A research project at the University of Edinburgh, led by Professor Gillian Gray, has been awarded £88,000 by Heart Research UK. Prof Gray’s team has discovered that a drug originally developed to treat obesity and diabetes also promotes repair of the heart after a heart attack and reduces the development of heart failure.
Now the team will use ‘mass spectrometry imaging’ (MSI) to look in more detail at the effects of the drug on the heart muscle.
Heart attacks occur when the blood flow to the heart is interrupted, causing damage that can weaken the heart and lead to heart failure. The new drug that has been discovered acts early after heart attack to prevent the spread of injury in the heart muscle and therefore has the potential to benefit many patients.
As obese and diabetic people are at higher risk of heart attack, the combined actions of the drug on the heart, fat and insulin make it particularly appealing.
The drug has already undergone safety tests in volunteers, so could now rapidly progress to human trials. However, the research team will first need to show that this new drug offers benefits over existing drugs used to treat heart failure.
To do this, the team will use MSI to further investigate the effects the drug has on the heart. It is anticipated that this will provide unique evidence that the biochemical pathways in the heart muscle affected by the drug are distinct from those affected by drugs already used to treat heart failure.
MSI uses a laser to collect samples from slices of tissues. Levels of substances in the body like cortisol and cholesterol breakdown products, that we expect to change after a heart attack and in response to the drug, can be measured in each spot targeted by the laser. This information can then be used to build a map of where they are found.
The MSI group, led by collaborator Professor Ruth Andrew, have already used this technique to visualise and measure activity of the enzyme targeted by the drug in the brain, liver and kidney.
They will prepare thin sections of heart muscle and use the laser to capture samples from injured areas and compare these to samples from healthy areas. MSI has enormous potential for helping to understand biochemical pathways in the heart but has never been systematically applied to heart tissue before.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We’re very happy to be able to award one of our Novel and Emerging Technologies Grants to Professor Gray and her team.
“This project will generate novel MSI data from heart tissue which will provide vital information on how the drug affects the heart, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
You can read more about and apply for Heart Research UK’s Research Grants here.
Survey reveals thousands of Scottish pets have gained weight over lockdown
Latest research has revealed that a whopping 160,000 furry friends have gained weight in Scotland since March 2020 – contributing towards a total of 1.4 million pets across the UK who have done so during lockdown.
Vet charity PDSA says that the worrying findings unveil the true extent of what was already a growing pet obesity epidemic, with the pandemic creating a ticking time bomb threatening the lives of pets across the UK.
The study* of more than 4,500 UK pet owners by leading vet charity, PDSA, and YouGov, also found that 84,000 Scottish owners have fed their four-legged friends more human treats since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, adding further fuel to the pet obesity crisis.
More pet owners in Scotland (9 per cent) report that their pet has gained weight since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, compared to the Midlands (5 per cent). However, Scottish pet owners walk their dog significantly more frequently than in England or Wales, with 55 per cent reporting they walk their dog more than once a day, compared to 43 per cent of people living in England, and 36 per cent of owners in Wales.
PDSA GLASGOW PERCY THE PUG AND OWNER CHLOE
A couch-potato lifestyle and excessive food consumption over lockdown is having drastic consequences for our pets. And the love we feel for our pets could also be contributing to the problem, as according to UK owners who said their pet was overweight, the most common factors preventing their pet from losing weight were:
giving in when their pet begs for food (29 per cent),
they like feeding treats to their pet (19 per cent),
their pet is fussy with food (19 per cent), and
they feel giving treats shows how much they love them (15 per cent).
PDSA Vet Susan Hermit said: “Worryingly, the detrimental health effects of obesity in our four-legged family members don’t appear to be well-recognised amongst owners. Three in ten (31 per cent) don’t agree that overweight pets are more likely to suffer from serious diseases, and 35 per cent don’t agree that they are less likely to live as long.
“Obesity has been a huge problem among UK pets for a number of years and sadly our PAW Report indicates this is only getting worse. It is one of the biggest long-term health concerns for our pet population, because it is so commonly seen by vets and nurses, with vet professionals estimating that up to half of their pet patients they see each week are overweight**.
