Combat Obesity (ACO), which brought together nutrition scientists, food faddists and laypeople, was the driving force of these debates. In the context of this article, food was perceived to influence the vitality of individuals and nations through its effect on body weight. Obese bodies seemed to conflict with both utopian visions of bodily transcendence and the ideals of wellbeing in modern health sciences. This work highlights the ideological continuities between interwar and postwar nutrition debates as well as the persistent tensions between scientific advancements and alternative nutrition philosophies. They have molded the conceptions of vitality and attitudes towards obesity. Concludingly, we suggest that the social responses to obesity have been influenced by the condition's perceived adverse relationship to vitality, in which fat has acted as a persistent reminder of corporeality, death, and decay.

Association Between Incident Type 2 Diabetes and Opium Use: Mediation by Body Mass and Adiposity.

Opiates can affect glucose metabolism and obesity, but no large prospective study (to our knowledge) has investigated the association between long-term opium use, body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2), and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We analyzed prospective data from 50,045 Golestan Cohort Study participants in Iran (enrollment: 2004-2008). After excluding participants with preexisting diseases, including diabetes, we used adjusted Poisson regression models to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for T2DM in opium users compared with nonusers, using mediation analysis to assess the BMI-mediated association of opium use with incident T2DM. Of 40,083 included participants (mean age = 51.4 (standard deviation, 8.8) years; 56% female), 16% were opium users (median duration of use, 10 (interquartile range), 4-20) years). During follow-up (until January 2020), 5,342 incident T2DM cases were recorded, including 8.5% of opium users and 14.2% of nonusers. Opium use was associated with an overall decrease in incident T2DM (IRR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.92), with a significant dose-response association. Most (84.3%) of this association was mediated by low BMI or waist circumference, and opium use did not have a direct association with incident T2DM (IRR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.08). Long-term opium use was associated with lower incidence of T2DM, which was mediated by low body mass and adiposity.

The prevalence and associated factors of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in South-eastern of Iran: a cross-sectional study based on Rafsanjan cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has become a major health issue in both high and middle-income countries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality. Risk of obesity is related to both unchangeable factors such as genetics and gender, and modifiable lifestyle factors. Most importantly, finding the major modifiable lifestyle factors which contribute to obesity may provide valuable benefits to every society. This study aimed to determine the association of demographic and lifestyle parameters with overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in a population of Iranian adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, adult participants of Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS) (as one of the district areas of the PERSIAN cohort (Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN) included the study population. RCS is a population-based prospective cohort of men and women aged 35-70 years, launched in August 2015. Individuals were recruited from four urban and suburban areas of Rafsanjan, south-eastern of Iran. Trained experts interviewed each participant and completed the related questionnaires about his/her socioeconomic status, demography, anthropometric features, personal habits, physical activity and medical history. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between overweight/obesity/abdominal obesity and associated factors. RESULTS: From 9980 participants, 1974 (42.42%) males and 2115 (39.70%) females were overweight, 784 (16.85%) males, 2223 (41.73%) females were obese and 1895 (40.73%) males and 989 (18.57%) females were normal weight. Also, 832 (17.9%) males and 4548 (85.4%) females had abdominal obesity and 3819 (82.1%) males and 778 (14.6%) females didn't have abdominal obesity. Based on the adjusted multiple logistic regression, overweight/obesity (BMI > 25) was associated with age > 45, female gender, education ≥ 13 years, heavy physical activity, wealth status index (WSI), alcohol consumption, current cigarette smoking and opium consumption compared to reference group. Also, odds of abdominal obesity displayed a significant association with age > 45, female gender, education > 5 years, physical activity, WSI, current cigarette smoking, alcohol and opium consumption compared to reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results recommend local public health strategies that promote training the society on the health benefits of avoiding alcohol, getting more physical exercise and gaining more personal education on the health-threatening lifestyle.

The medicalization of testosterone: reinventing the elixir of life.

The pursuit of longevity, which during the Renaissance era was limited to longing for miraculous ways of rejuvenation, such as bathing in the fountain of youth, took a scientific turn in 1889 with the publication of Brown-Sequard's self-experiments with an extract of animal testes, which apparently improved his vitality, physical strength and cognition. This extract, marketed then as the "Elixir of Life", was sold for decades throughout Europe and North America. However, recent replication of Brown-Sequard's experiments demonstrated that such an extract only contains homeopathic concentrations of testosterone that are insufficient to exert any biological effect. Thus, the birth of Andrology began with a placebo effect. Over the past few decades, the quest for compounds that might lead to rejuvenation has regained traction, with testosterone being at the forefront. Though clinical practice guidelines advocate testosterone therapy in men with organic hypogonadism-the only indication approved by the Food and Drug Administration-testosterone continues to be marketed as a wonder drug with rejuvenating effects on sexual function, vitality, and a host of other unproven benefits. Additionally, the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, conditions associated with low testosterone, has further brought testosterone into the limelight. Although the number of testosterone prescriptions written have increased several-fold in the past two decades, carefully conducted randomized trials suggest modest benefits of testosterone therapy. At the same time, safety concerns, particularly in older men, remain valid.

