The problem of obesity: fundamental concepts of energy metabolism gone awry.

The growing prevalence and complex issues related to obesity continue to draw the interest and concern of health researchers and practitioners. This review summarizes pertinent background information on the multiple factors involved in the causes of obesity. Factors such as percentage of body fat, upper- vs. lower-body obesity, family history, past dieting history, and underlying medical conditions should be assessed on an individual basis and applied in the development of successful weight-reducing strategies. The recommended approach to nonpharmacologic intervention for weight loss is to first educate individuals about fat storage and energy balance and then focus on the development of positive behavioral skills such as wise food selections, favorable eating patterns, and regular physical activity. Although preventive measures such as positive eating patterns and exercise habits are ideally acquired in childhood and adolescence, successful weight management can still be achieved in adulthood. The information presented in the following sections provides clinicians with essential material to assist individuals in developing realistic goals at the outset of a weight-control program.

Increased levels of S-adenosylmethionine in the livers of rats fed various forms of selenium.

The levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) were determined in the livers of male weanling rats fed six different forms of selenium for five weeks. The following forms of selenium were administrated in the diet in logarithmic doses: sodium selenite, sodium selenate, sodium selenide, selenomethionine, selenocystine, and selenium sulfide. An overall increase in hepatic SAM was observed, and all compounds resulted in at least one observation where SAM was significantly elevated (p < 0.01). No dose-response relationship was found to exist, however. A comparison of the relative toxicity of each of the selenicals was based on a dose of 10 ppm dietary selenium for each chemical form. The elevation of SAM resulting from the subchronic administration of selenium may be one mechanism involved in the well-known chemopreventive effects in experimental models.

Garlic: a review of its relationship to malignant disease.

Garlic (Allium sativum) has had an important dietary and medicinal role for centuries. It is now known that garlic contains chemical constituents with antibiotic, lipid-lowering, detoxification, and other medicinal effects in the body. This article reviews some of the physiological characteristics of garlic and examines the relationship between garlic and cancer prevention and treatment. Hypotheses regarding the possible role of garlic in modulating mechanisms that may alter the carcinogenic process are discussed.