A New Diet Pill On The Horizon?

Diet pills are extremely popular for many individuals trying to lose weight, though the success of most of the pharmaceutical weight loss pills has been dampened by their safety profile.  Many of the popular diet pills, like fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine, and sibutramine, have been removed or are in danger of being removed from the market due to safety concerns.

According to a new weight loss study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a new drug, lorcaserin, successfully helps with weight loss without the safety concerns of previous diet pills.  In this study, investigators randomly assigned  over 3,000 overweight or obese adults to receive either a lorcaserin diet pill or a placebo pill twice daily for 1 year.  After completion of the first year, individuals who had received the lorcaserin were re-assigned to either continue taking lorcaserin or take the placebo pill for a second year.  All study volunteers received regular counseling to exercise moderately 30 minutes each day and to consume 600 fewer Calories per day.  Weight loss was examined after the first year and weight maintenance was determined after the second year.  The study investigators reported that:

• Volunteers taking lorcaserin lost 13 lbs on average after 1 year, while volunteers taking the placebo pill lost only 5 lbs on average.
• 47.5% of volunteers taking lorcaserin lost more than 5% of their body weight compared to only 20% of volunteers taking the placebo pill.  
• During the second year of the study, 68% of the study subjects taking lorcaserin maintained their weight loss for a year.  Only 50% of the subjects taking the placebo pill managed to maintain their weight loss after a year.
• Side effects of lorcaserin use were considered mild and included headache, dizziness, and nausea.  Furthermore, use of lorcaserin was not linked to increases in heart valve problems.

At first blush, these look like excellent results.  Study volunteers taking this new diet pill lost weight, maintained their weight loss, and, compared to control subjects, experienced no differences in serious side effects.  However, I keep coming back to that average 13-lb weight loss. Volunteers in the lorcaserin group exercised 30 minutes per day, consumed 600 fewer calories per day than they needed, and took lorcaserin twice daily, all of which resulted in an average loss of 13 lbs in one year.  If you look at that number another way, that would be equal to an average of 1/4 lb per week.  How many of us would be happy losing only 1/4 lb per week?

According to an article on the Mayo Clinic website, cutting 500 calories per day (3,500 calories per week) from your typical diet will result in losing 1 lb per week.  The volunteers in this study were supposed to consume 600 calories per day (4,200 calories per week) less than their energy needs and yet they only lost 1/4 lb per week on average.  This could suggest that either the study volunteers weren't exercising and dieting according to the instructions or the diet pill wasn't as effective as it appears.  A previous study of this same diet pill showed that it could help with weight loss in individuals following their regular diet and activity plans, suggesting that diet and exercise might not be needed when taking this diet pill.

Since this drug works by decreasing food intake, it might be possible that weight loss could be achieved without additional dieting and exercise; however, an average weight loss of 13 lbs per year does not seem as effective as diet and exercise alone can be.  For example, dieters lost nearly 400% more weight on my diet's eating and physical activity plan when compared to another study of dieters who used a leading weight loss diet pill plan. You can lose more weight in less time on my diet plan without using diet pills; however, if with your doctor’s consent you choose to use a diet pill, my eating and physical activity plan is the perfect complement for the best results.

Don't Let Your Workouts Slow You Down!

Regular exercise, outside of our normal daily physical activities, is a vital part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a healthy body weight. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that we should exercise more than 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or more than 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity exercise, though less than half of us meet these recommendations.

Research studies have suggested that committing to a regular, structured exercise program might cause us to reduce the amount of physical activity we get during the rest of the day, partially compensating for our daily workout.  Whether our choice of exercise intensity impacts our overall daily amounts of physical activity remains unclear and is the subject of a new obesity research study. 

For this new study (free to download), research investigators enrolled 36 overweight or obese postmenopausal women who had been inactive during the 6 months before the study started.  Eighteen of the women were assigned to moderate-intensity exercise and the other 18 women were assigned to vigorous-intensity exercise such that calories burned were similar in both groups of women.  Total physical activity (structured exercise + normal daily activities) was measured both on days with structured exercise and on days without structured exercise.  The results of this investigation were very interesting.

Moderate-Intensity Exercise.  In women exercising at a moderate intensity, the amount of energy burned was higher on days when they exercised (~577 Calories) than on days when they did not exercise (~450 Calories).  However, this difference between exercise and non-exercise days (~127 Calories) was substantially less than the calories burned on the treadmill, suggesting that the women burned less calories outside of their workout on days that they exercised.

Vigorous-Intensity Exercise.  In women exercising at a vigorous intensity, the amount of total energy burned was LESS on days with treadmill exercise (~450 Calories) than on days without treadmill exercise (~520 Calories), suggesting that the women in this study were reducing the amount of physical activity they did outside of the structured program on days they exercised.

