Link to Article | http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Obesity+depression+grants+worth/3330401/story.html

WEDNESDAY, July 28th, 2010 (Ottawa Citizen) – Carleton University researchers have received $1.3 million in funding to continue their investigations in depression and obesity. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) said Monday that it had awarded Alfonso Abizaid more than $543,000 for his investigation into the role that a hormone called ghrelin plays in the struggle with obesity. His current study looks at a link between this hormone and stress-induced obesity. So far, Abizaid has learned that the hormone may generate cravings for food, and other things humans find pleasurable, such as drugs, sex and gambling. Meanwhile, Hymie Anisman, who received $815,514, spearheaded an investigation into how stress and anxiety could lead to depression. His funding will be used to examine the biological process that might be responsible for making animals resilient or vulnerable to stressful situations. Both researchers are members of Carleton’s neuroscience department.

Written By: Ginia Bellafante

WEDNESDAY, July 28th 2010 (The New York Times)— Earlier this year, the editors of V, a magazine so recherché it can make Vogue seem like Redbook, published an issue featuring large models in expensive body-baring clothes. In one photograph, a woman in a strapless bathing suit, cut to reveal three rolls of flesh, grabs at her platform stilettos. In another, Tara Lynn, a size 16 model, is clad in nothing but a pair of Dior sandals.

Mainstream fashion magazines have always purported to embrace diverse images of the female body, publishing periodic “shape” issues that juxtapose the thin and very thin with the moderately fleshy. But only in the last year or so have notably larger women been released from the fringes, appearing not only in magazines and on television but also in the more rarefied world of the runway, including a Chanel show in St.-Tropez this spring. This shift dates, more or less, to last fall, when Glamour ran a small picture of a 5-foot-11, 180-pound model comfortably exposing her paunch. So unusual was the appearance of belly fat in this context that the magazine received thousands of letters and comments, most of them roaring with support. The model, Lizzie Miller, appeared on the “Today” show and was profiled in The Guardian.

If defenders saw in these photographs a less-restrictive imagining of the female form, detractors perceived further instances of fetishistic extremism. “This is not a positive look at larger women in fashion
but a freak show,”one Internet poster wrote of the V shoot. Another pointed out that glorifying the other end of the weight spectrum did nothing to change fashion’s essentially unhealthful message: “We are taunted daily by skeletal fashion models. . . . However, I defy any of you to idolize these women. Nobody wants to be this fat!”

Size is a subject of considerable controversy in fashion, but it is equally so in American life. What is big? What is too big? What is not big enough? The plus-size woman — to use the marketing-sanctioned term — exists in an increasingly populous and contested ghetto. In recent years the fat-acceptance movement, born in the ’60s, has regained momentum online in what is known as the fatosphere, where much time is spent debunking the supposed benefits of dieting and the dangers of obesity. Fat studies has become its own academic discipline. Theorists investigate, for instance, desk size as a mechanism of education’s “hidden curriculum” and will to social control. But in popular culture any affirmation of corpulence feels decidedly ambivalent. In the series “More to Love,” broadcast on Fox last year, 20 women who weighed up to 279 pounds competed for the affections of an overweight single man: heavy women might be worthy of “The Bachelor”-style indignities but were decidedly unworthy of “Bachelor”-looking bachelors. Similarly, “Huge,” a new ABC Family drama about teenagers’ struggling at a weight-loss camp, casts the pressure to be thin as social bullying while suggesting that it really might be better if the campers stopped gorging on their contraband chocolate.

Perhaps nowhere is the cultural confusion surrounding the larger woman more pronounced than in the clothing industry’s efforts to dress her. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Mintel, a market-research firm, the most frequently worn size in America is a 14. Government statistics show that 64 percent of American women are overweight (the average woman weighs 164.7 pounds). More than one-third are obese. Yet plus-size clothing (typically size 14 and above) represents only 18 percent of total revenue in the women’s clothing industry. The correlation between obesity and low income goes some way toward explaining the discrepancy — the recession was particularly hard on this segment of the market, with sales declining 10 percent between 2008 and 2009, a drop twice that of the women’s apparel industry over all — but it doesn’t explain it entirely. That figure has been fairly constant for the past 20 years.

For more on the article, please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&emc=eta1

Link to Article | http://esciencenews.com/articles/2010/06/21/lap.band.weight.loss.surgery.very.obese.adults.improves.mental.health

MONDAY, June 21st 2010 (E! Science News) – One year after weight loss surgery with laparoscopic gastric banding, extremely obese adults demonstrate not only better physical health but also improved psychological health, a new study shows. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. “Surgical treatment, such as laparoscopic gastric banding, is increasingly recognized as the most effective means of achieving weight loss and improving blood sugar control in morbidly obese patients with Type 2 diabetes,” said study co-author Andrew Johnson, MD, of Southmead Hospital in Bristol, U.K.

