• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.229-233
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• 2015

The central nervous system (CNS) controls food intake and energy expenditure via tight coordinations between multiple neuronal populations. Specifically, two distinct neuronal populations exist in the arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus (ARH): the anorexigenic (appetite-suppressing) pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and the orexigenic (appetite-increasing) neuropeptide Y (NPY)/agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons. The coordinated regulation of neuronal circuit involving these neurons is essential in properly maintaining energy balance, and any disturbance therein may result in hyperphagia/obesity or hypophagia/starvation. Thus, adequate knowledge of the POMC and NPY/AgRP neuron physiology is mandatory to understand the pathophysiology of obesity and related metabolic diseases. This review will discuss the history and recent updates on the POMC and NPY/AgRP neuronal circuits, as well as the general anorexigenic and orexigenic circuits in the CNS. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(4): 229-233]

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.475-481
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• 2009

Emerging data demonstrate pivotal roles for brain insulin resistance and insulin deficiency as mediators of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) regulate neuronal survival, energy metabolism, and plasticity, which are required for learning and memory. Hence, endogenous brain-specific impairments in insulin and IGF signaling account for the majority of AD-associated abnormalities. However, a second major mechanism of cognitive impairment has been linked to obesity and Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Human and experimental animal studies revealed that neurodegeneration associated with peripheral insulin resistance is likely effectuated via a liver-brain axis whereby toxic lipids, including ceramides, cross the blood brain barrier and cause brain insulin resistance, oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, and cell death. In essence, there are dual mechanisms of brain insulin resistance leading to AD-type neurodegeneration: one mediated by endogenous, CNS factors; and the other, peripheral insulin resistance with excess cytotoxic ceramide production.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.267.1-267.1
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• 2003

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) is a microsomal enzyme that plays a central role in the metabolism of cellular glycerolipid. Recently, the generation of DGA T-deficient mice has provided a better understanding of triglyceride synthesis and its relationship to obesity. Therefore DGAT is an attractive target for treatments of triglyceride metabolism disorders, such as obesity or hypertriglyceridemia. (omitted)

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.179-186
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• 2019

Purpose: Information about overweight and obesity among students in rural areas of Thailand is limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine overweight and obesity prevalences and associated factors among school-aged children in a rural community of Thailand. Methods: We selected 9 public schools through cluster sampling in 2 provinces located in central Thailand in 2016. Anthropometric measurements were measured using standard techniques, classified as overweight (>1 standard deviation [SD]) and obese (>2 SD) with respect to their age and sex using 2007 World Health Organization reference charts. Standardized questionnaires on risk factors were sent to parents to be completed together with their child. Results: Among 1,749 students, 8.98% had overweight and 7.26% had obesity. Mean age (range) was 11.5 years (5-18 years). Independent factors associated with overweight and obesity included primary school student (reference as secondary school) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-4.08; P=0.07), mother's body mass index (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12; P=0.001), self-employed father (aOR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.12-3.55; P=0.018), number of siblings (aOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.81; P=0.001), having sibling(s) with obesity (aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.20-2.77; P=0.005), more than one (aOR, 7.16; 95% CI, 2.40-21.32; P<0.001), consuming 2-3 ladles of rice/meal (aOR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.38-3.32; P=0.001), consuming >3 ladles of rice/meal (aOR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.11-6.46; P=0.27), watching <2 hours of television/day (aOR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.19-4.01; P=0.012), and watching >2 hours of television/day (aOR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.36-4.96; P=0.004). Conclusion: Many sociodemographic, dietary, and behavioral factors were related to overweight and obesity among school-aged children not only in urban but also rural communities of Thailand.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2020