“Animals who are overweight have a much greater risk of developing health problems such as arthritis and diabetes – which can have drastic consequences, even shortening their life by up to two years***. We could therefore see this huge obesity problem impact on our pet’s health for years to come.”
Susan adds: “With many owners spending more time at home with their pets since the start of the pandemic, the potential for weight gain due to increased feeding – particularly of treats – was always a concern.
“Unfortunately, we know from previous PAW Reports that some owners struggle to recognise when their pet is overweight or obese and in need of weight loss, which is the first step towards helping them live a longer, happier life. We’ve created a useful free guide to help owners identify if their furry friend is overweight, along with advice on how they can support their pet back to their target weight.
Professor Alex German, Royal Canin Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Liverpool and world-leading expert in cat and dog weight management, adds: “Pet obesity is a growing crisis that is having an impact on the long-term health and happiness of the UK’s pets.
“Both experience and research show that carrying excess weight can have huge health implications, including associations with shorter life expectancy. We all agree that we need to tackle pet obesity urgently, although losing weight can be challenging if you don’t know where to start.
“PDSA’s #WeighUp guide is an invaluable tool to help empower owners to identify the signs of weight gain in their pet in the first place, and also take practical steps to address it.”
Susan concludes: “The good news is that even if your pooch or kitty is in need of a health kick, it’s never too late to help them eat well, exercise and play more, and live longer.
“In most cases, simply adapting their diet, replacing treats with playtime and encouraging them to move more can make a huge difference, and are all the ingredients needed for our pets to maintain a healthy weight, essential for a happy, healthy life.”
For further information about PDSA’s #WeighUp campaign, which is proudly sponsored by Royal Canin, and to download its free guide to help check if your pet is a healthy weight and what to do if not, visit https://pdsa.org.uk/WeighUp.
New package of measures and “Better Health” campaign announced to help people lose weight.
A picture of health?
Ban on TV and online adverts for food high in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm
End of deals like ‘buy one get one free’ on unhealthy food high in salt, sugar and fat
Calories to be displayed on menus to help people make healthier choices when eating out – while alcoholic drinks could soon have to list hidden ‘liquid calories’
New campaign to help people lose weight, get active and eat better after COVID-19 “wake-up call”
A raft of measures have been revealed as part of the UK Government’s new Obesity Strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.
Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost two thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year.
The urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from COVID-19.
Living with excess weight puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as BMI increases. Nearly 8% of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.
As the government continues to respond to this unprecedented global pandemic, Ministers will today set out a comprehensive package of measures to help people take control of their own future by losing weight, getting active and adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Rather than focusing primarily on childhood obesity, the strategy represents a new focus on empowering adults to lose weight as well.
This plan is being launched alongside an exciting new “Better Health” campaign, led by Public Health England, which will call on people to embrace a healthier lifestyle and to lose weight if they need to, supported by a range of evidence-based tools and apps providing advice on how to reduce the waistline.
The measures in this ‘world-leading’ plan include:
Banning unhealthy food adverts – new laws will ban the advertising of food high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) on television and online before 9pm when children are most likely to see them.
Ahead of this, the government will also hold a new short consultation on whether the ban on online adverts for HFSS, should apply at all times of day.
Analysis published by Cancer Research UK from September 2019 shows that almost half (47.6%) of all food adverts shown over the month on ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky1 were for products high in fat, sugar and salt. This rises to almost 60% during the 6.00 to 9.00pm slot – the time slot where children’s viewing peaks.
Evidence shows that exposure to HFSS advertising can affect what and when children eat, both in the short term and the longer term by shaping children’s preferences at a young age. This is supported by the World Health Organization.
Ending BOGOF promotions – new legislation will restrict the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar, such as ‘buy one get one free’ offers. There will also be a ban on these items being placed in prominent locations in stores, such as at checkouts and entrances, and online.
In the UK we spend more buying food products on promotion than any other European country and a survey from 2018 shows that around 43% of all food and drink products located in prominent areas were for sugary foods and drinks, compared to just 1% for healthy items. Shops will be encouraged to promote healthier choices and offer more discounts on food like fruit and vegetables.
