Obese children had impaired psychosocial status as they generally tend to be socially isolated, have poor self-esteem, anxiety, mood disorder (depression and bipolar disorder) and eating disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the child-report and parent-report of HRQoL among 9-11 years old obese school children in Malaysia and to determine the associated factors of HRQoL among obese children in Malaysia. This study was a cross-sectional study involving 101 obese Malay primary school children aged 9-11 years old from eleven primary schools in Kuala Terengganu which were selected via convenience sampling. Height and weight of the respondents were measured and their BMI was calculated. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using PedsQL version 4.0. The mean age of the respondents was 10.02 ± 0.82 years old with mean BMI z-score was 3.01 ± 0.60. There were significance differences between boys and girls in; 1) emotional domain score for child-report QoL (p=0.019) using paired t-test and 2) psychosocial domain score for parent-report QoL (p=0.025). Regression analysis found that age and gender were the associated factors for Psychological Health for obese children (p<0.005). Being obese had negative effects on children’s quality of life. Various strategies interventions should be done to improve the HRQoL of these obese children. A multidisciplinary approach in schools must be organized to encourage a healthy lifestyle as part of routine among the school children.
Health-related quality of life ; obese ; children ; pedsQL

Limited health literacy is highly associated with poor health status. The concept of health literacy in public health relates to the concern that people with lower health literacy were also less likely to engage in health promoting behaviours. This is an analysis on health literacy and its associated factors among housewives and also a sub analysis of the Malaysian My Body is Fit and Fabulous at Home (MyBFF@home) study involving 328 overweight and obese housewives living in low cost flats in Klang Valley, part of a weight loss programme recruited using convenient sampling. Health literacy was measured using the Malay version of Newest Vital Sign (NVS) test with scores ranging from 0 to 6. Total score of ≤2 indicate limited health literacy and total scores of >2 indicate adequate health literacy. Descriptive analysis, chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used to analyse the data.The mean(SD) NVS score was 1.07(1.19) with most (87.5%) housewives having limited health literacy. Factors that were significantly associated with limited health literacy were older age of 45 to 59 years old (p = 0.040), primary education and below (p = 0.001) and absence of internet connectivity (p = 0.001). In the final model, absence of internet connectivity (OR 2.61; 95%CI 1.31 to 5.22) was associated with limited health literacy. Majority of the housewives have limited health literacy and providing internet connectivity to housewives may increase their health literacy.
housewives ; health literacy ; low cost flats ; Newest Vital Sign ; obese

The aim of this paper was to study the effect and mechanism of fucoxanthin on insulin resistance of obese mice induced by high-fat diet. Fifty C57 BL/6 J male mice were randomly divided into control group and high-fat diet group. The insulin resistance model was induced with high-fat diet for 12 weeks, and model mice were randomly divided into model group, fucoxanthin-0.2% group, fucoxanthin-0.4% group and metformin group. After dietary treatment for 6 weeks, the body weight and epididymal fat weight in each group were measured. Fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(FINS), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C) were measured, and insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR) was calcula-ted. The pathological morphology in liver was observed by hematoxylin eosin staining, and the expressions of some key proteins in insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS-1)/posphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3 K)/serine-threonine kinase(Akt) and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ(PPARγ)/sterol regulatory element binding protein-1(SREBP-1)/fatty acid synthetase(FAS) pathways in liver were detected by Western blot. According to the findings, compared with the model group, levels of body weight, epididymal fat weight, FBG, FINS, TC, TG, LDL-C and HOMA-IR, as well as protein expressions of PPARγ, SREBP-1 and FAS in liver were significantly reduced(P<0.05 or P<0.01), while level of HDL-C and protein expressions of p-IRS-1, IRS-1, PI3 K and p-Akt in liver were signi-ficantly increased after treatment with fucoxanthin(P<0.05 or P<0.01). And the pathological changes of liver tissue in fucoxanthin-treated mice were also improved obviously. The results showed that fucoxanthin could improve obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, and alleviate insulin resistance in obese mice, and its mechanism is possibly related to the regulation of IRS-1/PI3 K/Akt and PPARγ/SREBP-1/FAS pathways.
Animals ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Xanthophylls

