Obesity Research

Obesity is a major contributor to serious health conditions including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. It is a major threat to the health across all ages, races, and socioeconomic groups, and in particular within disadvantaged and underserved communities. Promoting healthy weight requires concerted efforts, including quality improvement, from health care, public health and communities. This book offers prompt publication of original research and presents new information. Specifically, the intent is to address the following areas with respect to obesity prevention: potential interventions, bariatric surgery, arthritis, type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

In Chapter 1, the authors review comparative prevalence of obesity and its trend in Canada, various determinants and risk factors, and potential strategies for its prevention.

Chapter 2 synthesizes school-based obesity prevention interventions which incorporate environmental change. Recommendations for the development of future multi-component interventions which incorporate environmental change are provided.

Chapter 3 reviews the latest literature on the cost effectiveness of bariatric surgery. Analysis shows that bariatric surgery is cost effective compared to conventional treatment or no treatment, particularly in severely obese and diabetic patients with convincing incremental cost-utility ratios (ICUR) ranging from \$1,000--\$40,000 per quality adjusted life years.

Chapter 4 discusses the use of biologics for management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic, frequently progressive, and destructive autoimmune disease. As the disease progresses, irreversible joint damage may lead to loss of function and physical disability. Since this disease cannot be cured, management of this disease becomes an important endeavor with the aim of inducing and maintaining remission, and altering the course of disease.

Chapter 5 with the prevention of spinal glial activation by fluorocitrate in an attempt to maintain prolonged pain relief and the prevention of opioid dependence. It discusses the possibility that the analgesic effect of fluorocitrate intratecal (i.t.) administration in a rat model of experimental arthritis can be possibly modulated by the i.t. administration of D-serine.

Chapter 6 proposes that "Lean type 2 diabetes" is a distinct and fairly common clinical entity reported across the globe. It discusses the difference in pathophysiology and complication of lean type 2 diabetes from the obese.

Chapter 7 proposes that Dermcidin isoform-2, a stress protein induced acute coronary syntrome through the mediation of diabetes, hypertension and hyperchlosterolemia which are the leading cause of atherosclerosis in the disease.