Calorie labelling – new laws will require large restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 employees to add calorie labels to the food they sell. Research shows eating out is becoming more common, particularly among families, with 75% of people visiting a restaurant, fast food eatery or getting a takeaway in the past week, compared to 69% in 2010.
However, there is often a lack of information about the calorie content of these items and research suggests people consume around 200 more calories a day if they eat out compared to food prepared at home. This new measure will help people make healthier, informed choices as part of a balanced diet.
Alcohol calorie labelling – a new consultation will be launched before the end of the year on plans to provide calorie labelling on alcohol. Alcohol consumption has been estimated to account for nearly 10% of the calorie intake of those who drink, with around 3.4 million adults consuming an additional days’ worth of calories each week – totalling an additional two months of food each year.
But research shows the majority of the public (80%) is unaware of the calorie content of common drinks and many typically underestimate the true content. It is hoped alcohol labelling could lead to a reduction in consumption, improving people’s health and reducing their waistline.
Expanding NHS services – weight management services will be expanded so more people get the support they need to lose weight. This will include more self-care apps and online tools for people with obesity-related conditions and accelerating the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.
From next year doctors will be offered incentives to ensure people living with obesity is given support for weight loss and primary care staff will also have the opportunity to become ‘healthy weight coaches’ though training delivered by Public Health England. Separately, GPs will also be encouraged to prescribe exercise and more social activities to help people keep fit.
Front of pack nutritional labelling – we will launch a consultation to gather views and evidence on our current ‘traffic light’ labelling system to learn more about how this is being used by consumers and industry, compared to international examples.
Our ‘traffic light’ scheme is popular, with 90% of consumers agreeing it helps them make informed decisions when purchasing food. Research shows that people who look at front of pack nutritional labelling are shown to have healthier shopping baskets, fewer calories, less sugar, fat and salt content and higher fibre content
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “Losing weight is hard but with some small changes we can all feel fitter and healthier.If we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS“.
Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “Everyone knows how hard losing weight can be so we are taking bold action to help everyone who needs it. When you’re shopping for your family or out with friends, it’s only fair that you are given the right information about the food you’re eating to help people to make good decisions.
“To help support people we need to reduce unhelpful influences like promotions and adverts that affect what you buy and what you eat. Taken together, supported by an inspiring campaign and new smart tools, will get the country eating healthily and losing the pounds.
“We know obesity increases the risk of serious illness and death from coronavirus – so it’s vital we take action on obesity to protect the NHS and improve our nation’s health.”
Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at PHE: “These plans are ambitious and rightly so. Tackling obesity will help prevent serious illness and save lives.
“The main reason we put on weight is because of what we eat and drink, but being more active is important too. Making healthier choices easier and fairer for everyone, and ensuring the right support is there for those who need it, is critical in tackling obesity.
“These bold measures will help us tip the scales on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest it’s ever been.”
Overconsumption of calories is one of the most significant contributing factors in becoming overweight. Figures show many adults are consuming 200-300 extra calories a day above recommended daily guidelines with children who are already overweight are consuming up to 500 calories more than they need every day.
The environment we live in plays a significant role in tackling obesity: the information they are given to make those choices; the choices we are offered; and the influences that shape those choices. This will support individual choice and give families a fairer chance to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.
The measures set out today signal a clear commitment from the UK government to support individual efforts and kickstart a national effort to tackle obesity.
WHO evidence showing the impact of advertising food high in fat, sugar and salt on children is available here.
New figures from Cancer Research UK show that people who are obese now outnumber people who smoke two to one in the UK, and excess weight causes more cases of certain cancers than smoking, as the charity urges Government action to tackle obesity.Continue reading Government must act to tackle obesity, says cancer charity
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CHILDREN in Scotland are eating more their recommended daily sugar intake – in sweet treats alone. Research to mark Sugar Awareness Week shows kids in Scotland are eating the equivalent of two-and-a-half 1kg bags of sugar a year just by going to friends’ birthday parties.Continue reading Children treating their way to a health timebomb
NHS statistics have revealed that parents of obese and overweight children think their child is the right weight, and that just over a fifth of children are as active as they need to be to maintain a healthy weight.Continue reading Take to the streets to tackle obesity
