The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of rapid weight loss on wrestlers' efficiency incorporating competitive aspects of the sport into the research procedures. Six subjects were selected from the North Texas State University Wrestling Club. Eight cardiovascular and neuromuscular measurements were taken and recorded before treatment and following treatment. Astrand's bicycle ergometer test was utilized to obtain exhaustive, heart rates. Data were analyzed by a one-tailed t test at the .05 level. Conclusion of the investigation was that following 6.25 per cent rapid loss of body weight, over a period of one week, no loss of efficiency occurred among wrestlers under simulated competitive conditions.

The purpose of this study was to examine individuals’ perceptions of weight loss and weight loss methods. Respondents were employees and customers attending health/wellness events at local supermarkets in June, July, and August 2019. Participants completed a survey to assess their understanding and perceptions of weight loss and methods used to achieve weight loss. The majority of participants were white females, 60 years or older with a college degree and a Body Mass Index (BMI) classified as overweight or obese. Data revealed most participants had a variety of misconceptions relating to weight loss and weight loss methods that were obscure and fad-diet oriented, including low-carbohydrate diets. Participants did understand benefits of weight loss but expressed maintaining weight loss was a challenge. These findings suggest that fad diets are alluring to individuals and individuals did not incorporate evidence-based behavior changes to promote or sustain weight loss.

BACKGROUND:Obesity is an urgent public health problem, yet only a few clinical trials have systematically tested the efficacy of long-term weight-loss maintenance interventions. This randomized clinical trial tested the efficacy of a novel mind and body technique for weight-loss maintenance.METHODS:Participants were obese adults who had completed a six-month behavioral weight-loss program prior to randomization. Those who successfully lost weight were randomized into either an experimental weight-loss maintenance intervention, Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT(R)), or a control intervention comprised of social-support group meetings (SS) led by professional facilitators. TAT combines self-applied light pressure to specific acupressure points accompanied by a prescribed sequence of mental steps. Participants in both maintenance conditions attended eight group sessions over six months of active weight loss maintenance intervention, followed by an additional 6 months of no intervention. The main outcome measure was change in weight from the beginning of the weight loss maintenance intervention to 12 months later. Secondary outcomes were change in depression, stress, insomnia, and quality of life. We used analysis of covariance as the primary analysis method. Missing values were replaced using multiple imputation.RESULTS:Among 285 randomized participants, 79% were female, mean age was 56 (standard deviation (sd) = 11), mean BMI at randomization was 34 (sd = 5), and mean initial weight loss was 9.8 kg (sd = 5). In the primary outcome model, there was no significant difference in weight regain between the two arms (1.72 kg (se 0.85) weight regain for TAT and 2.96 kg (se 0.96) weight regain for SS, p < 0.097) Tests of between- arm differences for secondary outcomes were also not significant. A secondary analysis showed a significant interaction between treatment and initial weight loss (p < .036), with exploratory post hoc tests showing that greater initial weight loss was associated with more weight regain for SS but less weight regain for TAT.CONCLUSIONS:The primary analysis showed no significant difference in weight regain between TAT and SS, while secondary and post hoc analyses indicate direction for future research.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00526565

No description available.

Bakgrund: Under senare tid har mediedebatten fokuserats kring olika dieters påverkan på viktminskning och välbefinnande. De moderna dieterna har debatterats av läkare, forskare och myndigheter, då extrema lågkolhydratsdieter innehåller alltför mycket fett vilket vissa menar kan leda till framtida folksjukdomar. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka ett begränsat antal dieters påverkan på viktminskning och välmående samt att belysa betydelsen av en helhetssyn på våra kostvanor. Metod: Denna litteraturstudie är baserad på fyra vetenskapliga artiklar som var relevanta och intressanta för syftet. Resultat: Samtliga av de artiklar som undersökte sambandet mellan olika dieter och vikt visade på en tydlig viktminskning hos alla deltagare. LCHF-dieten gav den snabbaste viktminskningen. När det gäller välmående visade samtliga i alla studiegrupper en förbättring i sitt psykologiska välbefinnande och välmående. Den undersökning som behandlade kostvanor kom fram till att det behövs en helhetssyn på skolmåltiden för att få en optimal måltidsupplevelse med tanke på elevernas hälsa och välbefinnande. Slutsats: Undersökningen visar på en tydlig viktminskning oavsett diet och att det fysiska och psykologiska välbefinnandet förbättrades, det fordras däremot ytterligare forskning för att studera de olika dieternas långsiktiga påverkan samt att det krävs en helhetssyn på våra kostvanor redan i unga år för att leva ett friskare och mer välmående liv. / B-uppsatser

