A recent analysis study published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism supports a previous hypothesis that notes that taste receptors in the gut influence peoples’ eating habits due to a hormone they release.
Sara Janssen, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., and Inge Depoortere, Ph.D., of the Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, examined this recent concept. They reported that targeting these stomach taste receptors may yield new obesity-prevention therapies by allowing people to feel full – a similar approach to bariatric surgery in which the stomach has a band put around it, which allows people to prevent overeating.
“The effectiveness of bariatric surgery to cause profound weight-loss and a decrease in the prevalence of diabetes and other obesity-related conditions is not completely understood, but it may involve changes in the release of gut hormones,” said Depoortere. “Targeting extraoral taste receptors that affect the release of hormones that control food intake may offer a new road to mimic these effects in a nonsurgical manner.”
Bariatric surgery
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that bariatric surgery may be a good option for people who have tried other natural weight loss techniques but have been unable to shed pounds. The surgery is usually performed on men who are at least 100 pounds overweight and women who are at least 80 pounds overweight. People who are afflicted with chronic obesity-related disorders such as heart disease, sleep apnea and diabetes may also undergo the procedure. The NIH notes that bariatric surgery has certain complications such as hernia, blood infections and blood clots.
Obesity prevention
In order to ward off obesity naturally, the Mayo Clinic recommends adopting healthy lifestyle techniques that include exercise and diet. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that people need anywhere from 150 to 250 minutes of weekly moderate intensity exercise, such as walking at a brisk pace or swimming.
People may also want to eat a diet rich with fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and foods that are high in fat and high in calories should be consumed sparingly. Brigham and Women’s Hospital reports that vitamin D may also be conducive to helping people lose weight as well as maintain strong bones. Vitamin D can be obtained from fortified cereal, sun exposure and a Skinny D supplement from Dr. Newton’s Naturals.
Monitoring weight is also an important aspect of obesity prevention according to the Mayo Clinic, and people who weigh themselves at least once a week.