Association of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus with overweight/obesity and fatty liver risk in offspring

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity and fatty liver are associated with adverse outcomes such as diabetes,metabolic syndrome,and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.It is very important to identify relevant risk factors and intervene as early as possible.At present,the relationship between maternal and offspring metabolic factors is conflicting.AIM To estimate the association of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)with overweight/obesity and fatty liver risk in offspring at 8 years of age.METHODS The prospective study included mothers who all had a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 wk of gestation and whose offspring completed follow-up at 8 years of age.Offspring birth weight,sex,height,weight,and body mass index(BMI)were measured and calculated.FibroScan-502 examination with an M probe(Echosens,Paris,France)was prospectively conducted in offspring aged 8 years from the Shanghai Prenatal Cohort Study.RESULTS A total of 430 mother-child pairs were included in the analysis.A total of 62(14.2%)mothers were classified as obese,and 48(11.1%)were classified as having GDM.The mean age of the offspring at follow-up was 8 years old.Thirty-seven(8.6%)offspring were overweight,14(3.3%)had obesity,and 60(14.0%)had fatty liver.The prevalence of overweight,obesity and fatty liver in offspring increased significantly across maternal BMI quartiles(all P<0.05).Among offspring of mothers with GDM,12(25.0%)were overweight,4(8.3%)were obese,and 12(25.0%)had fatty liver vs.25(6.5%),10(2.6%)and 48(12.6%),respectively,for offspring of mothers without GDM(all P<0.05).In multiple logistic regression,after adjustment for variables,the OR for fatty liver in offspring was 8.26(95%CI:2.38-28.75)for maternal obesity and GDM.CONCLUSION This study showed that maternal obesity can increase the odds of overweight/obesity and fatty liver in offspring,and GDM status also increases the odds of overweight/obesity in offspring.Weight management and glycemic control before and during pregnancy need to be highlighted in primary prevention of pediatric obesity and fatty liver.

Relationship between circulating irisin levels and overweight/obesity: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Currently, the findings about irisin as a novel myokine related to obesity are inconsistent in overweight/obese people. To our knowledge, no systematic analysis has been conducted to evaluate the relationship between irisin levels and overweight/obesity. AIM To evaluate the association between circulating irisin levels and overweight/obesity. METHODS The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and the ISI Web of Science were searched to retrieve all of the studies associated with circulating irisin levels and overweight/obesity. Standard mean difference values and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated and pooled using meta-analysis methodology. RESULTS A total of 18 studies were included in our meta-analysis containing 1005 cases and 1242 controls. Our analysis showed that the circulating irisin level in overweight/obese people was higher than that in overall healthy controls (random effects MD = 0.63;95%CI: 0.22-1.05;P = 0.003). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the irisin level was higher in overweight/obesity people than that in controls in Africa (random effects MD = 3.41;95%CI: 1.23-5.59;P < 0.05) but not in European, Asian, or American populations. In addition, in a subgroup analysis by age, the results showed that obese children exhibited a higher irisin level than controls (random effects MD = 0.86;95%CI: 0.28-1.43;P < 0.05). CONCLUSION This meta-analysis provides evidence that circulating irisin is higher in obese individuals compared to healthy controls and it is important to identify the relationship between circulating irisin levels and overweight/obesity in predicting overweight/obesity.

The prevalence of hypertension overweight/obesity and its relation with cardiovascular disease among middle-aged Chinese population

Objective To investigate the prevalence of hypertension overweight/obesity and the combined effect on the incidence of cardiovascular disease(CVD).Methods The study population(aged from 35 to 64)were selected from 9 regions of China by cluster sampling method.The baseline was conducted in 2010,and the follow-up survey was done in 2017.Participants with 24≤BMI28 kg/m^2 was defined as overweight,BMI≥28 kg/m^2 was defined as obesity.

Association between sleep duration and overweight/obesity among Chinese children and adolescents:a longitudinal study

Background:To determine the associations between sleep duration and overweight/obesity in Chinese children and adolescents.Methods:This longitudinal study analyzed 3,126 children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years who had participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey during 2004-2011.Sleep duration was classified into<9 h,9-10 h,and>10 h for children aged 7-12 years,and<8 h,8-9 h,and>9 h for adolescents aged 13-18 years.Results:After adjusting for confounder,short sleep duration was associated with overweight/obesity for girls aged 7-12 years(β=4.32,95%confidence interval=1.27 to 7.37,P=0.006)and boys aged 13-18 years(β=3.38,95%confidence interval=2.01 to 4.74,P<0.001).No statistically significant association was found among the other 2 groups.Meanwhile,long sleep duration was not statistically significant at any age.Conclusion:The association between short sleep duration and overweight/obesity to be dependent on both age and gender.