The prevalence and predictors of cardiovascular diseases in Kherameh cohort study: a population-based study on 10,663 people in southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rapidly increasing in the world. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and Predictors factors of CVD based on the data of Kherameh cohort study. METHODS: The present cross-sectional, analytical study was done based on the data of Kherameh cohort study, as a branch of the Prospective Epidemiological Studies in Iran (PERSIAN). The participants consisted of 10,663 people aged 40-70 years. CVD was defined as suffering from ischemic heart diseases including heart failure, angina, and myocardial infarction. Logistic regression was used to model and predict the factors related to CVD. Additionally, the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) of CVD was determined using the standard Asian population. RESULTS: The ASPR of CVD was 10.39% in males (95% CI 10.2-10.6%) and 10.21% in females (95% CI 9.9-10.4%). The prevalence of CVD was higher among the individuals with high blood pressure (58.3%, p < 0.001) as well as among those who smoked (28.3%, p = 0.018), used opium (18.2%, p = 0.039), had high triglyceride levels (31.6%, p = 0.011), were overweight and obese (66.2%, p < 0.001), were unmarried (83.9%, p < 0.001), were illiterate (64.2%, p < 0.001), were unemployed (60.9%, p < 0.001), and suffered from diabetes mellitus (28.1%, p < 0.001). The results of multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of having CVD was 2.25 times higher among the individuals aged 50-60 years compared to those aged 40-50 years, 1.66 folds higher in opium users than in non-opium users, 1.37 times higher in smokers compared to non-smokers, 2.03 folds higher in regular users of sleeping pills than in non-consumers, and 4.02 times higher in hypertensive individuals than in normotensive ones. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CVD was found to be relatively higher in Kherameh (southern Iran) compared to other places. Moreover, old age, obesity, taking sleeping pills, hypertension, drug use, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had the highest odds ratios of CVD.

Comparative risk reduction of complications pertaining to polycystic ovarian syndrome by multiple treatment options.

The aim of study was to find effective treatment option which reduces the risk of complications among patients of polycystic-ovarian-syndrome. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January-2019 to December-2019. Data was collected from 200 patients that have visited hospitals and clinics located in Karachi. A questionnaire was used in the survey. Collected data was analyzed with SPSS-22. Hormonal-imbalance (p=0.0001), polycystic-ovaries (p=0.008), irregular-menstruation (p=0.0001), obesity (p=0.0001), diabetes (p=0.0001) and infertility (p=0.014) significantly treated by allopathic-medications. Hormonal-imbalance (p=0.025), polycystic-ovaries (p=0.0001), irregular-menstruation (p=0.0001), obesity (p=0.046), diabetes (p=0.001), acne (p=0.046), anxiety (p=0.014), depression (p=0.014) and eating disorder (p=0.046) significantly treated by homeopathic-medications. Polycystic-ovaries (p=0.0001), irregular-menstruation (p=0.0001), obesity (p=0.014), diabetes (p=0.0001) and acne (p=0.014) significantly treated by herbal-medications. Allopathic treatment was found effective in reducing risk of complication associated with PCOS; hormonal-imbalance (59%), hirsutism (42%), obesity (89%), diabetes (90%), hypertension (17%), infertility (60%) and anxiety (75%). Risk reduction of complications by Homeopathic treatment; polycystic-ovaries (54%), irregular menstruation (91%) and depression (43%). Combination treatment was found effective in reducing the risk of acne (43%) and eating disorder (100%). Allopathic treatment is effective in reducing the majority of risks of complications and the complications of polycystic-ovaries-syndrome can be significantly controlled with the homeopathic mode of treatment.