These are fascinating results that suggest we might automatically compensate for any structured exercise program to which we commit if we are not careful.  According to this study, the greatest risk appears to come with vigorous-intensity exercise.  In this group of women, those that committed to vigorous-intensity exercise on average reduced their non-treadmill physical activity so much that they burned more calories on non-exercise days than they did on exercise days.  While this reduction in non-treadmill physical activity was seen in both groups of women, it was clearly more pronounced in women following a vigorous-intensity program.  These findings make it clear that we need to educate individuals deciding to start a structured exercise program about the importance of maintaining their normal levels of physical activity in addition to their exercise program in order to achieve the best possible results.

Walking 30-45 minutes per day is a great way to start a healthy exercise and weight loss plan.  Visit us at www.drtabor.com to learn more about my easy diet plan and physical activity plan.

Berberine Blocks Fat Production in Obese Mice

Berberine is chemical found naturally in plants such as Berberis (a shrub) and Goldenseal (a member of the buttercup family).  It has been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat bacterial and fungal infections.  Research into the potential health benefits of berberine suggests that it might have heart health and other benefits.

A new obesity study was conducted in mice to determine if the potential anti-obesity benefits of berberine seen in cell culture studies might also be evident in an animal model of obesity.  For this study, obesity researchers treated mice being fed either a normal diet or a high-fat diet to induce obesity with berberine.  The results of this study showed that:

• Berberine reduced weight gain in obese mice fed a high fat diet.
• Food intake by obese mice was reduced by treatment with berberine.
• Berberine had beneficial effects on markers of cholesterol health and blood sugar health.
• Treatment with berberine did not have any negative effects on mice fed a normal diet.

These are interesting results suggesting that this naturally occuring plant chemical might have potential weight management benefits.  Previous research indicates that berberine's possible benefits are likely due to its anti-inflammatory activities and its ability to reduce production of fat by fat cells.  Additional research will be needed to test the potential anti-obesity benefits of berberine in human clinical trials.  While appropriate levels of exercise and food consumption remain the cornerstone of maintaining a healthy body weight, new discoveries that can help fight the current obesity epidemic are always welcome!

Eating healthy and getting enough regular exercise is critical for healthy weight management.  My diet plan is an easy way to start developing healthier eating habits, while still enjoying many of your favorite flavors.  Visit us at www.drtabor.com to learn more.

Reduce Weight Gain By Bicycling & Walking

We are all aware of the importance of regular exercise for maintaining overall health as well as maintaining a healthy body weight.  However, the benefit of some forms of exercise, particularly bicycling, on weight control are not well studied.

A 16-year follow-up study of more than 18,000 women who took part in the Nurses Health Study II investigated the impact of walking and bicycling on weight change between 1989 and 2005.  The results of this study showed that:

• At the start of the study, only 39% of the women walked briskly and only 1.2% of them bicycled for more than 30 minutes per day.
• Women who increased their bicycling or brisk walking (> 3 mph) by at least 30 minutes per day gained substantially less weight.
• Slow walking (< 3 mph) did not prevent weight gain.
• Women who did not bicycle before the study started and increased they bicycling by at least 5 minutes per day gained less weight than women who did not bike at all.
• Normal weight women who rode a bike for more than 4 hours/week had about 25% lower odds of gaining more than 5% of their initial body weight.
• Overweight women who bicycled at least 2 hours per week had a 46% lower chance of gaining more than 5% of their initial body weight.

Overall, these study results continue to show us the importance of exercise for weight control.  Even small amounts of brisk exercise can have some benefits, but as this study indicates, additional amounts of exercise have additional benefits.  According to the newest obesity report, the majority of us aren't getting the recommended amounts of exercise.  In fact, the states with the highest rates of obesity have the highest percentage of sedentary adults.  Regular moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity exercise has multiple health benefits in addition to supporting healthy weight management, so remember to get the right amount of exercise as often as possible.

My easy diet plan recommends at least 30-45 minutes of brisk walking six days per week.  Walking is a great, low-impact way to start exercising and has many benefits.  Visit us at www.drtabor.com to learn more about my delicious foods and easy diet plan.

Obesity Rates Continue To Rise!

The newest national obesity report, "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010" was recently made available to the public and indicates that obesity levels continue to increase.  While the full report is free to read, some of the major finding are briefly outlined below:

• Adult obesity rates rose in 28 states.
• 38 states have an obesity rate more than 25% with 8 of those states having obesity rates greater than 30%.
• Of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates, 10 are Southern states with Mississippi having the highest rate of obesity (33.8%).
• Adult obesity rose for a third year in a row in 11 states and for a second year in a row for 15 states.
• Obesity rates were highest in individuals with an income below $15,000/year and lowest in individuals with an income above $50,000/year, suggesting the cost of healthy foods is a barrier to healthy eating.
• Physical inactivity rose in 12 states with 6 states reporting that more than 30% of adults did not exercise.
• 8 of the 10 states with the highest rates of obesity also had the lowest rates of fruit and vegetable consumption.