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the impacts of periodontitis on the visceral weight and weight percentage of obese animal models. METHODS: A total of 64 C57BL/6J mice were divided into the following diet groups: high-fat diet (HFD) group (n=36), which was fed with high-fat diet to induce obesity, and low-fat diet (LFD) group (n=28), which was fed with low-fat diet as the control. After 16 weeks on diet, each diet group was divided into periodontitis (P) and control (C) groups. The P groups were induced for periodontitis by ligation with Porphyromonas gingivalis-adhered silk for 5 or 10 days, and the C groups were sham-ligated as the control. Visceral organs were resected and weighed. The organ weight percentage was calculated. RESULTS: Compared with the LFD group, the HFD group significantly upregulated the weight and weight percentage of visceral adipose tissue and spleen (P<0.05), upregulated the weight of liver and kidney (P<0.05), and downregulated the weight percentage of liver and kidney (P<0.01). In the HFD group, the weight and weight percentage of spleen were downregulated in the P group (P<0.05), but were upregulated in the 10-day group compared with the 5-day group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Periodontitis can affect the general morphology of the viscera (especially spleen) in obese animal models. Pathological indications in terms of immunometabolism might be present in the correlation between obesity and periodontitis.
Animals ; Diet, High-Fat ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Obese ; Obesity ; complications ; Organ Size ; Periodontitis ; complications

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupoint thread-embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Fenglong" (ST 40) on the macrophage polarization of epididymis adipose tissue in obese mice, and to explore the action mechanism of acupoint thread-embedding on weight control. METHODS: Among 30 male C57BL/6 mice, 10 mice were randomly selected and fed with normal diet, and the remaining 20 mice were fed with high-fat diet to establish the obesity model. Sixteen mice with successful obesity model were randomly divided into a model group and an acupoint thread-embedding group, 8 mice in each group. Eight mice were selected from mice which were fed with normal diet as the normal group. On the next day of successful modeling, acupoint thread-embedding was performed at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Fenglong" (ST 40) in the acupoint thread-embedding group, once every 10 days for 4 times. The body weight was recorded at 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40 days into intervention; the level of glucose metabolism was compared after intervention; the level of lipid metabolism and weight of epididymal adipose tissue were compared at the end of the intervention; the mRNA expression of M1 and M2 macrophage-related cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were detected by real-time PCR; the mRNA and protein expression of M1 macrophage labeled inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and M2 macrophage labeled arginase-1 (Arg-1) were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the body weight at 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40 days into intervention in the model group was increased ( CONCLUSION Acupoint thread-embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Fenglong" (ST 40) may play a role in weight control by regulating the polarization of macrophages.
Acupuncture Points ; Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Epididymis ; Macrophages ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Obese

This paper aims to study the effect of Xiangqin Jiere Granules(XQ) on lipid metabolism and chronic inflammation in different obesity model mice. The monosodium glutamate(MSG) obese mouse model was established by subcutaneous injection of MSG in newborn mice, and the high fat diet(HFD) obese mouse model was established by feeding adult mice with HFD. The normal mice were assigned into the control group; the MSG obese mice were assigned into MSG model group, XQ4.5 group(Xiangqin Jiere Granu-les, 4.5 g·kg~(-1)), XQ22.5 group(Xiangqin Jiere Granules, 22.5 g·kg~(-1)); the HFD obese mice were assigned into HFD model group, XQ4.5 group, and XQ22.5 group. The mice were intragastrically administrated with saline or XQ for 5 weeks. After that, the body weight, visceral fat mass, liver and thymus weight, and the organ indexes in each group were measured. The levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-c) in serum and liver tissue were detected by the kits. The mRNA expression levels of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1(ACC1), fatty acid synthetase(FAS), diacylgycerol acyltransferase 1(DGAT1) and hepatic lipase(HTGL) involved in lipid metabolism in mouse liver tissue were detected by quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR). The protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) in serum were detected by ELISA, and the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in liver tissue were detected by qPCR. Compared with the control group, MSG and HFD mice showed increased body weight, abdominal circumference, Lee index and visceral fat mass as well as elevated levels of TG, TC, and LDL-c in serum. The model mice had up-regulated gene levels of ACC1, FAS and DGAT1 while down-regulated gene level of HTGL in the liver. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of IL-6 increased in the model mice. Compared with the model mice, XQ treatment decreased the body weight, abdominal circumference, Lee index, and visceral fat mass, lowered the levels of TG, TC, and LDL-c in se-rum, down-regulated the gene levels of ACC1, FAS, and DGAT1 in liver tissue, up-regulated the gene level of HTGL, and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of IL-6. To sum up, XQ has good therapeutic effect on different obesity model mice. It can improve lipid metabolism and reduce fat accumulation in obese mice by regulating the enzymes involved in lipid metabolism, and alleviate obesity-related chronic low-grade inflammation.
Animals ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Obese ; Obesity/genetics*

