| Weight-loss tribulations with a dog
The following was compiled from recently highlights of Mark Robison's pet blog at RGJ.com/blogs/mostlydogs. Five months after knee surgery, our dog Bodie was still walking funny so we had him checked out at our new vet. X-rays revealed that his TPLO surgery has healed perfectly, but that his opposite hip has severe arthritis. That's why he's reluctant to walk. Also, he's overweight. The vet said losing 20 pounds would help the bad hip, perhaps keep his other knee from blowing out and give him more energy. No free-feeding We free-feed our dogs, meaning we have food out all the time and they can eat whenever they want. She said there's no need to get diet dog food, we just need to stop free-feeding them. She said we should feed the dogs twice a day, and when they're done, we need to pick up their bowls off the floor.
Half of Americans Metabolize Sugar and Fat Differently Which Can ...
06/02/07 A new US study suggests that about half of the US population has a common gene variant that makes them metabolize sugar and fat differently which could increase their risk of developing diabetes. The research is published in the January edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. "That is not to say that half of US residents are destined to get diabetes," says Edward Weiss, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University who led the study. The gene variant appears to contribute to diabetes risk, it does not cause diabetes on its own, he adds. Other factors are also involved. Dr Weiss and colleagues studied the fatty acid binding protein 2 gene (FABP2). The gene is thought to regulate the uptake, transport, and intracellular metabolism of long-chain fatty acids obtained from the digestion of fat from food.
Glaxo Weight-Loss Drug Cleared
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) said the Food and Drug Administration approved its over-the-counter version of a prescription obesity-fighting drug. The drug, called Alli, should be available this summer. Alli is a reduced-strength version of Xenical, which is made and sold by Roche. Xenical was approved by the FDA in 1999, and Roche will continue to sell the prescription drug. For investors, Alli has been a source of anxiety because GlaxoSmithKline's application had been under review for an extended period of time. Two federal advisory panels endorsed the drug 13 months ago, and the FDA granted conditional approval last April. Convincing the FDA to approve a switch from prescription to OTC status isn't easy. Companies must convince the agency that consumers won't abuse a product even in its reduced-potency form.
The 31-year diet!?
Jorge Cruise gave us the 3-hour diet and today the UK uncovered the 31-year diet! British women will spend 31 years of their life on a diet and 921 hours thinking about nothing but food! Research released today reveals that women can expect to spend 31 years of their life on a diet but the majority will end up thinking about food literally round the clock. The average dieter will spend 921 hours, or 38.3 days, thinking about nothing but food.One in 10 British women are currently trying to lose weight and more than a fifth, 21%, consider themselves permanent dieters, the report found.The in-depth study of the UK's attitude and approach to dieting also found the average dieter spends £150 on special diet foods.And it revealed this is the week most of those who began diets in the New Year- 75% will give up their resolutions to shed the extra pounds.The average diet apparently lasts 5.48 weeks but the post-Christmas battle to lose weight sees this fall to three weeks, the report said.It found half of slimmers, 50%, give up because of lack of willpower while a quarter, 25%, claim they gave up because their diet was making them depressed or moody.Despite the fall-off rate, the report did throw up some positive aspects to the UK's attitude to dieting and having a healthy lifestyle.More than a third, 34%, of British women polled cited voluptuous singer and TV presenter Charlotte Church as having the perfect figure with a size 12 the aspirational size for the majority.Ideals British men, meanwhile, were keen on the sporting physique, with 40% citing footballer David Beckham's body as their ideal goal.Women were motivated to diet largely for themselves, 75% rather than for their partners 18% with 70% giving health as their reason for trying to get thin.Some admitted they had contemplated resorting to drastic measures to lose weight with 22% saying they had thought about using slimming pills, 12% saying they had considered a liquid diet and 9% saying they had considered surgery.But the majority, 85%, were also looking at eating smaller portions and 64% thinking about eating low fat foods, while 44% were considering joining a gym.Chocolate was found to be the food cravedby most dieters 23%, closely followed by cheese, which was craved by 20%.
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