The purpose of this investgation was to study the effects of repeated weight loss and physical training on the plasma levels of testosterone, growth hormone, insulin and cortisol. A further purpose of this study was to determine if changes in plasma hormone concentrations could be avoided through a nutritional education program and the addition of nutritional supplements to the diet. Lastly the effects of acute and seasonal weight loss upon mean anerobic power, peak power, and percent fatigue were measured.MethodsA total of 34 adolescent high school wrestlers ranging age from 14 to 18 years, were pair matched for age, size, percentage weight loss, and skill level (varsity or JV) and then randomly assigned into a control and treatment group. The treatment group recieved a nutritonal education program and nutritional supplements. Blood samples were taken four times throughout the study period: once in the preseason (October 14), twice in December (Dec. 7 and 14), and once in January (Jan. 13). The blood was drawn at the same time each morning after an 8 hour fast. The blood was analyzed to detect changes over time and between groups for hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma levels of insulin, cortisol, testosterone, and growth hormone. The wrestlers were also measured for caloric and nutrient intake, weight, height, body fat percentages, and for arm power with the Wingate test. The experimental design consisted of a pretest-posttest randomized groups test design. The hormone and power data were analyzed with a repeated measures ANOVA, and a probability level of 0.05 or above was chosen as statistical significance. Polynomial contrasts were used to determine whether significant differences over time followed linear, quadratic, or cubic trends. Post hoc tests were also used to determine where the difference did exist.ResultsThere were no significant (p<0.05) differences between the treatment and control groups in any variable tested. Over the experimental period, each group showed significant (p<0.05) decreases in weight, percent body fat, and fat free weight. No significant changes (p<0.05) in any of the power indicies occurred, but specific trends were apparent. Both groups had reductions in their absolute peak and mean power, and increases in their relative peak and mean power. Changes in percent fatigue and fatigue slope were inconsistent and nonsignificant. Serum concentrations of cortisol and insulin showed significant (p<0.05) decrements over the investigative period. The decline in serum growth hormone levels approached significance (p = 0.085), and serum testosterone levels showed a nonsignificant decreasing trend. Hormone levels per kilogram free fat weight were not changed, along with testosterone to cortisol ratios, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.ConclusionsThe treatment of consuming a nutritional beverage (Exceed) and information on proper dieting did not produce a significant (p<0.05) difference between the groups. Over time the wrestlers lost significant amounts of weight, body fat, and fat free weight due to significant decreases in the intake of calories in the form of fat, protein and carbohydrate. There were also significant decreases in plasma levels of insulin and cortisol. These results indicate that weight loss over a wrestling season may significantly alter plasma hormone levels. / School of Physical Education

This study investigated the effectiveness of aversion therapy to help subjects achieve and maintain a weight loss. The aversion therapy made use of an avoidance conditioning procedure. Slides of fattening foods were paired with the possibility of receiving an electric shock in an attempt to induce anxiety. Slides of non-fattening foods were paired with shock avoidance and consequent anxiety relief.

Background - Healthy perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) exerts an anticontractile effect in response to various vasoconstrictor agonists and this is lost in obesity. A recent study reported that bariatric surgery reverses the damaging effects of obesity on PVAT function. However, PVAT function has not been previously characterised following weight loss induced by caloric restriction, which is often the first line treatment for obesity. This study investigated the mechanisms by which PVAT modulates vascular tone in health and how these are altered in animal models of obesity and diet-induced weight loss. Methods - Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a 45% fat diet ad libitum for 16 weeks to induce obesity, they were then randomly allocated into two groups; obese rats maintained on the 45% fat diet and weight loss rats that were subjected to 50% caloric restriction for a further four weeks. A weight maintenance group was also established where a cohort of weight loss rats were provided with 70 kcal/day for a further four weeks at the end of the caloric restriction period. A control group was also provided with a 10% fat diet during the 20 week period. The effect of PVAT on the contractility of isolated mesenteric arteries in response to norepinephrine in the presence of pharmacological tools was investigated by wire myography Changes in the PVAT environment were assessed also using western blotting, immunohistochemistry and assays of secretion. Results - PVAT from healthy control rats elicited an anticontractile effect in response to norepinephrine through release of relaxing factors, one of which was nitric oxide. The anticontractile effect was abolished in diet-induced obesity through a mechanism involving local inflammation and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability within PVAT. In addition, reduced KCNQ expression and enhanced COX activation contributed to the loss of anticontractility. Four-week caloric restriction did not restore PVAT anticontractile capacity. However, sustained weight loss led to restoration of PVAT anticontractile function associated with restoration of adipocyte size, reduced inflammation and increased nitric oxide synthase expression. Sustained weight loss and the restoration of PVAT function was associated with reversal of obesity-induced hypertension and normalisation of adipokine levels, including leptin and insulin. Conclusions - Sustained weight loss reverses obesity-induced PVAT damage through a mechanism involving reduced inflammation and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability. Reduced KCNQ activity and enhanced COX activation also contribute to the obesity-associated loss of PVAT anticontractile effect. These data reveal the beneficial effects of weight loss induced by dietary restriction on PVAT function and identify several potential targets for the treatment of PVAT dysfunction associated with obesity.