The report indicates that obesity reached 'epidemic proportions' in 2001, after which steps were taken nation wide to slow or prevent the increase in obesity rates.  Unfortunately, these steps were often too slow to develop and were not always well-accepted.  According to this new report, programs to prevent obesity have grown tremendously in the last couple of years and research suggests that 80% of Americans recognize obesity as a national problem.  Some of the programs being widely adopted include raising nutritional standards for school lunches and foods sold in vending machines (over 20 states), requirements for body mass index screening of children and teens (20 states), linking local farms to schools (23 states), imposing soda taxes (33 states), and improving safe access to community streets for pedestrians and bicyclists (13 states).  Hopefully, this growing obesity awareness and improved obesity education will lead to a reversal of the obesity trends being reported.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is an important part of living a healthy, active lifestyle.  My easy diet plan is a delicious way to manage your weight and eating habits.  Visit us to learn more!

Our Neighborhood Effects Our Obesity Risk

Obesity is a very complex health condition that can be effected by many factors.  While obesity is still considered the result of too many calories consumed and to little exercise, many things influence our eating and exercise habits.  One such factor to which most of us give very little thought is our physical environment.  Yet studies are starting to show that the neighborhoods in which we live might effect our obesity risk.

In one new obesity research study, investigators examined volunteers' perceptions of their environment in relation to body mass and exercise levels.  The researchers also investigated the effect of a light rail transit system on body weight and physical activity.  Information on body mass, obesity, and physical activity was collected both before and after the completion of a new commuter light rail transit system.  The results of this study showed that:

• A positive feeling about one's neighborhood was linked with a lower body mass index, a 15% decreased risk for obesity, and a greater likelihood of getting regular exercise.
• Use of the light rail transit commuter system was associated with a reduction in body mass index and an 81% decreased risk of becoming obese.

A second obesity study examined the effect of a person's food environment (closeness of restaurants, grocers, convenience stores, etc.) on body mass.   The study investigators reported that a higher number of restaurants within a 5-minute walk of one's house was associated with a higher body mass index.  Also, living close to supermarkets and grocery stores was linked to a lower body mass index when compared to living near a convenience store.

The results of these two new studies clearly suggest that our neighborhood environment can have a real impact on our body weight and risk for becoming obese.  Environments that encourage physical activity (e.g. walking to commuter systems, well lit, etc.) and provide availability of healthy food options appear to decrease obesity risk.  Improving neighborhood environments might be an important public policy approach to providing better health and well-being.

Developing healthy eating habits is an important part of a successful weight management plan.  My easy diet plan is a convenient way to start developing better eating habits, lose weight, and keep it off.  Visit us as www.drtabor.com to learn more!

Black Tea Polyphenols for Weight Management

Green tea has become one of the most popular dietary supplements, whether taken in pill form or consumed as a beverage.  This is because research continues to demonstrate the potential health benefits of green tea and its main constituent, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).  One of the many proposed benefits of green tea is as a weight loss aid.  While green tea continues to shine, the potential benefits of other teas (black tea, white tea, and oolong tea) for weight loss are not as well studied. 

A new weight loss research report published online ahead of print in the journal Nutrition, examined the possible benefits of a black tea extract rich in black tea polyphenols (antioxidants) for weight loss in pre-clinical animal studies.  In their first study, weight loss researchers measured the activity of an enzyme responsible for lipid (fat) absorption in a cell culture system.  Additional studies determined the effects of this black tea polyphenol extract on blood lipid levels in rats and body weight in mice.  The results of these studies were very positive:

• The black tea polyphenol extract substantially reduced the activity of the enzyme involved in fat absorption.
• In rats, consumption of the black tea extract supported healthy blood lipid levels with greater amounts providing better benefits.
• In mice fed a high fat diet, the black tea extract fed as 5% of the diet prevented increases in body weight and fat mass.

Overall, these results suggest that black tea polyphenols, plant chemicals with antioxidant properties,  might support healthy weight loss and reduce body fat due to their ability to reduce fat absorption.  While these initial results are very positive and quite intriguing, it is important to remember that these studies were done in pre-clinical models and additional research in human subjects will be needed.  In the rat study, the lowest dose tested was 500 mg/kg of body weight.  This would be equal to 35 grams of black tea polyphenols in a person that weighs about 150 lbs, which is a massive amount!  Therefore, studies to determine if lower doses are effective will be needed.  While additional research into the weight loss benefits of black tea are clearly needed, this new research suggests that black tea might have a future place as part of a healthy weight management plan.

Maintaining a healthy body weight can be very difficult for many of us.  My easy diet plan takes the usual difficulty out of losing those unwanted pounds and successfully maintaining a healthy body weight.  Visit us at www.drtabor.com to learn more about my easy diet plan!