“However, until now, the long-term psychological status of morbidly obese individuals undergoing gastric banding has been unclear despite its increasing use,” said Johnson, a consultant physician specializing in diabetes and endocrinology.

Laparoscopic gastric banding, also called the “Lap-Band” procedure, is a minimally invasive weight loss surgery. It involves repeated adjustment of a band to gradually make the stomach smaller and limit food consumption.

Four men and 21 women (ranging in age from 30 to 58 years) participated in the study and had the weight loss surgery. Of these 25 patients, 16 had Type 2 diabetes and nine did not. All had a body mass index (BMI, a measure of body fat) that classified them as morbidly obese.

Participants completed psychological testing before surgery and six and 12 months after surgery. These tests measured general anxiety and depression, quality of life, and social anxiety, that is, anxiety related to what others might think of one’s appearance.

Compared with before surgery, patients’ psychological test scores improved significantly at both six and 12 months after surgery. They had better psychological and physical quality of life, reductions in levels of general anxiety and depression, and reductions in their levels of social anxiety.

As shown in other studies, gastric banding significantly reduced BMI and hemoglobin A1c, a measure of blood sugar control over time.

“These results provide evidence one year after gastric banding that psychological health improves in parallel with physiological health,” Johnson said.

Dr David Ashton calls for an end to dangerous misconceptions about obesity

Imagine you have been listed for an operation – say a hernia repair or a hip replacement – and you then receive a letter from your doctor telling you that before they can go ahead with the surgery, you will need to see a psychiatrist. The letter also makes it clear that you can only proceed to surgery if you pass the psychiatric assessment and there is a one in five chance that you will fail. How would you feel about that?

In the USA and some European countries, this is standard practice for patients who are candidates for obesity surgery, all of whom are required to undergo pre-operative psychological/psychiatric evaluation before the surgeon is given the green light to proceed. In up to 20% of cases the patient is regarded as psychologically unfit and is thereby denied an operation which would almost certainly be life-transforming and possibly life-saving.

Obesity And Psychological Aspects

This real example illustrates the extent to which a belief in the psychological origins of obesity has become an article of faith – a dogma – among health professionals and even the lay public. This belief views people with weight problems as using food to combat feelings of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. In other words, obesity is the consequence of an underlying psychological problem which causes them to over-eat and gain weight. It follows that the aim of treatment should be to address the mental state which caused the weight gain in the first place, thereby removing the main barrier to successful weight loss.

The problem for those who advocate this view of the causes of obesity is that there is no credible scientific evidence to support it. Psychological treatments for weight problems don’t work, precisely because obesity isn’t a psychological problem. It is, rather, a biological problem; a chronic disorder of appetite regulation which is to a large extent, genetically determined. If this is true, why then do so many health professionals and even the general public continue to believe the myth that the reason people become obese is that they are psychologically disturbed?

Obese Has Depression, Anxiety & Other Forms Of Mental iIlness

Part of the reason is that depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illness are more common in obese subjects than in the general population. The assumption is that the person’s mental state caused them to become obese. This idea feeds into the deeply prejudiced comments to which obese people are often subjected, such as, “Well you have to be a bit crazy to let yourself get into that state in the first place.” The psychological myth also supports the stereotype of the obese patient as feckless, irresponsible, weak-willed and stupid. Classifying people in this way is more convenient than thinking about it; after all, simple solutions are easier than complex ones and we all like the world to conform to our prejudices.

But for those who do think about it, the idea that excess weight or obesity is primarily psychological in origin seems highly implausible. Why?

Because if it is true, we have to accept that since 60% of the adult population is either overweight or obese, tens of millions of people are – to a greater or lesser extent – psychologically disturbed. We also have to explain why psychological treatments for obesity are so singularly unsuccessful in delivering long-term weight loss. And finally, we have to account for the fact that symptoms such as depression and low self-esteem which are so common in obese patients pre-operatively, almost invariably disappear after surgery. This strongly suggests that obesity is the cause of the psychological symptoms, not the consequence.

It has been well said that “obesity is the last socially acceptable form of prejudice”. The myth of the psychological origins of obesity underpins and sustains that prejudice and it is time we moved on to a more scientifically informed view. Perhaps then we will be less prone to apportioning blame and more focussed on providing help.

It does not take long, after weight-loss surgery, to notice you are in need of some new clothes. In time, you are not going to be able to continue to wear those lose fitting garments and it is going to be time to shop for some new clothes that fits you and starts showing off that new body. This can be a very exciting time in your process. Buying smaller sized clothes can give a confidence boost. This experience can also be intimidating for some people but there are several ways you can be prepared to make your shopping experience most pleasant.

Bright fabrics

If you had been picking out neutral colors to wear then try to change up and add some color to your wardrobe. Bright colored clothes can be a confident booster. Get some eye catching and exciting colors that will boost your confidence like classic black or brown trousers.