Objectives: This study is a practice based research conducted to investigate the effectiveness and safety of a 5-day short-term diet program ('Oil-rescue' program) designed to reduce the adverse events and initial dropout rate in obesity treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 4 Korean medicine clinic patient data who completed 'Oil-rescue' program which is consisting of Gambi-hwan, Bium-hwan, Butgiban-hwan and Jayoon Kyungokgo. The weight change before and after participating 'Oil-rescue' program was primary outcome of our study. Changes in body mass index, body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, body water content, lean body mass, protein, and minerals were also measured. Results: A total of 35 patients who satisfied the eligible criteria were finally included. The body weight decreased from 69.45±11.86 kg to 67.43±11.58 kg, a total of 2.02±1.03 kg (P<0.001). Body fat mass decreased from 25.77±7.45 kg to 24.98±7.26 kg, a total of 0.78±1.21 kg (P<0.001). Body mass index decreased from 26.39±3.64 kg/㎡ to 25.64±3.49 kg/㎡, a total of 0.75±0.41 kg/㎡. (P<0.001). A total of 15 patients had side effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and insomnia, but all were mild. 16 out of 35 people switched to long-term obesity treatment programs. Conclusions: Through this retrospective practice based research, it was found that the 'Oil-rescue' program effectively reduced body weight, body fat, and body mass index, and the other obesity related parameters. It was a relatively safe and effective short-term obesity treatment program.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.24 no.1 s.33
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• pp.57-69
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• 1991

This study examined the cross-sectional association of central body fat distribution with hypertension as well as the superiority of medial calf skinfold measured as peripheral fat distribution over the conventional triceps skinfold using 450 Korean Navy divers selected by authors' convenience in 1990. Their mean age was 27.9 and range of it was 19-51. The centrally located body fat was approximated by subscapular skinfold and peripherally located fat by triceps and medial calf skinfolds. Four indices were constructed from these skinfold measures to reflect central versus peripheral fat distribution pattern : 2 ratios and 2 differences. After controlling age and overall obesity (body mass index), prevalance odds ratios of the 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 quartiles of subscapular skinfold comparing with lowest 1/4 quartile were 2.05(95% confidence interval, CI 1.18-3.59), 2.02(95% CI 1.06-3.86), 4.00 (95% CI 1.99-8.06) respectively. The difference of subscapular and medial calf skinfolds was associated with hypertension (odds ratio 2.45, 95% CI 1.28-4.68 comparing highest with lowest quartiles). Triceps and medial calf skinfolds alone did not show any odds ratio not including unity. The adjusted odds ratios were generally reduced in small magnitude compared with crude odds ratios not adjusted for age and overall obesity. The medial calf skinfold appeared to be more representative of peripheral body fat distribution than triceps skinfold. These findings suggest that central fat distribution rather than peripheral distribution is associated with hypertension independent of age and overall level of obesity and medial calf skinfold may replace conventional triceps skinfold in predicting peripheral distribution of body fat.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.292-296
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess the potential of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to prevent obesity and abnormalities in lipid metabolism induced by ovariectomy in a rat model without stimulatory activity on uterus. MATERIALS/METHODS: Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated for 6 weeks with 70% ethanol extracts of Hypericum perforatum [HPEs: whole plant (WHPE) and flower and leaves (FLHPE)], ${\beta}$-estradiol-3-benzoate at a dose of $50{\mu}g/kg/day$ (E2) or vehicle (distilled water). RESULTS: As expected, OVX increased body weight gain and adiposity and showed higher food efficacy ratio. OVX also increased the serum cholesterol as well as insulin resistance, while reducing uterus weight and uterine epithelial proliferation rate. HPEs (WHPE and FLHPE) showed estrogen-like effect on body weight gain, adipose tissue weight and food efficacy ratio in OVX rats. HPEs prevented hypercholesterolemia induced by OVX more effectively than E2. E2 increased uterus weight and epithelial proliferation rate in OVX rats, while HPEs maintained them at the level of the sham-operated animals. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding demonstrates that HPEs can be considered as an effective agent to prevent OVX-induced obesity without stimulatory activity on uterus.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2008

