Active clinical trials for "Obesity"

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are higher levels of cysteinyl leukotrienes in obese subjects than in non-obese subjects. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are pro-inflammatory substances that cause asthma by narrowing the airways of the lung. The investigators want to see if subjects with increased fat stores and therefore increased leptin, which is a fat-related protein that regulates leukotrienes, have increased levels of leukotrienes in the blood, lung and urine. The investigators would also like to determine the relationship between cysteinyl leukotrienes and exhaled nitric oxide levels in asthmatics with and without obesity. Nitric oxide is anti-inflammatory and suppresses leukotriene synthesis.

This study is designed to measure drug concentrations in the blood of healthy volunteers administered a single dose of ethambutol. Our hypothesis is that volunteers with a body mass index (BMI) 25-40 kg/m2 will remove ethambutol more quickly from the blood than leaner volunteers, and those with a BMI > 40 kg/m2 will have even greater clearance than those who are leaner.

Project PEER utilizes a randomized controlled study design to investigate the combined effects of an exercise and nutrition intervention that is based on self-efficacy principles and delivered primarily by peer educators to reduce the risk for obesity in female college freshman over one academic year (N = 300). The control group will receive minimal interaction from the research team, paralleling the typical freshman experience on the UIUC campus. Recruitment will take place in two waves (consecutive fall terms with n = 150). During the final year (Fall 2010) of the project, a General Education course will be offered that targets weight management. Importantly, the discussion groups for this course will be taught by peer educators trained using the peer resources further refined during the PEER project. In addition to conventional measures of content knowledge assessed in the college classroom when obtaining class credit, personal physical activity and nutrition behaviors along with behavioral determinants (self-efficacy, self-regulatory skills and outcome expectations) will also be assessed. Primary Aim 1: To determine the effectiveness of a peer-delivered self efficacy-based behavioral intervention to enhance nutrition and physical activity behaviors and subsequently weight management success in female university freshman over one academic year. We hypothesize that freshmen randomized to the intervention group will be more successful in losing or maintaining weight than the control group through a combination of diet and physical activity strategies. Primary Aim 2: To examine the role played by social cognitive factors in changing nutrition and physical activity behaviors across one academic year. We hypothesize that self-efficacy will have both a direct influence on behavior and an indirect effect through its influence on self-regulatory skills and outcome expectations.

During surgery for obesity, minimally invasive endoscopy can be performed and can assist the surgeon in determining surgical incision sites.

The purpose of this study is to minimize the loss of lean body mass that occurs during a weight-loss program in obese people by changing the nature of ingested protein and the pattern of protein feeding

Context: Endeavours to reduce overweight by calorie-restriction diets are often neither sufficient nor sustained. The growing obesity epidemic demands additional measures to enhance and sustain weight loss. Objective: To evaluate three alternative weight-loss measures on top of a calorie-restriction diet. Design, Setting, and Participants: Six-month randomized and controlled trial using a three-factorial design. The participants were 110 families with 142 obese parents and their 119 obese children.

The hypothesis of the study is the following: Patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome have different pattern in the secretion of hormones. The chronic sleep disorganization that suffer patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) may affect the central mechanisms that regulate nutritive behavior and energetic balance, causing an alteration in the secretion of hormones that favour the appearance and/or development of obesity.

Adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction is a commonly observed feature of metabolic dysfunction in obesity and diabetes. An important characteristic when examining AT function is the capacity to break down stored lipids (i.e. lipolysis) and its regulation. In the present study, the aim was to investigate whether atrial natriuretic peptide-mediated lipolysis is altered in different adipose tissue depots (subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue) of obese subjects with or without type 2 diabetes, compared to age-matched lean men. Eventually, the knowledge gained from this research will contribute to a better understanding of the present adipose tissue dysfunction and to the optimization of exercise programs for people with obesity and diabetes.

In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on the link between oral and systemic health. Obesity, a growing medical problem worldwide, has been associated with multiple chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. With respect to the effect of obesity on periodontal health, it has been shown that obese subjects exhibit higher inflammation around natural teeth and are at increased risk of tooth loss than individuals with normal weight. Peri-implantitis, an inflammatory condition of bacterial origin that occurs around oral implants and resembles periodontal disease, has become a serious concern for the dental profession given its increasing prevalence and challenging treatment. There is also strong evidence that individuals with a history of periodontitis are also at risk for peri-implantitis. However, knowledge about the pathogenesis and treatment of peri-implantitis is scarce. Hence, it is extremely important to understand the implications of excessive body fat on peri-implant health. Based on the current understanding on the effect of obesity on systemic and local inflammation around natural teeth, the investigators hypothesize that obesity will have a significant impact on peri-implant health by inducing an increased inflammatory response as measured by clinical as well as molecular markers of inflammation.

Tragus-to-wall distance (TWD) measurements is a method to evaluate spinal mobility in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and it also takes place in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI). Being obese or slim may affect TWD. As well as the person's losing or taking weight may lead wrong evaluations, in comparative studies, according to the height or weight uneven distribution of groups may affect the results. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the body shape affect TWD or not.