Active clinical trials for "Overweight"

The prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly among adults and has more than doubled in the past 10 years. The metabolic syndrome (MS) is often associated with obesity. It is characterized by abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, unfavorable blood cholesterol profile, elevated blood sugar and impaired insulin action. Persons with the MS have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as heart and kidney disease. The prevalence of obesity and MS is also very high in children and young adults. While there are increasing numbers of studies assessing risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney disease in middle aged to older obese subjects, few studies have addressed the issue of the presence of obesity in young adults and its association with MS on early damage to the organs such as the kidneys, the heart and the blood vessels. The investigators' laboratory has a particular interest on the sympathetic nervous system, which is an important regulatory mechanism of both metabolic and cardiovascular function, as altered sympathetic activity may play a role in the complications of obesity. Moxonidine is a medication that is approved in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration to treat high blood pressure. It works by decreasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. With the elevation of the sympathetic activity in obesity, the investigators believe moxonidine may have a favourable role in rescuing early organ damage associated with obesity. This study will assess whether treating obese subjects with moxonidine have positive effects on blood vessels, cardiac and kidney function and anxiety disorder. The investigators will also examine the influence of the sympathetic nervous system activity in these possible altered cardiac, kidney and vessel functions.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of ropivacaine and lidocaine irrigation at the surgical bed on postoperative pain relief and breathing parameters in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

This study is looking at overweight patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), to compare the effects of a modified fat diet with a reduced glycaemic load (diet 1); and a conventional low fat, high carbohydrate diet (diet 2) on: insulin sensitivity (using the homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] model) lipid profile symptomatic status (6 minute walk distance and Heart Failure Quality of Life [HF QOL] Questionnaire) body weight inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor [TNF] alpha, C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin-6 [IL-6]) The hypotheses of this study are: Diet 1 will be associated with lower insulin resistance than diet 2. The lipid profile will be better in CHF patients on diet 1 than on diet 2. Patients on diet 1 will have a better symptomatic status than patients on diet 2. Diet 1 will maintain body weight in patients with CHF as well as diet 2. Diet 1 will suppress the expression of TNF-alpha, CRP and IL-6 more than diet 2.

It is estimated that 15% of adults aged 60-70 years, and up to 50% of adults aged 80 years and older are affected by sarcopenia-the age related loss of muscle mass and function. A disruption of the homeostatic balance between periods of muscle protein breakdown (predominant during fasting) and muscle protein synthesis (predominant following nutrient ingestion) can result in the loss of muscle mass over time. In particular, research suggests that an inability of muscle to fully respond to the anabolic influence of nutrient intake may contribute significantly to age-related muscle loss. This anabolic resistance is likely influenced by increased age-related inflammation. There is evidence in cell line and animal models that increased levels of the inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) impairs the molecular pathways that initiate muscle protein synthesis (i.e. mammalian target of rapamycin, mTOR signaling), and can accelerate muscle protein breakdown. Obesity, and sedentary lifestyle have been linked to increased TNFα expression, and thus may partially explain impaired muscle protein balance in older adults. The objectives of this clinical trial are to 1) determine if lifestyle modification via weight loss and aerobic exercise can reduce skeletal muscle inflammation and subsequently improve nutrient-stimulated muscle protein synthesis in previously sedentary, obese older adults; and 2) expose undergraduate Kinesiology and Nutrition majors to meritorious research. The investigators have recently published data with undergraduate researchers showing that body composition is associated with elevated skeletal muscle expression of TNFα converting enzyme (TACE). One of the primary actions of TACE is to cleave membrane bound TNFα (mTNFα) to soluble TNFα (sTNFα)-a more mature and bioactive form of TNFα. Both TACE and sTNFα are known to be elevated in a number of clinical conditions, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. Based on these data, the investigators feel that TACE may represent an important and potentially modifiable (via weight loss and aerobic conditioning) regulator of skeletal muscle inflammation in humans. There are currently no data on the associations among skeletal muscle expression of TACE, TNFα, and muscle protein balance. Thus, the focus of this study is to determine if 5-10% diet-induced weight loss and 6-months (3 days per week) of aerobic exercise training can influence: 1) TACE and TNFα expression in skeletal muscle; and 2) improve molecular indices of muscle protein breakdown and nutrient-stimulated muscle protein synthesis (mTOR signaling) in sedentary, obese older adults. Specifically, 60 sedentary, obese older adults will be randomized to one of the following groups: 1) control group (CON), 2) a diet-induced weight loss group (DIET), 3) an aerobic exercise training group (EX), or 4) a diet-induced weight loss + aerobic exercise training group (DIET + EX). The results of this study will advance the understanding of the connections among skeletal muscle inflammation and muscle protein balance in older adults, and validate TACE as a potentially modifiable target for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and other age-related inflammatory diseases, which will contribute to the development of practice-based guidelines for healthcare practitioners.

To investigate the effects of different fat metabolites on gut hormone secretion in gastric bypass operated subjects and BMI-matched controls.

The purpose of this study is to investigate dietary compositions effect on liverfat measured by magnetic resonance imaging.

Nowadays, eccentric exercise can be realized in a dynamic way with an ergocycle which permits eccentric (ECC) lower limbs contractions at a defined power output. With this type of ergometer, O2 consumption (VO2) in ECC is three fold lower than in concentric (CON) for the same power output. Consequently, ECC program could be used in chronic disorders with limited capacities, such as obesity. The investigators hypothesis that an eccentric training program, as it will induce higher mechanical constraints, would improve body composition, especially by reducing fat mass. This effect could be explained by an increased rest energy expenditure and a better improvement in biological parameters (particularly lipid profile and insulin-resistance) after ECC training (versus CON training). This study aims to compare the modification of fat mass after an ECC program versus a CON program at the same VO2.. The secondary goal is to assess the physiological mechanisms involved in the modification of body composition.

The aims of this project are: to investigate the impact of VLCD on control of muscle protein synthesis, muscle structure and function, cardiac function (ejection fraction), vascular function (blood flow and capillary function), overall physiology status (cardiopulmonary function) and metabolic status (insulin sensitivity) in overweight and obese middle-aged male with or without exercises. There are 3 groups for the study, to which each participant will be randomly assigned into one of either: VLCD only VLCD with resistance exercise training (RET) VLCD with high intensity interval training (HIIT) The total duration of the intervention is six weeks, with exercises taking place three times per week at the research unit under close supervision by trained staff.

Primary objective: To compare the change in liver fat content and visceral fat mass (cm2) assessed by MRS (Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image), after 26 weeks of treatment with insulin detemir once daily or insulin NPH once daily both with metformin in overweight and obese type 2 diabetic subjects. Secondary objectives: To compare the two treatments with respect to: Efficacy: MRI: abdominal subcutaneous fat mass(cm2), Calculated Visceral/Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Ratio. Change in HbA1c from baseline at 12 and 26 weeks of treatment. Change in Fasting plasma glucose from baseline at 12 and 26 weeks of treatment. Weight Waist and hip circumference Safety: Incidence of hypoglycaemia in the 26 weeks of treatment with insulin detemir versus NPH Lipid profile at the start and after 26 weeks of treatment Incidence of Adverse events during the trial Safety profile as measured by laboratory safety parameters (haematology, biochemistry) and physical examination/vital signs before and at the end of treatment

This study has two main aims: 1) To determine if ingestion of solid or beverage food forms will change appetite hormone responses, and 2) To determine whether "learning" (defined as 2 week daily consumption) about the metabolic consequence of ingesting solid or beverage foods forms varying in energy alters appetite hormone responses. Beverage consumption has been implicated in the problem of obesity. However, the exact relationship between beverages, lower appetitive response and lower compensatory dietary responses remains unclear. This study aims to address this gap in the research. For aim 1, the null hypothesis is that the energy in beverage and solid forms will not affect appetite hormonal responses differently. The alternative hypothesis is that exposure to the energy-yielding beverage will elicit a lower appetitive hormone response compared to oral exposure to the solid food form. For aim 2, the null hypothesis is that learning will not change appetite hormone responses. The alternative hypothesis is that learning will decrease appetite hormone responses in the non-energy-yielding beverage more than in the energy-yielding beverage.