Proteomic analysis of overweight/obesity and related abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism caused by phlegm-dampness retention

Objective:To investigate the proteomic characteristics of overweight/obesity and related abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism caused by phlegm-dampness retention to identify related biomarkers.Methods:Seventy-one subjects were enrolled in the study.We assessed blood glucose,blood lipids,body mass index(BMI),and phlegm-dampness pattern,which was confirmed by a traditional Chinese medicine clinician.Of the participants,we included healthy participants with normal weight(NW,n=23),overweight/obese participants with normal metabolism(ONM,n=19),overweight/obese participants with pre-diabetes(OPD,n=12),and overweight/obese participants with marginally-elevated blood lipids(OML,n=17).Among them,the ONM,OPD,and OML groups were diagnosed with phlegmdampness pattern.The data-independent acquisition(DIA)method was first used to analyze the plasma protein expression of each group,and the relevant differential proteins of each group were screened.The co-expressed proteins were evaluated by Venn analysis.The pathway analyses of the differential proteins were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis(IPA)software.Parallel reaction monitoring(PRM)was used to verify the differential and common proteins in each group.Results:After comparing ONM,OPD,and OML groups with NW group,we identified the differentially expressed proteins(DEPs).Next,we determined the DEPs among OPD,OML,and ONM groups.Using Venn analysis of the DEPs in each group,24 co-expressed proteins were screened.Two co-expressed proteins were verified by PRM.IPA analysis showed that pathways including LXR/RXR activation,acute phase response signaling,and FXR/RXR activation were common to all three groups of phlegmdamp overweight/obesity participants.However,the activation or inhibition of these pathways was different among the three groups.Conclusion:Participants with overweight/obesity have similar proteomic characteristics,though each type shows specific proteomic characteristics.Two co-expressed proteins,VTN and ORM1,are potential biomarkers for glucose and lipid metabolism diseases with overweight/obesity caused by phlegmdampness retention.

Effects of Food Habits and Lifestyle on Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity among Schoolchildren in Taif Area, KSA

Background/Objectives: The Saudi population has experienced significant transformations in their lifestyle which could be attributed to several factors. Aims: This work sought to determine effects of food habits and lifestyle on prevalence of overweight (OW)/obesity (OB) among schoolchildren in Taif City, KSA. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using well-designed questionnaire. Pretested questionnaire was randomly distributed among schoolchildren in Taif city. Body mass index and waist circumference were used as tools for assessing nutritional status of schoolchildren. Results: A total of 2027 students filled the questionnaire with a mean age of 15.83 ± 2.18 years. The prevalence of OW and OB was 14.6% and 12.9%, respectively, while the combined one was 27.5%. The combined prevalence of OW and OB was significantly higher among boys than girls (31.9 vs. 21.9). Schoolchildren from high income families had high rate of OW and OB. Smoking, stress, TV viewing, daylight and night sleep had no effects on BMI, while only smoking of a family member and stress had considerable relationship with W_C. Unfortunately, 52.2% of students admitted that they were physically inactive but this effect was insignificant for both indicators. Students skipped breakfasts constitute 18.8% of subjects included but link with BMI and W_C was statistically insignificant. Regular soft or diet drinks had significant effects on BMI. Results showed considerable link between consumption of fruits/vegetables, grains and W_C. Conclusions: The prevalence of combined OW/OB among schoolchildren was 27.5%. Family income, participant’s gender, intake of regular soft or diet drinks had significant effects on BMI. While, stress, smoking of a family member, and uptake of fruits and vegetables showed considerable relationship with W_C.

Parental perceptions and childhood overweight/obesity: A population-based study among school children in Japan

The lifestyle of children is primarily controlled by their parents, and that childhood obesity is related to family variables. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parental perceptions on childhood obesity and their child’s overweight/obesity in Japan. The study subjects were 3168 school children (aged 9 or 10 years) and their parents in the town of Ina, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, between 2002 and 2009. Information regarding parental perceptions about childhood obesity and the lifestyle factors of their children was collected using self-administered questionnaires completed by the participants and their parents. Childhood over-weight was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force cutoffs. Parental perceptions on childhood obesity were significantly associated with their child’s overweight status. Specifically, low perceptions regarding childhood obesity significantly increased the odds ratio (OR) for the child’s overweight status (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.32 - 2.62). However, when the analysis was limited to children with both parents being overweight, there was no statistically significant difference between levels of parental perceptions and the overweight status of their children. Accordingly, the present study suggests that, when both parents are obese, not only is raising parental awareness important, but also encouraging parents to prevent themselves from becoming overweight, leads to improvements in the lifestyle habits of children, which may contribute to the prevention of childhood overweight.

Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity among Adolescents in a Creative, Problem-Solving Program

Certain dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors have been studied extensively and consistently have been found to be associated with childhood overweight and obesity Productive sedentary-to-light activity pursuits may enhance the relationship among positive health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a population of adolescents participating in a creative, problem-solving afterschool program and to identify the physical activity, sedentary, and dietary behaviors related to overweight and obesity in this group. This study describes health behaviors thought to be related to weight status for 1679 adolescents in grades 6 12 participating in a competitive, creative, team-oriented, problem-solving afterschool program. Self-reported dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behavior data were collected in this convenience sample based on the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Measured height and weight data were collected to calculate BMI percentile. Using multinomial regression, models were constructed to predict the likelihood of being classified as overweight/obese. The prevalence of overweight in the study population was 15.6%, obese was 11.4%. Fruit/vegetable intake, milk consumption, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, television time, and total screen time were all independently associated with weight status. After controlling for all covariates, male gender, minority racial/ethnic status, and high screen time while not meeting the physical activity recommendation significantly increased the likelihood of overweight/obesity. The participants in the current study are leaner and engage in healthier behaviors compared to national data for adolescents. The interactive variable combining both sedentary and PA measures is a relatively new technique used to provide a better understanding of the relationship between sedentary and physical activity behaviors as they relate to weight status. Even among healthy eating, physically active, low-risk adolescents, the interactive variable of physical activity and screen time strongly was associated with weight status.

Gut Microbiota Diversity and Overweight/Obesity in Infancy:Results from a Nested Case-control Study

Objective:Childhood obesity is a major health concern worldwide.Previous studies have explored the relationship between obesity and gut microbiota.However,the results from such studies remain contradictory.Methods:In the present nested case-control study,based on a twin birth cohort study,the relationship between gut microbiota diversity and overweight/obesity in 1-and 6-month-old infants was explored.

Epidemiological Aspects of Obesity, Overweight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors at Associes in Semi-Urban Areas (Case of Sébikotane)

Introduction: Obesity and overweight are a public health problem. The general objective was to determine the epidemiological aspects of obesity, overweight and associated risk factors in a semi-urban environment. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted on November 28 and 29, 2023 in Sébikotane. It focused on volunteers for screening for chronic non-communicable diseases. Epidemiological and clinical data were evaluated. Results: One hundred and twenty-nine cases of obesity were recorded (28%). Two hundred and eighty-two cases were overweight or obese (61.3%). The mean age was 49.55 years, with a standard deviation of 12.41 years. The age group [40 - 49 years] was the most representative, with 85 cases (30.1%), and the majority were female, with 264 cases (93.6%). Primary education was the most common, with 75 cases (46.3%). Grade 1 obesity concerned ninety-seven cases (75.2%), and diabetes was present in thirty cases (23%). Hypertension was present in ninety-five cases (33.7%). Obesity was more marked in the age group [40 - 49 years] with 45 cases (36%). Conclusion: Obesity and overweight are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The development and implementation of a prevention and management program is essential.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity among Public Secondary School Teachers in Parakou, Benin, in 2021

Introduction: Overweight and obesity represent a public health problem in Africa due to the epidemiological transition. The objectives of this work were to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and to identify associated factors among public secondary school teachers in Parakou, Benin in 2021. Methods: We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. Teachers working in public secondary schools in Parakou during the 2020-2021 academic year, present at work and who gave their written informed consent, were included. A two-stage random sampling was carried out. Data were collected during an individual interview using a questionnaire followed by the measurement of anthropometric parameters and blood pressure. Overweight and obesity were defined by a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associated factors. Results: A sample of 325 teachers, including 88.6% of men, was recruited with an average age of 36.2 ± 6.8 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 43.7% (95% CI [38.1%-44.8%]). It increased significantly with income (p Conclusion: The results show a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Actions are necessary to prevent overweight and obesity among secondary school teachers in Parakou, in Benin.