Homeopathic Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Pregnant Women With Mental Disorders: A Double-blind, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Context • Worldwide, 35 million people suffer from obesity. Mental disorders have been associated with being overweight or obese. Considerable evidence has shown a correlation between stress and the use of homeopathy and stress and obesity. However, few studies have examined the relationship between weight loss and homeopathic treatment of obesity. Objective • The study intended to evaluate the efficacy of a homeopathic treatment in preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy in overweight or obese women who were suspected of having a common mental disorder. Design • The study was a randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial. Setting • The study took place at the Center for the Social Support of Motherhood (São Paulo, Brazil). Participants • Participants were pregnant women who were enrolled at the center. Intervention • For the homeopathic group, 9 drugs were preselected, including (1) Pulsatilla nigricans, (2) Sepia succus, (3) Lycopodium clavatum, (4) sulphur, (5) Lachesis trigonocephalus, (6) Nux vomica, (7) Calcarea carbonica, (8) phosphorus; and (9) Conium maculatum. From those 9 drugs, 1 was prioritized for administration for each participant. After the first appointment, a reselection or selection of a new, more appropriate drug occurred, using the list of preselected drugs. The dosage was 6 drops orally 2 ×/d, in the morning and at night, on 4 consecutive days each wk, with an interval of 3 d between doses, up until the next appointment medical appointment. The control group received the equivalent placebo drug. Both groups also received a diet orientation. Outcome Measures • We evaluated pregnant women who were overweight or had class 1 or 2 obesity and were suspected of having a common mental disorder, with no concomitant diseases, in 2 groups: those receiving a placebo (control group, n = 72); and those receiving homeopathic treatment (homeopathy group, n = 62). Weight change during pregnancy was defined as the difference between the body mass index (BMI) at the initial evaluation and that recorded at the final evaluation, adjusted for 40 wk of gestation. In addition, the APGAR index in the newborn was evaluated as a possible complication. Results • The mean variation between baseline BMI and BMI at week 40 of gestation was +4.95 kg/m2 in the control group and +5.05 kg/m2 in the homeopathy group. The difference between the 2 groups was not significant (P = .815; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.916 to 0.722). APGAR 10 at 5 min (59.6%in homeopathy group and 36.4% among control) was statistically significant (P = .016). Conclusions • Homeopathy does not appear to prevent excessive body mass gain in pregnant women who are overweight or obese and suspected of having a common mental disorder. Homeopathy did not change the APGAR score to modified clinical attention at delivery room. However, the evidence observed at APGAR 10 at minute 5 suggests that homeopathy had a modulating effect on the vitality of newborns, warranting further studies designed to investigate it.

The association between BMI and continuity of etonogestrel (ENG)-releasing implant.

OBJECTIVE: The etonogestrel-releasing implant is a long-acting reversible contraception that is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for 3 years and has been proven to be highly effective and convenient. Adverse effects including irregular bleeding patterns, weight gain, and acne are reported to be the main reasons for treatment discontinuation. The aim of this study is to learn the association between body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) and the incidence of side effects and adherence to treatment. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study, conducted at a single university-affiliated medical clinic, including all women who underwent etonogestrel-releasing implant (Nexplanon®; New Jersey, USA, Organon USA Inc., Merck and Co) insertion between January 2019 and December 2021. Cases where abnormalities were reported during the insertion procedure or missing data were excluded from the study. Information on patients' demographic, medical history, obstetric and gynecological history, and follow-up was collected from electronic medical files. The primary outcome was defined as the rate of implant removal in the different obesity classes. Data are presented as median and interquartile range. The study was approved by institutional review board. RESULTS: The study population included 1318 women, of whom 466 (35%) requested early removal of the implant. Women's demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between women who requested early removal and those with full-length treatment. The median time for early removal was 12 (6-20) months from insertion. Irregular bleeding was the most frequent reason for early removal in both groups and was more than twice as prevalent in the early removal group (239 [51.29%] vs 193 [22%], P = 0.001). The early removal group had fewer obese women (BMI ≥30) compared with women who had full-length treatment (163 [31.8%] vs 350 [68.2%], P = 0.03), with comparable rates of class 3 obesity women (BMI ≥40) (P = 0.68). Multi-regression logistic analysis including age, BMI, parity and side effects found that the presence of side effects is the only independent predictor significantly associated with early implant removal (B = 1.74, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Continuation of etonogestrel-releasing implant contraception treatment was associated with the presence of side effects that were more often reported in non-obese women. BMI was not found to be a significant factor influencing adherence to treatment.

