What Can A Daily Probiotic Do To Help People With Obesity?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide obesity rates have almost doubled since 1980.  In 2008 alone, more than 1.4 billion adults aged 20 and older were classified as overweight and of these statistics, approximately 200 million men and 300 million women were obese.  Overweight and obesity are defined as excessive or abnormal fat accumulations which could impair one’s health and decrease a person’s quality of life.

What is the difference between being overweight and obese?

Someone’s body mass index (BMI) is a simple measurement of weight-to-height ratio.  

The World Health Organization definition is the following:

• People with BMI’s greater than or equal to 25 are considered overweight
• People with BMI’s greater than or equal to 30 are considered obese

A BMI reading provides the most useful evaluation to measure overweight and obesity at population levels.  However, BMI should only be considered as a rudimentary guide, because it may not relate to the same degree of fatness among different people.

What causes someone to become overweight or obese?

The straightforward cause for obesity and someone becoming overweight is consuming more calories than a person expends.  Globally, the causes of obesity and being overweight can be attributed to the following:

• An increase in physical inactivity due to a sedentary lifestyle
• An increased intake of calorie dense foods with a high fat content

What are the health related consequences of being obese or overweight?

Having an increased BMI can lead a person to suffer from many health-related consequences.  The most common issues faced by someone who is overweight or obese include the following:

• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Stroke
• Different types of cancers
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes

What is the latest research in obesity prevention?

In a recent study done by Vanderbilt University, certain bacteria in the gut were tested and produced a “therapeutic compound” which stopped insulin resistance, weight gain and other health complications related to consuming a high fat diet.  Research done in the past has shown the natural bacteria found in the gut plays a role in the development in obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Scientists now wonder if manipulation of the gut’s microbiota could lead to promoting better health. 

What is GenEng?

A scientific procedure known as GenEng was epitomized when an international group of researchers illustrated just how to use genetically modified probiotics to prevent diseases.  When using only specially designed bacteria, the researchers found obesity could be prevented in mice and it gave them a healthier life.

 More: Probiotics for Kids: A Guide to a Healthier Diet for Kids

Through manipulating of bacterial DNA, the basis of GenEng, the researchers focused on ways to not only understand the nature of the genetic code, but also how to manipulate it for its benefits.  During the 1970’s, scientific researchers were coming up with ways of removing, inserting and altering genes in bacteria which revealed more direction for future research.

In the beginning GenEng was used only for fundamental science, but eventually it became more prevalent to use in medical research.  There was an inherent need for mass production of valuable medicine and GenEng seemed to be the answer to the issue.  With certain bacteria, multiplying happened in a matter of twenty minutes, which made them indispensable for future pharmaceutical needs. 

What Is The Mechanism Of Action Of Probiotics?

Intestinal microflora plays a fundamental role in maintaining a healthy immune system.  In many controlled clinical trials, probiotic bacterium has demonstrated time and again, a benefit in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases such as infectious diarrhea.  Through these discoveries, the evidence has led to proof that probiotics can be used as a therapeutic strategy to treat human diseases.

The precise mechanisms which influence the link between the microbe and the host remain unclear, but there is growing evidence which suggests that the function of the immune system can be regulated by bacteria in the human gut.  Recently, compelling evidence has shown that manipulating microflora can directly influence the host.  

How might probiotics be good for diabetes?

The human intestines harbor an incredible number of microorganisms which are called colonic flora or gut microbiota. Colonic flora has an impact on how the human body receives nutrients and regulates energy; those with obesity have differences in their gut microbiota than thin people. While there is no substitute for a healthy diet and exercise as a means of treating obesity, there is a possibility of using probiotics to help obese people with excessive body weight.

Gut microbiota has a role in the development of obesity and by extension it also has an effect on diabetes.  A report published in the 2009 edition of Current Pharmaceutical Design, showed that feedback obtained in experimental models and human subjects are in favor of the fact that changing the gut microbiota with prebiotics or probiotics can impact or control the development of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, in people with obesity.

Probiotics have long been credited with helping people alleviate a variety of health problems.  Currently, research suggests probiotics could also have a direct benefit in helping people with diabetes control weight gain, which in turn could lead to other health improvements.

What kinds of supplements or foods contain probiotics?

A person can find probiotics in a variety of different forms.  Probiotics are available in powdered or supplement forms, and in foods such as yogurt, cheese, dairy products, infant formula and snack bars.  Any kind of probiotic can be beneficial for the digestive tract and someone can take whatever form they would like.

See Also: Prebiotics and Probiotics: What's the buzz?

Prognosis

Obesity is a condition which increases someone’s risk for diseases and health problems including; heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, depression, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, gall stones and much more.  The good news is that many of these health conditions are preventable through weight loss.  Reversing obesity and its health risks means making many changes.  While it may seem extremely difficult, increasing a person’s activity level, modifying eating habits, using probiotics and limiting calorie intake will all lead to weight loss, health improvements and an overall better quality of life.