Research on Obesity

With the growing number of obese people world-wide, research on obesity has assumed a much greater importance than it ever did in the past, since the growing incidence of obesity increases the risk factors for stroke as well as the risk of heart disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. 'Obesity' refers to an excessive amount of body fat in contrast to 'overweight' which refers to an excessive amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat and water.

The present research on obesity is focusing on finding the causes of obesity which can then be addressed to manage this ever-growing problem.

The first hurdle encountered in diagnosing the extent and severity of obesity is the measurement of the exact amount of a person's body fat. Very accurate methods are to weigh a person underwater or in an air chamber that uses displacement of air to measure body volume.

Another method is to use Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) but it is far more practical to measure the thickness of the subcutaneous layer of fat in various parts of the body.

Research on Obesity

A new and, somewhat startling, report comes from a group of scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, who have been carrying out research on obesity from the point of view of the flora in the digestive tract. This study, led by Jeffrey L. Gordon, reports a link between obesity and the makeup of the microbial ecology in the 'gut', specifically the proportion of the bacteria known as Fermicutes to other bacteria called Bacteroidetes. Much research is also put into hypertension medication, however in the case of obesity, prevention is the best treatment.

This avenue of research on obesity may show that some changes, such as food additives or antibiotics, may have caused the gut flora to change, making weight gain easier for some people.