Fat-rich foods set up long term risk for malnutrition, suggests study
The study – presented at the ESPEN Congress on Nutrition and Metabolism – examined the association between previous eating habits and current nutritional status in elderly people, finding that for every percentage of energy intake that came from dietary fat resulted in a 7% higher risk of being malnourished 10 years later.
Led by Lisa Loderstrom from Uppsala University in Sweden, the research team followed more than 700 people from mid-Sweden for an average of 10 years – revealing a relationship between levels of dietary fat intake and the later risk of malnourishment.
Study details
Loderstrom and her colleagues followed 732 men and women aged between 44 and 80 years old from 1997 to 2009. All participants were asked to provide information on dietary habits lifestyle information at the beginning of the study. This included information on potential risk factors form malnutrition such as: sex, age, BMI, tobacco use, and percentage energy intake from fats, carbohydrate, protein and alcohol.
The team followed the participants for an average of 10 years, before conducting a final nutritional assessment – using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA).
The team reported that while the percent of energy gained from carbohydrate, protein or alcohol were not associated with the risk of malnourishment; smoking, BMI, and percentage of energy from fat were all significantly associated with the later risk of malnourishment.
After adjusting for the risk of smoking and BMI, the team revealed that for each additional percentage of energy from fat the risk of later malnourishment increases by 7%.
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Categories: Fat Loss Diary Tags: BMI, Sweden, Uppsala University
PCB exposure linked to increased abdominal fat
ScienceDaily (May 29, 2012) There is a correlation between high levels of the environmental toxin PCB and the distribution of body fat to the abdomen. This is shown in a new study published May 29 in the scientific journal Obesity. Abdominal fat is already known to increase the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, among other conditions.
Fat inside the abdomen (visceral fat) is considerably more dangerous that fat near the surface of the body (subcutaneous fat). For instance, fat in the abdomen has previously been linked to the development of diabetes. Monica Lind, associate professor in environmental medicine at the Section for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, together with Lars Lind, professor of medicine, has analysed data from the so-called PIVUS study, which comprises more than 1,000 70-year-olds in Uppsala.
From the same material they have previously shown that PCB can predict the development of diabetes. In the present study, these researchers measured levels in the blood of 23 persistent organic environmental toxins in the more than 1,000 70-year-old women and men. In nearly 300 of them, with the aid of magnetic imaging, they also investigated the amount of fat in various parts of the abdomen. Previous studies have used only BMI as a measure of fatness. They found that having high levels of the highly chlorinated and very persistent compound PCB189 was related to a high proportion of fat in the abdomen.
“These findings may indicate that PCB189, which was also related to developing diabetes, may be of significance in how fat is stored in the body,” says Monica Lind.
To understand the underlying mechanism, more research is needed in the form of controlled laboratory studies. According to Monica Lind, there are several possible causes. For example, it would be interesting to study whether there is a hormonal impact on fat metabolism, an inhibition of the breakdown of cortisol, or an inhibition of the creation of oestrogen.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Uppsala University.
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Journal Reference:
- Vendela Roos, Monika Rönn, Samira Salihovic, Lars Lind, Bert van Bavel, Joel Kullberg, Lars Johansson, Håkan Ahlström, P. Monica Lind. Circulating Levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Relation to Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue by Abdominal MRI. Obesity, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/oby.2012.123
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529102423.htm
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Genetic Adaptation of Fat Metabolism Key to Development of Human Brain
About 300 000 years ago humans adapted genetically to be able to produce larger amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. This adaptation may have been crucial to the development of the unique brain capacity in modern humans. In today’s life situation, this genetic adaptation contributes instead to a higher risk of developing disorders like cardiovascular disease.
The human nervous system and brain contain large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and these are essential for the development and function of the brain. These Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids occur in high quantities in just a few foods, such as fat fish. Our bodies can also produces these important fatty acids themselves from certain vegetable oils.