Accessorize your new outfits

If you feel that bright colors are not for you then try some accessories to spice up your outfit. You can get handbags and a variety of scarves to compliment any outfit. This is a good way to reward yourself after weight-loss surgery. A nice necklace can even do the trick.

Get rid of old clothes

Before you go shopping you should get rid of all the old items that’s collecting dust or those items you are not going to be wearing after the weight loss. Oversized clothes should be the first items you through out. Be confident that you are never going to need them again. Getting rid of over sized items will help in obtaining your weight loss goals. You need new clothes for the new and improved you.

Basics and simple steps

Weight-loss shopping can be a lot of fun. Start with a few simple garments to get you started and build you wardrobe accordingly. Look for garments that fit snug and go well with other clothes you already have stored away in your closet.

Styles make a difference

Fabrics can be a personal preference but there are many types that can flatter your bodies shape. Popular types range from knit garments to lycra which hang well and hold a nice shape after weight-loss.

Ask friends for advice

Once you meet some of your weight-loss goals, you should ask friends or family members to be honest about which types of garments flatter your new figure. Ask a friend to take some pictures and compare them to your old self. Some garments will look much better on your body and its figure type than others. Weight-loss causes a body to change shapes so it’s important to find out what really works to show off that new figure.

Do not jump the gun, there is more road ahead

Remember that unless you have reached your ideal weight and you and your doctor have agreed that you are at the end of your weight loss journey and now you are just maintaining, do not go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. For two very important reasons. First of course is the obvious one, if you continue to lose weight your newly purchased clothing will not fit any more. The second reason is even more important. Mentally you do not want to give yourself a reason to undermine your weight loss progress. You do not want to make excuses for yourself. Do not get into the trap of telling yourself “well now that the Lap-Band has allowed me to lose some weight, I do not want to lose anymore because then I will have to buy all new clothes again.” Treat yourself to a few nice things, but realize that this is just a stop along the journey and that there is more road ahead. At the end of that road, you will weigh less, you will feel even better than you do now and the clothes you buy at the end of the journey will make you look even better! Hang in there!

Experts have theorized for decades, that weight loss is more than just diet and exercise. One must be in the proper mindset to make lifestyle changes that come with a change in attitude. In order for weight loss and lifestyle changes to occur, one must be able to make the transition in their mind to believe that these changes are indeed possible. How do you prepare your mind for this weight loss transition? Using these tips, you can help to adjust your attitude and reach your weight loss goals with ease.

1. Use realistic goals

Setting realistic goals for yourself is crucial, as this is going to be a lifestyle change. You must continue to live within these realistic goals when setbacks occur. There are going to be weeks when weight loss does not occur as quickly as you would like, and these short term setbacks must be dealt with accordingly. If you are in the right frame of mind, these setbacks can serve as motivation for long term weight loss goals.

2. Picture your “After” picture

Many patients are unable to picture themselves in the state of post-weight loss. Developing a mental image of yourself can assist in feeling good about the changes that are occurring within the body and the techniques that are being used to develop these changes. Focus on the future, the goals, techniques and sacrifices that you are going to have to make to get to that “future” self.

3. Focus on exercises that make you feel good

Activities that you enjoy are going to be motivators to live an active lifestyle. Consider transitioning the non-physical activities into physical activities, such as viewing movies or television programs while working out on the stationary bike at the gym. Remaining positive about exercise is as simple as enjoying the exercises that you are completing.

4. Those who exude confidence realise that confidence begins from the mind.

When you view yourself as an active and healthy person, it gives merit to the processes that one must undertake when choosing this lifestyle. Remind yourself through the use of journals and mantras, daily about the effects that healthy weight loss is going to have on your life.

5. Team up with a workout partner, or a friend serious about weight loss

The process becomes easier when you have someone to share it with. A friend and workout partner allows you to bounce ideas from one another, give each other motivation and incentive while providing a valuable support system that is essential throughout the weight loss process.

6. Don’t fall into the trap of using the scale as the only way to measure results.

Avoid weighing yourself daily; instead stick to a schedule of weighing yourself once a week, or once a month. This will ensure that fluctuating weight loss due to body fluids and fluid retention do not cause hurdles in the weight loss process. Take simple pleasures like clothes fitting looser, and sticking to goals as success with the weight loss plan.

7. Don’t forget to reward yourself

It is important to recognize when short term and long term goals have been met. Motivation can arise from these simple rewards. Learn to celebrate simple processes and continue with your weight loss plan, despite the hurdles that you may face. Small goals lead to larger goals which eventually lead to success! Learn to celebrate the small victories. Using these methods to create a positive attitude can lead to weight loss, the healthy way. Incorporating exercise and positive mindset can lead to increased stamina, significant weight loss and an overall increase in the positive outlook of the mind.