Evaluation of retinal and choroidal thickness changes in overweight and obese adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography

AIM:To evaluate the relationship of overweight and obesity with retinal and choroidal thickness in adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT).METHODS:According to the body mass index(BMI)results,the adults enrolled in the cross-sectional study were divided into the normal group(18.50≤BMI<25.00 kg/m^(2)),the overweight group(25.00≤BMI<30.00 kg/m^(2)),and the obesity group(BMI≥30.00 kg/m^(2)).The one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test were used for comparisons.Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the measured variables.RESULTS:This research covered the left eyes of 3 groups of 434 age-and sex-matched subjects each:normal,overweight,and obesity.The mean BMI was 22.20±1.67,26.82±1.38,and 32.21±2.35 kg/m^(2) in normal,overweight and obesity groups,respectively.The choroid was significantly thinner in both the overweight and obesity groups compared to the normal group(P<0.05 for all),while the retinal thickness of the three groups did not differ significantly.Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly negatively correlated with choroidal thickness,but no significant correlation was observed between BMI and retinal thickness.CONCLUSION:Choroidal thickness is decreased in people with overweight or obesity.Research on changes in choroidal thickness contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of certain ocular disorders in overweight and obese adults.

Drawing lines in the sand: The growing threat of obesity in type 1 diabetes

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Zeng et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Diabetes in 2024.We focus on the epidemiological,pathophysiological,and clinical interplay between obesity and type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM).Overweight and obesity represent a growing threat for modern societies and people with T1DM could not be an exception to this rule.Chronic exogenous insulin administration,genetic and epigenetic factors,and psy-chosocial and behavioral parameters,along with the modern way of life that incorporates unhealthy eating patterns and physical inactivity,set the stage for the increasing obesity rates in T1DM.As our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms that lead to the development of obesity and hyperglycemia expands,it becomes clear that there are overlap zones in the pathophysiology of the two main types of diabetes.Stereotypes regarding strict dividing lines between“autoimmune”and“metabolic”phenotypes increase the risk of trapping physicians into ineffective therapeutic approaches,instead of individualized diabetes care.In this context,the use of adjuncts to insulin therapy that have the potential to alleviate cardiorenal risk and decrease body weight can reduce the burden of obesity in patients with T1DM.

Association of Serum Folate and Vitamin B_(12) Concentrations with Obesity in Chinese Children and Adolescents

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the associations of serum folate and/or vitamin B12 concentrations with obesity among Chinese children and adolescents.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted including 3,079 Chinese children and adolescents,aged 6 to 17 years,from Jiangsu,China.Anthropometric indices,such as,children's body mass index(BMI),BMI z-scores,waist circumference,and waist-to-height ratio were utilized.Multivariable linear regression and generalized additive models were used to investigate the associations of serum folate and vitamin B12 levels with anthropometric indices and odds of obesity.Results We observed that serum vitamin B12 concentrations were inversely associated with all anthropometric indices and the odds of general obesity[odds ratio(OR)=0.68;95%confidence interval(CI)=0.59,0.78]and abdominal obesity(OR=0.68;95%CI=0.60,0.77).When compared to participants with both serum vitamin levels in the two middle quartiles,those with both serum folate and vitamin B12 levels in the highest quartile were less prone to general(OR=0.31,95%CI=0.19,0.50)or abdominal obesity(OR=0.46,95%CI=0.31,0.67).Conversely,participants with vitamin B12 levels in the lowest quartile alongside folate levels in the highest quartile had higher odds of abdominal obesity(OR=2.06,95%CI=1.09,3.91).Conclusion Higher serum vitamin B12 concentrations,but not serum folate concentrations,were associated with lower odds of childhood obesity.Children and adolescents with high levels of vitamin B12 and folate were less likely to be obese.

Transcriptome analysis suggests broad jejunal alterations in Linghu’s obesity-diarrhea syndrome:A pilot study

