Active clinical trials for "Obesity"

The purpose of the study is to provide whole-grape powder or a placebo as a supplement to postmenopausal women for 12 weeks to determine the effects on body composition and bone formation.It is hypothesized that 12 weeks of supplementation with whole-grape powder will decrease body fat via resveratrol's positive effects on metabolism and negative effects on fat cells.

Obesity in children has become a significant social problem considering that nowadays 4 to 5 % of all children are obese in the industrialized countries with increased incidence in Europe by 10 to 50% over the past 10 years. Obesity is associated with the metabolic syndrome in 30% of the children and is considered as a state of chronic inflammation inducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines which determine metabolic and endocrine alterations on the organism. It has been observed that obesity is also linked to a change in the intestinal microflora with a reduction of Bacterioides and bifidobacteria and a decrease of Firmicutes and Staphylococcus aureus. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the metabolites may provide us with a characterization of the existing phenotypes and variations in relation to the changes of the physiological state, in particular when supplemented or not with a probiotic preparation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Alexis O C-section retractor in obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) who undergo Cesarean sections. Patients will be randomized to the use of the Alexis retractor during Cesarean section (treatment group) or the use of traditional hand-held retractors (control group). We will determine if there is any difference in surgical site infection or wound disruption rates. We will also determine if there is a difference in the duration of surgery or length of time from skin incision to delivery of the infant, change in hemoglobin, estimated blood loss, and postoperative length of stay, intra-operative or postoperative anti-emetic requirements, need for hospital readmission or emergency room visits, or other complication rate between the two groups.

Obesity is associated with reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) turnover in skeletal muscle, a condition that can impair muscle metabolism. The proposed research will discover mechanisms responsible for decreased content in mitochondrial proteins as well as in protein β-F1-ATPase, which is directly responsible for ATP assembly, in the muscle of obese individuals. This research will further examine the effectiveness of interventions, such as increased plasma amino acid availability and exercise, to increase the rate of production of mitochondrial proteins as well as that of β-F1-ATPase in the muscle of obese individuals. The findings will help to develop appropriate interventions to improve muscle ATP turnover and metabolism in obese people.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the genetic and metabolic differences in obese individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. It is expected that this research will help improve our understanding of the variability observed between obese and diabetic individuals.

Exercise is an effective strategy to manage juvenile obesity; however this ideal exercise training mode is still unclear. In this study, the investigators compared the health-related effects of high intensity interval training versus endurance training in obese children.

Brief Summary This trial was part of a sub-project targeted to diet, thermogenesis and obesity of a larger multicentre study named "Interaction between nutritional, social-behavioral and metabolic factors for prevention of cardiovascular disease: development of nutritional strategies on general population". Ephedrine and caffeine (EC) combination has been widely used in human obesity treatment. It is known that this drug increases the metabolic rate in both animals and humans. Ephedrine is an agonist of both α and β-adrenoceptors; moreover, it induces norepinephrine release from sympathetic neurons. Caffeine increases both norepinephrine and dopamine release and stimulates the neuronal activity in several brain regions. We hypothesize that EC treatment might exert a specific effect on lipolysis and thermogenesis by stimulation of beta-3 adrenoreceptors on adipose tissue and by stimulating uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, i.e. energy being dissipated as heat rather than being converted to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) Our study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week trial to investigate the effect of hypocaloric diet alone or coupled to EC treatment of morbidly obese women on thermogenesis, expression of UCP 3 (in muscle tissue) and of beta-3 adrenoreceptors (in adipose tissue). Subjects are randomly assigned to EC (200/20 mg) or to placebo administered three times a day orally together with a energy-deficit diet (70% of resting energy expenditure), starting one month before undergoing bariatric surgery. Primary study endpoints are weight change analysed by intention to treat, changes in resting energy expenditure, UCP3 (long and short isoform), messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in rectus abdominis and immunostaining for beta-3 adrenoreceptors in subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue. Also plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, triglycerides, free fatty acids, glycerol, TSH, free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3) fasting glucose, insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index, are measured at baseline and at the end of treatments.

In the Belly Fat study, the effects of two different caloric-restricted diets on metabolic health will be examined in male and female subjects with increased abdominal adiposity (BMI >27 kg/m2). Metabolic health is defined as health of the primary metabolic organs the liver, gut and the adipose tissue, examined in a static state as well as after the application of a challenge test. The diets are equally caloric-restricted, but differ in nutrient composition. It is hypothesized that one of the two diets causes a larger improvement in organ health and reduction in liver fat.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a synbiotic (ProSynbiotic) on the gut microbiota composition, body composition and adiposity-related genes and metabolic markers in healthy overweight adult subjects.

Due to the rising incidence of obesity, much emphasis has been placed on identifying mechanisms of increased energy intake. At this point, the mechanisms responsible for the recent increase in obesity prevalence have not been thoroughly examined. Pre-ingestive influences, such as cognitive factors, may play a larger role in creating an energy surplus than previously thought. Expectations about the satiating effect of a food may override the post-ingestive influences in dictating further consumption. In addition, obese individuals may exhibit a decreased compensatory response to foods as compared to lean individuals. Understanding the effects of energy content, food form, and learning on satiation, satiety, and energy intake will allow for a greater understanding of the mechanisms of energy imbalance as a whole. Food choice is dictated by sensory properties and post-ingestive effects. By utilizing foods with similar sensory properties, the acquired knowledge derived from ingesting these foods can be monitored by analyzing subsequent intake at the same meal and at subsequent eating occurrences. It is hypothesized that the liquid food form will elicit weaker dietary compensation; that is, energy intake at other eating events will not be adjusted to compensate for that food. In addition, it is posited that the lower energy food will cause lower compensation postprandially. By having participants consume the same test food daily over a two week learning period, it is thought that they will show improved dietary compensation when the initial testing is repeated due to learned associations between food properties and metabolism.