Weight Loss Study Compares Black Women From US, Nigeria

Washington Examiner nutrition columnist Mark Sisson on Wednesday examined a recent study looking at the effect of diet and exercise on weight among black women.
For the study, which was published in the journal Obesity, researchers led by the Loyola University Health System compared the weight, activity levels and diets of a group of black women living in Chicago with a group of women living in rural Nigeria. The average weight of women in the Chicago group was 184 pounds and women in the Nigeria group weighed 124 pounds on average.
According to Sisson, the "researchers found no discernable difference in calories burned due to physical activity between the two groups of women," but an analysis of their diets concluded that "diet is a more likely explanation for why women in the Chicago cohort weigh more than their Nigerian counterparts."
The Nigerian women typically followed a diet rich in fiber and carbohydrates; the Chicago women, however, had diets that were high in fat and processed foods, according to Sisson. Researchers suggested that diet might be more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss, according to Sisson. Researchers also said that weight loss might not be as easy without dietary changes.
He writes, "While these findings are certainly interesting," it is "important to remember that exercise has more benefits than a smaller number on the scale," such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improved mental health and mood, and a reduced risk of several chronic conditions. He concludes that the "key to good health is to follow a nutritious diet and hit the gym on a regular basis" (Sisson, Washington Examiner, 1/14).
Washington Examiner nutrition columnist Mark Sisson on Wednesday examined a recent study looking at the effect of diet and exercise on weight among black women. For the study, which was published in the journal Obesity, researchers led by the Loyola University Health System compared the weight, activity levels and diets of a group of black women living in Chicago with a group of women living in rural Nigeria. The average weight of women in the Chicago group was 184 pounds and women in the Nigeria group weighed 124 pounds on average.
According to Sisson, the "researchers found no discernable difference in calories burned due to physical activity between the two groups of women," but an analysis of their diets concluded that "diet is a more likely explanation for why women in the Chicago cohort weigh more than their Nigerian counterparts." The Nigerian women typically followed a diet rich in fiber and carbohydrates; the Chicago women, however, had diets that were high in fat and processed foods, according to Sisson. Researchers suggested that diet might be more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss, according to Sisson. Researchers also said that weight loss might not be as easy without dietary changes.
He writes, "While these findings are certainly interesting," it is "important to remember that exercise has more benefits than a smaller number on the scale," such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improved mental health and mood, and a reduced risk of several chronic conditions. He concludes that the "key to good health is to follow a nutritious diet and hit the gym on a regular basis"

Discovering Drug That Cuts Appetite, Boosts Energy

In a major advance in obesity and diabetes research, Yale School of Medicine scientists have found that reducing levels of a key enzyme in the brain decreased appetites and increased energy levels.
Reductions in the levels of the enzyme prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) led to weight loss and a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in mice, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The team found that PRCP is located in the hypothalamus and regulates levels of a peptide known for inhibiting food intake and stimulating energy expenditure — the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). Researchers found that blocking the PRCP enzyme keeps the alpha-MSH peptides from being degraded, resulting in higher levels of alpha-MSH and decreased appetite.
"Our research provides the first evidence that breaking down molecules in the brain that regulate metabolism is an important component of weight control," said senior author Sabrina Diano, associate professor in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and Neurobiology. "Our findings provide a possible new target for the development of drugs to control metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes."
Diano and her team conducted the study in congenic mice that were naturally lean and later in mice that had PRCP removed. Animals without the PRCP enzyme were leaner and ate less food. They also had higher levels of alpha-MSH in the hypothalamus compared to control animals. The mice were put on a diet of 45 percent fat—the equivalent of eating fast food everyday—and even with this high fat diet, they did not gain as much weight as control animals on a regular diet.