BACKGROUND Obesity is associated with a significantly increased risk for chronic diarrhea,which has been proposed as Linghu’s obesity-diarrhea syndrome(ODS);however,its molecular mechanisms are largely unknown.AIM To reveal the transcriptomic changes in the jejunum involved in ODS.METHODS In a cohort of 6 ODS patients(JOD group),6 obese people without diarrhea(JO group),and 6 healthy controls(JC group),high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify jejunal mucosal mRNA expression alterations and dysfunctional biological processes.In another cohort of 16 ODS patients(SOD group),16 obese people without diarrhea(SO group),and 16 healthy controls(SC group),serum diamine oxidase(DAO)and D-lactate(DLA)concentrations were detected to assess changes in intestinal barrier function.RESULTS The gene expression profiles of jejunal mucosa in the JO and JC groups were similar,with only 1 differentially expressed gene(DEG).The gene expression profile of the JOD group was significantly changed,with 411 DEGs compared with the JO group and 211 DEGs compared with the JC group,129 of which overlapped.The enrichment analysis of these DEGs showed that the biological processes such as digestion,absorption,and transport of nutrients(especially lipids)tended to be up-regulated in the JOD group,while the biological processes such as rRNA processing,mitochondrial translation,antimicrobial humoral response,DNA replication,and DNA repair tended to be down-regulated in the JOD group.Eight DEGs(CDT1,NHP2,EXOSC5,EPN3,NME1,REG3A,PLA2G2A,and PRSS2)may play a key regulatory role in the pathological process of ODS,and their expression levels were significantly decreased in ODS patients(P<0.001).In the second cohort,compared with healthy controls,the levels of serum intestinal barrier function markers(DAO and D-LA)were significantly increased in all obese individuals(P<0.01),but were higher in the SOD group than in the SO group(P<0.001).CONCLUSION Compared with healthy controls and obese individuals without diarrhea,patients with Linghu’s ODS had extensive transcriptomic changes in the jejunal mucosa,likely affecting intestinal barrier function and thus contributing to the obesity and chronic diarrhea phenotypes.

Akkermansia muciniphila-directed polyphenol chlorogenic acid intervention for obesity in mice

Akkermansia muciniphila play an important in ameliorating obesity but is not allowed for direct consumption in most countries.To date,microbiota-directed foods selectively promote the targeted human gut microbes,providing a strategy for A.muciniphila enhancement.Multiple studies have indicated the potential regulation of the polyphenol on A.muciniphila.Therefore,a polyphenol screening based on A.muciniphila upregulation was performed in mice.Chlorogenic acid(CGA)exhibited a greater response to A.muciniphila upregulation.Furthermore,we found that CGA did not directly promote A.muciniphila growth or mucin secretion.Microbiome and metabolomics revealed that the increased abundance of A.muciniphila resulted from the inhibition of CGA on Desulfovibrio and Alistipes and the influence of docosahexaenoic acid,β-hydroxybutyrate,and N-acetyl-lactosamine.Finally,to confirm the regulation of CGA on A.muciniphila under disease conditions,high-fat diet-fed mice were established.The results showed CGA promoted A.muciniphila growth,and we expectedly found that CGA suppressed the augment in body weight of mice,significantly attenuated adipose tissue abnormality,provided liver protection and improved gut barrier integrity.These results suggest that CGA inhibits the development of obesity.Overall,our results indicate that microbiota-directed food is a promising approach for the treatment of obesity.

Microbial phenolic metabolites 3-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid and 3',4'-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid prevent obesity in mice fed high-fat diet

Obesity is associated with numerous metabolic disorders,and dietary polyphenols have been confirmed to have beneficial effects on the metabolism in obesity.However,the effect of 3-(3’,4’-dihydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid(DHPA)and 3’,4’-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid(DHAA),two main metabolites of dietary polyphenols,on obesity remains poorly understood.In this study,DHPA and DHAA were found to alleviate obesity,as well as regulate insulin resistance,lipid metabolism,and oxidative stress response in high-fat diet(HFD)mice.Surprisingly,the 16S rRNA sequencing and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS demonstrated that DHPA and DHAA only slightly disturbed the intestinal microbiome,but significantly altered the urine metabolome of HFD mice mainly by regulating pentose and glucuronate interconversion,tyrosine metabolism,pentose phosphate and tricarboxylic acid(TCA)cycle as indicated by metabolic pathway analysis based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)database.Correlation analysis revealed that the differential metabolites are strongly associated with body weight,blood glucose,insulin level,and superoxide dismutase(SOD)enzyme activity.Our results revealed that DHPA and DHAA exert their anti-obesity effect by regulating important metabolites in the glucose,lipid and tyrosine metabolism pathways.