The present study was conducted to examine metabolic risk factors and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of Korean females living in Seoul and to investigate the relationship between the metabolic risk factors and serum TAC. A total of 353 females aged between 20 and 64 participated in the study. Obesity indicators, blood pressure, serum lipid profile and fasting blood glucose were measured as metabolic risk factors. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay was employed to determine serum TAC of subjects. Obesity indicators such as body mass index, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio were significantly higher in the participants aged $\geq$ 50 y (older group) than in the participants aged 20-49 y (younger group) (p < 0.001). Blood pressure, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and fasting blood glucose were also significantly higher in the older group than in the younger group (p < 0.001), demonstrating significant positive correlations between age and MS risk factors. The association between FRAP and MS risk factors were also investigated. FRAP values showed significant positive correlations with age (p = 0.001), serum TG (p = 0.002) and TC (p = 0.03). A tendency of positive association between FRAP and waist circumference was observed without any significant difference (p = 0.06). Increased serum FRAP with central obesity and serum lipids may be interpreted as results of activation of antioxidant defense system against oxidative stress induced by metabolic syndrome (MS) constituent factors. However, to verify the function of FRAP as a potential biomarker of susceptibility to MS various contributors to the plasma antioxidant capacity and their biological relevance related to MS should be elucidated further.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.836-843
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• 2014

Obesity, a condition in which an abnormally large amount of fat is stored in adipose tissue, causing an increase in body weight, has become a major public health concern worldwide. The purpose of this study was to optimize the process for fermented milk for the production of a functional product with an anti-obesity effect by using Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 isolated from human feces. We used a 3-factor, 3-level central composite design (CCD) combined with the response surface methodology (RSM). Concentration of skim milk powder (%, $X_1$), incubation temperature ($^{\circ}C$, $X_2$), and incubation time (h, $X_3$) were used as the independent factors, whereas pH (pH, $Y_1$), anti-lipase activity (%, $Y_2$) and anti-adipogenetic activity (%, $Y_3$) were used as the dependent factors. The optimal conditions of fermented milk for the highest anti-lipase and anti-adipogenetic activity with pH 4.4 were the 9.5% of skim milk powder, $37^{\circ}C$ of incubation temperature, 28 h of incubation time. In the fermentation condition, the predicted values of pH, anti-lipase activity and anti-adipogenetic activity were 4.47, 55.55, and 20.48%, respectively. However, the actual values of pH, anti-lipase activity and anti-adipogenetic activity were 4.50, 52.86, and 19.25%, respectively. These results demonstrate that 9.5% of skim milk powder and incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 28 h were the optimum conditions for producing functional fermented milk with an anti-obesity effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.724-733
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• 1993

In order to investigate the relationships of obesity in childhood to plasma lipid, blood pressure and blood glucose concentration, we selected 21 subjects for the moderate obese group(MO), 9 for mild obese group(MI), and 19 for the control group(C) among children aged 10~12. While the level of plasma triglyceride and VLDL-cholesterol of the MO group was much higher than that of group C, a significantly lower percentage of HDL-cholesterol was found in the MO compared to the percentage found in group C. Also the level of the total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol of the MI group as well as the MO was much higher than that of C. The elevated total-cholesterol level of the Mi group was due to increased LDL-cholesterol and that of the MO was due to increases in both VLDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. As the result of these differences, the atherogenic index of the MO was significantly higher than that of C. The incidence of hypercholesterolemia( 200mg/dl) of the MI and MO was 60.0% and 77.8% respectively, All of the physical parameters and indexes except height were positively correlated with plasma lipid levels, systolic blood pressure, and blood glucose concentration. The analyses of the correlated with plasma lipid levels, systolic blood pressure, and blood glucose concentration. The analyses of the correlation indicated that central fat to peripheral fat ratio and waist to thigh girth ratio seemed to be closely associated to plasma lipid levels and atherogenic index. The MO had significantly higher systolic blood pressure than C and significantly higher blood glucose concentration was found in both MI and MO than in C. These results confirmed that obesity in childhood may be relevant to chronic metabolic diseases such as abnormal lipid metabolism, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus.