Investigating The Physiological And Clinical Differences In Weight Loss In Obese Subjects With And Without Diabetes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$101,726.00
Summary
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are linked by the production of inflammatory factors in the body. These factors seem to link weight gain, especially around the abdomen, not only with insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes, but also independently with the development with heart and kidney disease and reduced fertility. This study will investigate the effect of dieting and weight loss on inflammation and the function of the heart and other organs in obese people with and without diabetes.
Of Mice And Men: Assessing Dietary Proteins Role On Appetite Regulation, Obesity And Cardiovascular Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$86,521.00
Summary
While the challenge of understanding and managing the global obesity epidemic is well recognised, the role that nutrition plays is more complex than at first glance. Dietary protein may be of central importance in managing weight and small changes in protein consumption may lead to large changes in energy intake and weight. We propose to look at the effects of dietary protein on appetite, its hormonal regulation, and on the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
The Role Of Liver Fructose-1,6-phosphatase (FBPase) In Body Weight Regulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,718.00
Summary
We have shown that fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), an enzyme important in producing sugar from the liver and one that is connected to Type 2 diabetes, does not cause an increase in sugar production when there is more of the enzyme in mouse livers. It does, however, lower both body weight and the amount of food the mice consume. We therefore hypothesise that liver FBPase is important in controlling body weight in humans and our project aims to find out exactly how and why this happens.
The Effect Of Whole Body Vibration Training On Insulin Sensitivity In Overweight Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$107,377.00
Summary
Obesity in children and adolescents is often associated with high insulin levels. Adolescents with high untreated insulin levels are likely to get Type 2 diabetes. Diet and exercise can improve obesity and reduce the high insulin levels. Exercise makes muscle which allows uptake of sugars more easily and this decreases insulin levels. We plan to see if whole body vibration training will lower insulin levels by increasing muscle size; thereby preventing Type 2 diabetes and complications.
Impact Of Beta Adrenergic Antagonsim On Energy Metabolism And Body Composition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$118,557.00
Summary
Beta-blockers are drugs commonly used to treat high blood pressure, anxiety, migraines and irregular heart rhythms. They work by blocking the action of chemical messengers called catecholamines which increase metabolic rate, fat utilisation and heart function. The aim is to determine whether ?-blockers impair metabolic function of the body which may lead to obesity and a loss of fitness. Judicious use of these medications and consideration of alternatives may lead to better health outcomes.
Genetic And Metabolic Determinants Of Spontaneous Physical Activity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$67,828.00
Summary
It could be argued that obesity is the most significant public health problem facing Australians today. Almost one in five adult Australians are obese, making them highly susceptible to diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood lipid levels, and some cancers, as well as reduced psychosocial health. There is therefore an urgent need to reduce the prevalence of obesity in our society. Unfortunately, attempts to sustain significant weight loss by dieting and exercise are nea ....It could be argued that obesity is the most significant public health problem facing Australians today. Almost one in five adult Australians are obese, making them highly susceptible to diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood lipid levels, and some cancers, as well as reduced psychosocial health. There is therefore an urgent need to reduce the prevalence of obesity in our society. Unfortunately, attempts to sustain significant weight loss by dieting and exercise are nearly always unsuccessful and none of the anti-obesity drugs currently on the market are safe to use long-term. Effective treatments for obesity are only likely to be developed once we understand more about what controls body weight regulation. An inactive lifestyle is clearly a risk factor for obesity. Spontaneous physical activity (or activity associated with daily life, as opposed to formal exercise) can play a major role in determining body weight. Recent work suggests that spontaneous physical activity is influenced not only by our environment but by our biological makeup as well (i.e. genetic and metabolic factors). The aim of this study is to investigate what some of these factors are, and whether they are responsible for altering body weight regulation in animal models of obesity. Specifically we will be looking at whether spontaneous physical activity is influenced by circulating hormones (such as leptin, oestrogen, and pancreatic polypeptide) and a messenger molecule (nitric oxide), and we will also identify genes which influence physical activity in a mouse model of obesity. By examining the genetic and metabolic basis of inactivity in obese rodent models, this project will further our understanding of how energy balance is disturbed in obesity in the hope of developing better therapies to treat obesity in the future.Read moreRead less
Regulation Of Growth Hormone Action By Sex Steroids: Metabolic Implications For Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,250.00
Summary
Fitness and health is determined by body composition, the amount of fat and lean tissue in the body. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, blood pressure and heart attacks, while muscle wasting reduces strength and fitness. Body composition is controlled by hormones such as growth hormone (GH) which reduces body fat by stimulating its metabolism (burning) and increases lean tissue by stimulating protein synthesis. These metabolic actions of GH are exerted through the liver. This proposal seeks ....Fitness and health is determined by body composition, the amount of fat and lean tissue in the body. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, blood pressure and heart attacks, while muscle wasting reduces strength and fitness. Body composition is controlled by hormones such as growth hormone (GH) which reduces body fat by stimulating its metabolism (burning) and increases lean tissue by stimulating protein synthesis. These metabolic actions of GH are exerted through the liver. This proposal seeks to understand how sex hormones control the amount of body fat and muscle in women and men. Based on previous research in our laboratory, we propose that sex hormones control the action of growth hormone on the liver. We will test the hypothesis that oestrogens impair the ability of the liver to burn fat and build protein in response to GH while male hormones have the opposite effect. The effect of oestrogen occurs only when oestrogen is taken as a tablet because the liver is exposed to high concentrations of this hormone after gut absorption. It causes postmenopausal women to gain fat and lose muscle. Apart from oestrogens, there are many other compounds with oestrogen-like activities such as phytooestrogens (oestrogens found in plants) and SERMs (used for treating osteoporosis). Their effect on the liver and body composition are unknown but important because of their widespread use in the community. The significance of these studies relate to optimising the benefits of oestrogen compounds by defining their metabolic effects on the liver. In men, understanding how male hormones work as anabolic agents may lead to ways of treating protein muscle wasting.Read moreRead less