Introduction: The incidence of endometrial cancer is rising steeply, with the obesity epidemic believed to be the cause. Women with a BMI > 42kg/m2 have a 9-fold increase in their relative risk of endometrial cancer. Few studies have investigated the endometrial effects of obesity or weight loss. I hypothesised that morbidly obese women had a high prevalence of undiagnosed endometrial cancer and pre-cancer, and that major weight loss would result in measurable systemic and endometrial effects. Methods: 118 morbidly obese women undergoing weight loss surgery or non-surgical weight management were recruited into a prospective cohort study. Blood and endometrial samples were taken at baseline, 2 and 12 months. Results: 80 women have undergone baseline assessment (mean age 44 years, median BMI 52kg/m2). Menstrual and reproductive dysfunction was common (15% pre-menopausal amenorrhoea, 31% oligomenorrhoea) and less than one third reported regular menstrual cycles. Four cases of endometrial cancer and six of atypical endometrial hyperplasia were detected at baseline (prevalence 12.5%, 95% CI 6.2-21.8), and women with abnormal endometrium had significantly higher HbA1c and pAKT levels. Undiagnosed diabetes was found in 6%, and overall more than 38% were diabetic and up to 40% more had raised HOMA-IR levels. Significant serial improvements were seen in insulin resistance, adipokines, inflammation and androgens after bariatric surgery. In endometrium significant reductions were seen in Ki-67, pAKT, ER and PR expression. In samples matched for cycle timing and not affected by exogenous hormone treatment Ki-67 reduced by 11% and 17% at 2 and 12 months post-surgery. AEH resolved with weight loss alone in 3/6 patients and with weight loss and LNG-IUS in 2/6 women. Ki-67 expression correlated weakly with pAKT, serum oestradiol, HOMA-IR, FAI and adipokines. Conclusions: Such a high prevalence of endometrial cancer and pre-cancer in morbidly obese women supports targeted screening in this high-risk group and highlights the importance of diagnosing and managing insulin resistance. Reduction in proliferation appears to be mediated by the PI3K/AKT pathway and through changes in insulin resistance, reproductive hormones and inflammation. Ki-67 may have a use as a marker of the 'high-risk' endometrium or in the future surveillance of endometrial abnormality being managed by fertility-sparing means.

BACKGROUND: Seven out of every 10 adults in the United States can benefit from weight loss. Overweight and obesity have emerged at the forefront of public health concerns and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Primary care providers have the opportunity to identify overweight/obese patients and initiate weight loss efforts with an efficacious treatment plan that addresses individual challenges and barriers. Modest weight loss of 5-10% can be achieved with referral to a high-intensity, on-site, comprehensive lifestyle intervention program. However, most overweight/obese patients do not enroll in these programs; thus, there is a significant demand for alternative weight loss strategies. Providers can help patients individualize and apply the 3 evidence-based components of lifestyle intervention (reduced calorie diet, increased physical activity, and behavior modification) to create a plan that defines weight loss goals, dietary and physical activity targets, and behavior change strategies. LITERATURE REVIEW: mHealth applications show promise for augmenting weight loss efforts, likely by facilitating behavior change strategies such as self-monitoring. High-quality data is lacking to define the precise role of mHealth apps in weight loss, but a limited number of studies report significant app features and average frequency of use associated with weight loss. PROPOSED PROJECT: Preliminary evidence-based recommendations advise patients to use an mHealth app to log dinner and 1 other meal every day, log all minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and log body weight 2-3 times per week. Wearable sensors can be used to enhance user experience, but should not substitute for manually logging physical activity. Patients should monitor their caloric intake, minutes of physical activity, and body weight frequently with reference to their goals and prescribed recommendations. CONCLUSION & SIGNIFICANCE: Overweight/obesity is a disease that demands attention from the medical profession due to the high prevalence and associated morbidity and mortality. Primary care providers can begin to address the obesity epidemic by propagating patient weight loss efforts. Clinically significant weight loss can be accomplished with lifestyle modification, so providers should be encouraged to prescribe evidence-based lifestyle recommendations for reduced caloric intake, increased physical activity, and behavior change strategies. Patients can actively engage with these recommendations by using an mHealth app with guidance from their providers. Employing pragmatic lifestyle interventions that incorporate evidence-based strategies and encourage longevity may decrease the prevalence of overweight/obesity and its’ associated chronic conditions.