In a new study led by researchers at Uppsala University and now being published in The American Journal of Human Genetics scientists have investigated the genes for the two key enzymes that are needed to produce Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils. They have found that humans have a unique genetic variant that leads to increased production. This genetic adaptation for high production of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids is found only in humans, and not in our living primate relatives chimpanzees, gorillas, and rhesus monkeys. Nor did Neanderthals or Denisovans, another type of extinct hominin species, have this genetic variant. It appeared some 300 000 years ago in the evolutionary line that led to modern humans.
This genetic adaptation for more efficient Omega-3 and Omega-6 production from vegetable oils developed in Africa and has probably been an important factor for human survival in environments with limited dietary access to fatty acids.
“During humans’ earlier development, when there was a general energy deficit, this variant made it possible for us to satisfy the great need for polyunsaturated fatty acids required for our unique brain capacity. In today’s life situation, with a surplus of nourishment, this genetic adaptation contributes instead to a greater risk of developing disorders like cardiovascular disease,” says Adam Ameur, a bioinformatician at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology.
“This is the first study to show a genetic adaptation of human fat metabolism. It’s also one of few examples of a so-called ‘thrifty gene,’ that is, a genetic adaptation that contributed to enhanced survival in an earlier stage of human development, but in a life situation with an excess of food instead constitutes a risk factor for lifestyle diseases,” says Ulf Gyllensten, professor of medical molecular genetics at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology.
Source: Uppsala University
Article source: http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/News/2012/04/Genetic-Adaptation-of-Fat-Metabolism-Key-to-Development-of-Human-Brain/
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Categories: Fat Loss Diary Tags: Adam Ameur, Africa, Ulf Gyllensten, Uppsala University
Genetic Adaptation of Fat Metabolism Key to Development of Human Brain
ScienceDaily (Apr. 12, 2012) About 300,000 years ago humans adapted genetically to be able to produce larger amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. This adaptation may have been crucial to the development of the unique brain capacity in modern humans. In today’s life situation, this genetic adaptation contributes instead to a higher risk of developing disorders like cardiovascular disease.
The human nervous system and brain contain large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and these are essential for the development and function of the brain. These Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids occur in high quantities in just a few foods, such as fat fish. Our bodies can also produces these important fatty acids themselves from certain vegetable oils.
In a new study led by researchers at Uppsala University and now being published in The American Journal of Human Genetics scientists have investigated the genes for the two key enzymes that are needed to produce Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils. They have found that humans have a unique genetic variant that leads to increased production. This genetic adaptation for high production of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids is found only in humans, and not in our living primate relatives chimpanzees, gorillas, and rhesus monkeys. Nor did Neanderthals or Denisovans, another type of extinct hominin species, have this genetic variant. It appeared some 300 000 years ago in the evolutionary line that led to modern humans.
This genetic adaptation for more efficient Omega-3 and Omega-6 production from vegetable oils developed in Africa and has probably been an important factor for human survival in environments with limited dietary access to fatty acids.
“During humans’ earlier development, when there was a general energy deficit, this variant made it possible for us to satisfy the great need for polyunsaturated fatty acids required for our unique brain capacity. In today’s life situation, with a surplus of nourishment, this genetic adaptation contributes instead to a greater risk of developing disorders like cardiovascular disease,” says Adam Ameur, a bioinformatician at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology.
“This is the first study to show a genetic adaptation of human fat metabolism. It’s also one of few examples of a so-called ‘thrifty gene,’ that is, a genetic adaptation that contributed to enhanced survival in an earlier stage of human development, but in a life situation with an excess of food instead constitutes a risk factor for lifestyle diseases,” says Ulf Gyllensten, professor of medical molecular genetics at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology.
Several of the researchers behind this study are part of the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) at Uppsala University.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Uppsala Universitet, via AlphaGalileo.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Ameur et. al. Genetic Adaptation of Fatty-Acid Metabolism: A Human-Specific Haplotype Increasing the Biosynthesis of Long-Chain Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. American Journal of Human Genetics, April 12, 2012
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120412133056.htm
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Categories: Fat Loss Diary Tags: Journal Reference Ameur, Story Source, Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala University