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New research is adding another reason why some people have large waistlines. Scientists say that excessive bacteria in the stomach caused by a lack of the TLR5 (Toll-Like Receptor 5) protein may be the culprit.

TLR5 guards against an overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines. If you remove TLR5, the intestines will be overgrown with an excessive amount of pathogens.  Inflammation will occur making the cells less sensitive to insulin.  And, If the cells become resistant to insulin, the glucose  will continue to circulate, causing high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes.

Recently, it has been discovered that probiotics, also known as “healthy” bacteria, can manipulate the balance of the microflora in the intestine by reducing the growth of “harmful” bacteria. and therefore may play a role in fighting obesity and controlling inflammation.

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A new European study has shown that obese people have large amounts of the chemokine molecule CXCL5, produced by certain cells in fatty tissue, and it is this molecule that  researchers feel will cause an obese person to develop Type II Diabetes.

'Chronic inflammation of the adipose tissue, which is characteristic of obese people, is a crucial stage in the development of insulin resistance and Type II Diabetes", Lluis Fajas, lead author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) in France, said.

 Serum levels of CXCL5, produced by certain adipose tissue cells, appear at much high levels in the tissues of obese people than in those of individuals with normal weight. An experimental treatment aimed at inhibiting the action of CXCL5 has protected obese mice from developing Type II Diabetes. If this can be shown in humans, an important step to prevent diabetes in obese people will have been taken.

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New research has discovered that there may be a special kind of fat in your body that burns calories instead of storing them .According to three preliminary studies recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine you may have this fat and it could be activated simply by spending time in the cold!

Brown adipose tissue (called brown fat) helps babies, young children, and other small mammals stay warm by burning calories when activated by low temperatures. New research shows that many of us retain some of this Brown Fat even as adults.

 "People who had brown fat were, in fact, different from the people who didn't," explained Dr. Aaron Cypess of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Massachusetts, the lead author of one of the new studies. "They were younger and leaner. People who were older, those who were obese, and those using heart drugs called beta blockers were less likely to have brown fat".

Researchers  observed that some people had deposits of tissue that looked like fat but didn't act like it; this fat-like tissue was located above the collarbones and in the upper chest and consumed lots of energy. Conversely, white adipose tissue -- the regular fat that stores extra calories and makes us gain weight-  shows very little metabolic activity.

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 A series of new studies has shown that the onset of dementia may occur sooner if a patient is suffering from the combination of  obesity, diabetes, and heart disease .

This is an important finding because it means that people who take control of their life by changing their lifestyle and their diet , while exercising more will not only prevent heart disease but  will also slow the decline of their mental faculties , namely dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

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A growing number of overweight American children and adolescents are being diagnosed with chronic diseases once considered illnesses of adulthood.

In addition to the well-known rise in Type 2 diabetes among U.S. youth, children affected by obesity also are suffering from fatty liver disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.  Concern is mounting because the long-term effect of developing chronic diseases early in life can lead to a slew of health issues.

"The earlier you develop diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications," says Dr. Paula Butler, chief of endocrinology at Mount Sinai Hospital. "People will be having eye problems early, heart problems early, strokes early and go on dialysis. They will suffer knee and back pain, have sleep problems. They may not be able to work. It affects quality of life."

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According to an annual state-by-state survey, adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year ,while Type 2 Diabetes, a weight related disease, increased in 26 states. What's more is that an additional survey showed that whereas not one state in 1991 had an obesity rate at 20%, now every state, except Colorado, has an obese population over 20%.

According to the survey, individuals with a body-mass index of 30 or above, a calculation based on height and weight, are considered obese. For instance, a person who is 5 ft. 8 in. and weighs 200 pounds has a BMI of 30.4.The steady rise in overweight Americans may be attributed  to large serving-sizes in restaurants, the high cost of nutritional food, and more time spent in front of TVs and computer screens according to some experts.

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Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have determined that insulin resistance is likely the reason why gallstones are more common in obese people. Sudha Biddinger, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher in the Joslin Section on Obesity and Hormone Action, said:

"Obesity is associated with increased secretion of cholesterol into the bile. The excess cholesterol accumulates in the gallbladder which can lead to the formation of painful gallstones. This study shows that insulin resistance is key to this process, as the lack of insulin receptors in the livers (of research mice) was sufficient to promote gallstones".

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So So there's been a study that shows that people who live in neighborhoods where there are more fast food restaurants have higher rates of diabetes and obesity. Is it me or is that a no brainer?And, what's more, this rate increase goes across all racial lines, all ethnic lines, AND all income lines! 

The study found obesity rates to be 20% higher in neighborhoods with five or more times as many fast-food outlets as produce vendors, compared with those with three or fewer and Diabetes rates were 23% higher! That's quite significant. It's been suggested that all restaurants post caloric and nutritional content for all of their food like what New York was just mandated to do. That's ok but I have a better idea. Why doesn't someone set up a MAXIMUM healthy caloric content figure per sandwich, snack, side order, etc and if a food goes over that, a CAUTION NOTICE must be posted and/or printed on wrappers or boxes of take out food saying the following:

CAUTION: THIS FOOD IS OVER THE RECOMMENDED CALORIC INTAKE LEVEL PER MEAL AND REPEATED INGESTION MAY LEAD TO OBESITY AND/OR DIABETES.

Kind of similar to a label on a package of cigarettes. Nah, it won't work.

People still smoke and that can lead to CANCER!

(Picture from http://www.obesity-experts.com/Fast-Food-Obesity.html)

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Researchers are now investigating the strong blood sugar reducing capability of Bitter Melon, a vegetable commonly used in Asia for medicinal use.

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I have a question.

How can you have a story about higher rates of diabetes and obesity in New York than elsewhere  and have a banner ad for Dunkin Donuts smack in the middle? Ok, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt because I understand how "key words" in stories trigger certain advertisers on websites but I just don't think it's right that just after the AP writer states that "health officials say a big reason for the gain is sugary sodas and sweetened drinks which add a lot of calories", a banner ad for Dunkin Donuts appears, Check it out for yourself. You may not see it right away because the ad alternates with other advertisers but it's there. Believe me. I printed it out. It may not cause the obesity and diabetes rate to increase but it sure doesn't help.

 APRIL 30, 2008 UPDATE: The ad is no longer there but the article is. We'll keep checking to see if it comes back! JDS

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