 New study shows why people gain weight as they get older
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The scientists studied the fat cells in 54 men and
women over an average period of 13 years. In that time, all subjects,
regardless of whether they gained or lost weight, showed decreases in
lipid turnover in the fat tissue, that is the rate at which lipid (or
fat) in the fat cells is removed and stored.
Those who didn’t
compensate for that by eating less calories gained weight by an average
of 20 percent, according to the study which was done in collaboration
with researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden and University of Lyon
in France.
The researchers also examined lipid turnover in 41
women who underwent bariatric surgery and how the lipid turnover rate
affected their ability to keep the weight off four to seven years after
surgery.
The result showed that only those who had a low rate
before the surgery managed to increase their lipid turnover and maintain
their weight loss. The researchers believe these people may have had
more room to increase their lipid turnover than those who already had a
high-level pre-surgery.
“The results indicate for the first time
that processes in our fat tissue regulate changes in body weight during
ageing in a way that is independent of other factors,” says Peter Arner,
professor at the Department of Medicine in Huddinge at Karolinska
Institutet and one of the study’s main authors. “This could open up new
ways to treat obesity.”
Prior studies have shown that one way to
speed up the lipid turnover in the fat tissue is to exercise more. This
new research supports that notion and further indicates that the
long-term result of weight-loss surgery would improve if combined with
increased physical activity.
“Obesity and obesity-related
diseases have become a global problem,” says Kirsty Spalding, senior
researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska
Institutet and another of the study’s main authors. “Understanding
lipid dynamics and what regulates the size of the fat mass in humans has
never been more relevant.”
The study was financed by grants from
the Stockholm County Council, the Swedish Research Council, the
Strategic Research Program for Diabetes at Karolinska Institutet, the
Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Swedish Diabetes Foundation, Karolinska
Institutet-Astra Zeneca Integrated Cardiometabolic Center, the Vallee
Foundation, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Erling-Persson Family
foundation and IXXI.
More information on this study, may be reached at Karolinska Institutet YouTube channel here.*
---------------------------------
Are obesity-related diseases have become a global problem? We would like to know
your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to:
news@amcostarica.com
|