Prevalence of general and abdominal obesity and its relationship with opium, total opiate drugs, and chronic smoking: Fasa cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Obesity and drug use are two major global issues today. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between alcohol and tobacco use with general and central obesity. METHODS: The data of the longitudinal population-based study were collected from the basis of the Fasa Cohort Study (FACS). Participants were 10141 people with 35-70 years old. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software. Binary logistic regression (BLR) was used for modelling. A significance level (α) less than 0.05% was considered for hypothesis testing. RESULTS: Of the total participants (N = 10104), 54.8% (n = 5539) were women. The prevalence of central obesity in terms of waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated 48.20% (N = 4871), 79.50% (N = 8032), and 83.30% (N = 8314). The Odds Ratio (OR) adjusted of Abnormal body mass index (BMI) for Opium and chronic smoking were 0.54 (CI: 0.47-0.63) and 0.47 (CI:0.40-0.56). OR adjusted Abnormal WC for opium and chronic smoking were calculated 0.65 (CI: 0.53-0.80) and 0.57 (CI:0.46-0.72), respectively. Three variables of opium (OR = 0.54, CI: 0.46-0.64), total opiate drugs (OR = 1.46, CI:1.16-1.83) and chronic smoking (OR = 0.58, CI: 0.48-0.70) remained in the modeling for Abnormal WHR. Which were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Significant and inverse relationships were found between obesity and opium, total opiate drugs, and chronic smoking.

The pain of weight gain: self-experimentation with overfeeding.

The Vermont overfeeding studies were published 50 y ago and began a change in the acceptance of obesity as a bona fide area of academic interest. This article chronicles the experience of the author with acute weight gain while overfeeding, in the context of current obesity research, and presents a glimpse of things to come. The pain associated with acute overeating is illustrated by the firsthand experience of the author. The rapid return to normal weight contrasts with the difficulty that almost all people with obesity experience when they attempt to lose and maintain weight loss. Contrasting the response to overfeeding of individuals who are "resistant" to obesity with those who are obesity prone provides an avenue for unraveling the difficulties people with obesity face when they try to lose weight.

Nopal (Opuntia spp.) and its Effects on Metabolic Syndrome: New Insights for the Use of a Millenary Plant.

BACKGROUND: Nopal (Opuntia spp.) is by excellence the most utilized cactus in human and animal nutrition. It is also a very noble plant; its main physicochemical, nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics allow the use of nopal in diverse food applications. Special focus has been given over the past decades in the use of Opuntia for the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is predominantly related to Diabetes Mellitus. In this sense, the prevalence of MetS is increasing at a worldwide level. This in turn has led to a notorious demand for natural and nutraceutical food sources. METHODS: The objective of this work was to summarize the main contributions in the field of Opuntia spp. research highlighting the potential use of nopal fruits or cladodes in MetS treatment, providing the reader with historical and novel information in this field. Nevertheless, the present work is not a meta-analysis. We included mainly information from recognized scientific databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. No homeopathic based studies were included since they lack scientific validation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that fairly categorizes the majority of the information in this field into subsections, which can be of interest for the reader, such as the effect of nopal against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity among others. CONCLUSION: Nopal constitutes one of the most studied members of the Cactaceae family; its potential effects on human health have been described since ancient times, mostly through traditional medicine. The present work highlights the importance of this plant in the treatment of MetS related maladies and points out the importance of elucidating new compounds and their validation for the interactions of nutraceutical compounds which could be related to MetS.

Homeopathy-medicine induced severe alcoholic hepatitis.

We present a teetotaler with compensated non-alcoholic fatty-liver-disease related cirrhosis who presented with acute worsening of his chronic liver disease. The acute event was not discernible even after extensive work up and finally a transjugular liver biopsy revealed features suggestive of severe alcoholic hepatitis. The patient and the family denied occult alcohol use when questioned over multiple times and finally, the culprit 'alcohol' was found to be the homoeopathy medicines that the patient was consuming over a month for treatment of Gilbert's syndrome. We retrieved and tested the homoeopathy drug for alcohol content and found an alarming 18% ethanol in the same, confirming our diagnosis.

Individualized Homeopathic Therapy in a Case of Obesity, Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding, and Autonomic Dystonia.

BACKGROUND Obesity is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally and challenging to treat because of the multifactorial etiology and presentation. Individualized homeopathy takes into account factors that led to a patient's health condition and hence may have a role in the treatment of obesity and related co-morbidities; co-morbidities that may arising from the same etiology may respond as a whole to homeopathy treatment. CASE REPORT A 39-year-old Russian female who developed multiple problems after severe emotional stress was treated with individualized classical homeopathic therapy. Obesity, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and dysautonomia were pathologies that showed improvement. CONCLUSIONS The response in this patient's case, supports the need for further investigation on the relevance of individualized homeopathy in these related conditions.

Utilization and Safety of Common Over-the-Counter Dietary/Nutritional Supplements, Herbal Agents, and Homeopathic Compounds for Disease Prevention.

