Peptides In Energy Balance And Obesity

Obesity is one of the relevant public health concerns and it is evident that body weight control is achieved through highly integrated physiological interactions like nutrient selection. Presenting an account of the roles of specific peptides in energy balance, this title provides an understanding of the patho-physiology of energy balance.

Abstract: Information about energy balance in man is presented for professionals concerned with human obesity--physicians, dieticians, biochemists, physiologists,psychologists, physiotherapists, and others. The use and misuse of methods for measuring energy intake and output arediscussed. Factors affecting energy intake and factors affecting energy output are also discussed. Also considered are the composition, measurement, and control of energy stores. The treatment of obesity is explained.

This unique and authoritative book presents an up-to-date overview of the many aspects of energy balance and its relationships to disease processes resulting from excess energy consumption and storage. It provides a comprehensive treatment of important research and clinical aspects of energy metabolism and obesity. It will be a valuable resource for endocrinologists, diabetes specialists, internists and family practitioners.

The fact that about 30-40% of the adults in the Western world are overweight or obese testifies to the frequency of the disturbances in body weight regulation. Scientists have established that caloric intake, macronutrient composition of the diet, basal and resting metabolic rate, thermic response to food, energy expenditure associated with movement and physical activity, and preferential storage of the surplus of calories as fat or lean tissues are critical determinants of energy balance and body weight. While much has been learned, the field is poised for major advances with the advent of a variety of imaging techniques, progress in quantitative and molecular genetics, use of transgenic rodent models and of breeding experiments with informative inbred strains, availability of stable isotopes for metabolic and behavioral studies, and a growing number of useful experimental animal and human models. This volume takes an integrative approach to obesity. It is structured around four major topics: (1) the animal and human models currently available for the study of body weight regulation with their strengths and limitations, (2) the molecular and genetic basis of the regulation of body weight, (3) the metabolic and physiological mechanisms involved, and (4) the behavioral and social determinants. The 13 background papers provide a critical overview of the present knowledge base while the group reports summarize the extensive deliberations of 38 international experts. Particular emphasis has been given to promising research areas and on the advances needed to ensure a better understanding of the biological and behavioral mechanisms of the regulation of body weight, with a particular emphasis on overweight and obesity.

Presents the State-of-the-Art in Fat Taste TransductionA bite of cheese, a few potato chips, a delectable piece of bacon - a small taste of high-fat foods often draws you back for more. But why are fatty foods so appealing? Why do we crave them? Fat Detection: Taste, Texture, and Post Ingestive Effects covers the many factors responsible for the se

After three introductory chapters that deal with the general theme of obesity – now regarded as a chronic disease – this volume discusses the drugs sibutramine and orlistat, which are approved for long-term use in the US and in much of the rest of the world. The three final chapters discuss future drug targets, like the central nervous system and gut hormones, and how to influence energy expenditure and substrate utilization.