In this study, we designed to confirm the dietary effect of anti-obesity of fermented soybean curd residue (FSCR; SCR-Meju; Biji-meju) by A. oryzae, which is well known as a Korean traditional meju microbe. We observed that body weight gain, serum and hepatic lipid profile, as well as the activity of ROS generating enzyme and ROS scavenging enzyme in high-fat diet induced obese mice fed experimental diet (SCR and SCR-meju). Body weight gain and epididymal fat weight of HC (high-fat diet control) was markedly higher than that of NC (Normal control). Conversely, body weight gain and epididymal fat weight of the SCR (Biji) and SCR-meju (Biji-meju) group was significantly lower than that of HC; these of the SCR-meju group was lower than that of the SCR group. Furthermore, serum TG and total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol contents of SCR and SCR-meju groups were lower than that of HC, and HDL-cholesterol level of the SCR-meju group was significantly higher than that of HC. In conclusion, although precise mechanisms of the antiobese effects of SCR-meju in this study are unknown, the present study provides an experimental evidence that SCR-meju may prevent obesity and obesity related metabolic syndromes, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes, and liver disease by high-fat diet. Nevertheless, further study in this filed will be needed.
Animals ; Aspergillus oryzae* ; Aspergillus* ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Liver Diseases ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Obesity ; Oryza ; Soybeans*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-hyperlipidemic effect of soy bean extract solution fermented by Bacillus subtilis MORI (BTD-1E) in obese db/db mice. Eight-week-old male db/db mice were administered 33.3 mg/kg BTD-1E solution orally once a day for four weeks. The BTD-1E group showed significantly lower body weight compared with the db control group (P<0.05). The BTD-1E group showed significantly lower serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels compared with the db control group, respectively (P<0.05, P<0.01). The BTD-1E group showed significantly decreased liver weight relative to final body weight compared with the db control group (P<0.01). After four weeks of BTD-1E administration, lipid droplets in the liver were apparently decreased in the BTD-1E group compared to the db control group. In summary, our results suggest that BTD-1E has an anti-hyperlipidemic effect in the obese mouse model.
1-Deoxynojirimycin ; Animals ; Bacillus ; Bacillus subtilis ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Soybeans

BACKGROUND: Obesity exacerbates chemically-induced neurodegeneration. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists such as ketamine prevent excitotoxicity and are neuroprotective against acute brain injury, but can also be toxic. In low doses they induce reversible neuronal injury, but in higher doses they cause irreversible degeneration of cerebrocortical neurons. This study was designed to evaluate the neurotoxic effect of ketamine on obesity-induced neurotoxicity in the young mouse brain. METHODS: Five-week-old female wild and obese type (C57BL6) mice were randomly allocated into three groups (n=6 each) receiving a single intraperitoneal injection of (i) saline (control); (ii) ketamine (50 mg/kg); (iii) or ketamine (100 mg/kg). Three hours after ketamine administration, their brains were prepared histologically for quantitative assessment of the number of posterior cingulate/retrosplenial (PC/RS) neurons with vacuolation at a specific rostrocaudal level. RESULTS: Pyramidal neurons containing cytoplasmic vacuoles in layers III and IV of the PC/RS cortex were observed in all groups of mice, except wild-type mice that received saline injections. Ketamine produced a dose-dependent vacuolization in both types of mice, which was more prominent in obese mice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of ketamine in young obese mice can exacerbate neurotoxicity.
Animals ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Ketamine ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurons ; Obesity ; Vacuoles

Adipogenesis in murine preadipocyte 3T3L-1 has been used as a model system to study anti-obese bioactive molecules. During adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we found that capsanthin inhibited adipogenesis (IC₅₀; 2.5 μM) and also showed lipolytic activity in differentiated adipocytes from the preadipocytes (ED₅₀ ; 872 nM). We identified that the pharmacological activity of capsanthin on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 was mainly due to its adrenoceptor-β2-agonistic activity. In high-fat diet animal model study, capsanthin significantly enhanced spontaneous locomotive activities together with progressive weight-loss. The capsanthin-induced activation of kinetic behavior in mice was associated with the excessive production of ATP initiated by both the enhanced lipolytic activity together with accelerated oxidation of fatty acids due to the adrenoceptor β2-agonistic activity of capsanthin. Capsanthin also dose-dependently increased adiponectin and p-AMPK activity in high fat diet animals, suggesting that capsanthin has both anti-obesity and insulin sensitizing activities.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adipocytes ; Adipogenesis* ; Adiponectin ; Animals ; Diet, High-Fat ; Fatty Acids ; Insulin ; Mice ; Mice, Obese* ; Models, Animal ; Weight Gain*