BACKGROUND The maintenance of weight loss may be influenced by the distribution of macronutrients in the diet and insulin sensitivity. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the longterm effect of two hypocaloric diets with different protein/carbohydrate ratios in overweight and obese individuals either with insulin resistance (IR) or without insulin resistance (IS). DESIGN Pr...

Orlistat is recommended in the treatment of obesity, which is an independent risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The reported findings of orlistat in NAFLD are divisive. Recently, periostin is identified as an important regulatory molecule in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced fatty liver. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of orlistat in the tr...

OBJECTIVES The insulin-mimetic adipocytokine visfatin has been related to obesity. The aim of this study was to examine whether weight loss could change visfatin concentrations in morbidly obese patients and its relationship with insulin resistance. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was an interventional study analyzing a population of 41 morbidly obese patients. A biochemical analysis was realized b...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that sympathetic cardiovascular outflow is increased in obese normotensive subjects and that this increase is associated with a baroreflex impairment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these abnormalities are irreversible or can be favorably affected by body weight reduction. METHODS AND RESULTS In 20 obese normotensive subjects (age, 31...

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of different physical activity programs, in combination with a hypocaloric diet, on anthropometric variables and body composition in obese subjects. Ninety-six obese (men: n = 48; women: n = 48; age range: 18-50 yr) participated in a supervised 22-wk program. They were randomized into four groups: strength training (S; n = 24), endurance t...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cocoa flavanols are recognised by their favourable antioxidant and vascular effects. This study investigates the influence on health of the daily consumption of ready-to-eat meals supplemented with cocoa extract within a hypocaloric diet, on middle-aged overweight/obese subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS Fifty healthy male and female middle-aged volunteers [57.26 ± 5.24 years a...

Methods Non diabetic overweight and obese women were submitted to a six months hypocaloric diet with either fat or carbohydrate restriction. Cardiac structure and function was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MTG content by proton spectroscopy (MRS) in 35 subjects at baseline and follow-up. Anthropometric and metabolic parameters as well as cardio-respiratory fitness were measured.

BACKGROUND Gradual weight reduction has been shown to be associated with improvements in liver enzymes. However, some evidence demonstrated that liver enzymes may transiently increase immediately after a diet-induced weight loss. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to assess the effects of a hypocaloric, almond-enriched diet (AED) compared with a hypocaloric nut-free diet (NFD) on liver functi...

INTRODUCTION the Trp64Arg variant in Beta receptor has been reported to be associated with increased body weight and insulin resistance Objective: the aim of our study was to investigate the influence of polymorphism (rs 4994) in Beta-3-adrenergic receptor gene on metabolic response and weight loss in a medium-term intervention study secondary's to a high protein/low carbohydrate vs. a standard...

BACKGROUND & AIMS Inflammation markers (IM) have been associated with the development of chronic diseases. This study compares the effects on IM of three exercise programs combined with a hypocaloric diet. METHODS 119 overweight participants (73 women, 46 men) aged 18-50 years were randomised into four treatment groups: strength training (S; n = 30), endurance training (E; n = 30), combined S...