Polysaccharides of Aspergillus cristatus attenuate obesity by regulating gut microbiota and gut microbiota-related metabolites

Golden-flower fungus,the only dominant microorganism determining the Fu-brick tea quality through fermentation and the important microbe in Liupao tea,is considered a potential probiotic fungus based on its anti-obesity effect.However,the classification of golden-flower fungi is still controversial;the anti-obesity effect of golden-flower fungus polysaccharides remains unknown.In this study,we identify a golden-flower strain as Aspergillus cristatus based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogeny analysis,which resolves the controversy of classification.Moreover,we find A.cristatus polysaccharides(ACPS)attenuate obesity in rats.ACPS modulate gut bacterial composition.in which Akkermansia,Akkermansia muciniphila,Bacteroides,Romboutsia,Blautia,and Desulfovibrio are considered the core microbes regulated by ACPS.ACPS increase fecal total short-chain fatty acid content and serum,hepatic,and fecal total bile acid content.Furthermore,ACPS-induced gut microbiota alteration plays a causal role in the protection from obesity,according to a fecal transplantation experiment.Thus,ACPS ameliorate obesity by regulating gut microbiota and gut microbiota-related metabolites.

Mechanism of Wendan decoction in preventing obesity by regulating multiple signal pathway networks based on gene promoter methylation

Objective:To investigate the potential mechanism of Wendan decoction in obesity by screening target genes with promoter region methylation changes and constructing a multiple signaling pathways network based on promoter methylation.Methods:The methylation degree of Itgad,Col8a1,Adra2b,Jund,Rab2a,Wnt8b,Fzd9,B4galt7,Pik3cd,Creb1,Stard8,and Mmp1 in the abdominal adipose tissue of obese rats was determined using the Agena MassARRAY system.Western blot was performed to assess protein expression levels.Target genes were identified based on the methylation degree in the promoter region and protein expression.Enrichment analysis of signaling pathways was conducted to identify relevant target genes and obtain a multiple signaling pathway network associated with obesity.Core and terminal effector molecules in the pathway networks were selected as research targets for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)analysis.Results:Four genes(Adra2b,Creb1,Itgad,and Pik3cd)showed a degree of promoter methylation consistent with their respective protein expression levels.Among them,Adra2b,Creb1,and Pik3cd expression increased,while that of Itgad decreased.Enrichment analysis revealed that Creb1 and Pik3cd were involved in 6 signaling pathways related to obesity:tumor necrosis factor(TNF)signaling pathway,growth hormone synthesis/secretion and action,adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)signaling pathway,relaxin signaling pathway,cyclic nucleotide(cAMP)signaling pathway,and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.Subsequently,a multiple signaling pathways network was constructed based on promoter methylation.Key molecules including protein kinase B(AKT),mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1),and unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1(ULK1),as well as terminal effector molecules interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and chemokine(C-X-C motif)ligand 2(CXCL2)were selected as research targets.Wendan decoction decreased the expressions of AKT,mTORC1,IL-1β,IL-6,and CXCL2 while up-regulating ULK1 expression.Conclusion:The mechanism of Wendan decoction in preventing obesity involves the regulation of multiple signaling pathways through the control of Creb1 and Pik3cd gene promoter methylation.However,the associated multi-path gene regulation mechanism in preventing obesity is complex.Thus,further exploration is needed to elucidate the role of methylation changes in this mechanism.

Novel subtype of obesity influencing the outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy:Familial aggregation of obesity

BACKGROUND Differences in the preoperative characteristics and weight loss outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy(SG)between patients with familial aggregation of obesity(FAO)and patients with sporadic obesity(SO)have not been elucidated.AIM To explore the impact of SG on weight loss and the alleviation of obesity-related comorbidities in individuals with FAO.METHODS A total of 193 patients with obesity who underwent SG were selected.Patients with FAO/SO were matched 1:1 by propensity score matching and were categorized into 4 groups based on the number of first-degree relatives with obesity(1 SO vs 1FAO,2SO vs 2FAO).The baseline characteristics,weight loss outcomes,prevalence of obesity-related comorbidities and incidence of major surgeryrelated complications were compared between groups.RESULTS We defined FAO as the presence of two or more first-degree relatives with obesity.Patients with FAO did not initially show significant differences in baseline data,short-term postoperative weight loss,or obesity-related comorbidities when compared to patients with SO preoperatively.However,distinctions between the two groups became evident at the two-year mark,with statistically significant differences in both percentage of total weight loss(P=0.006)and percentage of excess weight loss(P<0.001).The FAO group exhibited weaker remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)(P=0.031),hyperlipidemia(P=0.012),and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)(P=0.003)as well as a lower incidence of acid reflux(P=0.038).CONCLUSION FAO patients is associated with decreased mid-to-long-term weight loss outcomes;the alleviation of T2DM,hyperlipidemia and NAFLD;and decreased incidence of acid reflux postoperatively.