Dietary supplements are commonly used by patients as part of their medical care plan. Often clinicians may not be aware of their use, because patients do not always consider these to be medications. All clinicians need to continually ask patients about their use of dietary supplements when collecting a medication history. Dietary supplements and prescription medications often share similar enzymatic pathways for their metabolism. These interactions may lead to severe adverse reactions. This article reviews available evidence for a variety of dietary supplements in select disease categories.

Nutrition and skin: Kids are not just little people.

There has been a surge of new data regarding the pathophysiology of skin diseases. We are appreciating the sophisticated interplay among the skin, the immune system, and the environment. More elegant and highly specific medicines have been designed to target certain immune mediators of the adaptive immune system. In parallel fashion, we are learning more about the elegance of the innate immune system and how nutrition as early as the prenatal period can affect the priming of other immune cells. Concerns about the long-term impact of new immune-modulating medicines-especially in the pediatric population-have patients asking their dermatologists for nutritional alternatives to medical therapies. Nutrients and nutritional therapies appear to play a role at different ages for different dermatoses. Probiotics are showing promise as a therapeutic option for patients older than 1 year for atopic dermatitis. Systemic contact allergens appear to be a bigger burden on the adult population with atopic dermatitis. Obesity is a growing concern for both children and adults with psoriasis. Milk and high glycemic foods have a strong impact on the teenage acne population. Vitamins A and D are addressed as piece of the alopecia areata puzzle. Zinc and homeopathy are presented finally as possible treatments to the everlasting wart.

Anesthetic considerations in surgery for gastrointestinal disease.

We have attempted to present a brief overview of current considerations in anesthesia for surgery of gastrointestinal disease as practiced at our institution. Many considerations remain unexplored owing to limitations of space. We have deliberately concentrated upon antecedent and concurrent therapy encountered in the treatment of the surgical patient. The potent drugs introduced in the past decade have produced infinite potential for drug interactions--some serious, some not so serious, and some which are desirable. We hope we have generated further reader interest in this mushrooming problem of modern medicine confronting the anesthesiologist and surgeon in the perioperative period.

[Prothrombotic and prethrombotic markers in obese diabetic and non-diabetic subjects]. / Indici protrombotici e pretrombotici in soggetti obesi diabetici e non diabetici.

The Authors studied the behaviour of some prothrombotic (fibrinogen, factor VII, antithrombin III and tissue plasminogen activator) and prethrombotic (beta thromboglobulin, D-dimer) markers in a group of obese subjects in relation to various physiopathological parameters. The series consist of 93 obese subjects (29 m, 64 f, mean age 55 +/- 6 yrs, BMI 33 +/- 1), of whom 62 suffering from type 2 diabetes in good metabolic control obtained by oral hypoglycemic (42 cases) or insulin (20 cases) treatment. For each subject the Authors determined the plasmatic levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides (enzymatic method, Boehringer kits), fibrinogen (coagulometric method, Organon kit), factor VII (chromogenic method, IL kit), antithrombin III (chromogenic method, IL kit), tissue plasminogen, beta thromboglobulin and D-dimer (ELISA method, Boehringer kits). The results were examined in relation to sex, age, overweight degree, waist/thigh ratio, total cholesterol, triglycerides and, for diabetics, to the therapeutical treatment. The fibrinogen plasma levels proved statistically (0.05) increased proportionally to the overweight degree (BMI over 35), cholesterol levels (over 250 mg%) and age (51-65 yrs); factor VII showed a significant increase (0.05) related to the cholesterol levels, the overweight degree and, surprisingly, to female sex; as regards antithrombin III, its sharp reduction was related with ageing and with the "gynoid type" waist/thigh ratio; tissue plasminogen activator showed a statistically significant reduction (0.05) in the group with older age (over 65 yrs); the beta thromboglobulin levels were obviously increased (0.05) in the hypercholesterolemic and hypertriglyceridemic subjects (over 250 mg%), the D-dimer values increased proportionally with age (0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Study on effects of Codonopsis eupolyphaga anti-obesity powder in mice with nutritive obesity].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Codonopsis Eupolyphaga anti-obesity powder(CEAOP) in mice with nutritive obesity. METHODS: CEAOP 0.5-2.5 g/kg was given to mice for 4 weeks and its effect was observed. RESULTS: CEAOP could significantly reduce the Lee's index, weight of fat cushion and fat index, lower the blood levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and blood glucose, but influence neither the calories and quantity of food intake, nor the endurance against anoxia and fatigue, the property of stool was not changed at all. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-obesity effect of CEAOP was similar to Fenfluramini but without influence on appetite and bowel movement, tolerance against anoxia and fatigue. The mechanism of the anti-obesity might be related with its metabolism regulating actions on lipids and glucose.