Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, but not body weight, correlated with a reduction in depression scale scores in men with metabolic syndrome: a prospective weight-reduction study.

Background: Obesity, a critical component of metabolic syndrome (MetS), is associated with depression. Deficiency of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the mechanism of depression. We hypothesized that weight reduction would improve depressive symptoms via increasing BDNF levels in obese men.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor not associated with metabolic syndrome but inversely correlated with vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in men without diabetes.

Background: Excessive visceral fat with unbalanced adipokines is a critical pathogenic factor of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is associated with disorders of the central nervous system and cardiovascular disease. Because brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neurons, we examined the relationship of BDNF to MetS, adipose tissue and biomarkers in men.

Methods: Thirty-four non-diabetic men with MetS and another 24 age-matched men without MetS were enrolled.

Persistent elevation of paraoxonase-1 specific enzyme activity after weight reduction in obese non-diabetic men with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an esterase associated with the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in serum. To date, there have been few reports about circulating PON1 protein concentration and specific activity in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). More importantly, it is unknown whether weight loss could alter PON1 protein expression or specific activity in obese non-diabetic men with MetS.

MRI measured epicardial adipose tissue thickness at the right AV groove differentiates inflammatory status in obese men with metabolic syndrome.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active visceral fat, which secretes inflammatory cytokines and adipokines. In this study, our aim was to examine which measurements of EAT thickness by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could best help differentiate inflammatory status, classified by levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), in obese men with metabolic syndrome (MetS). We prospectively enrolled 32 men with central obesity (waist circumference ≥90 cm) and at least two other MetS criteria.

Metabolic syndrome associated with habitual indulgence and dietary behavior in middle-aged health-care professionals.

Unlabelled: Aims/Introduction:  Few studies, especially in Asia, have examined the relevance between metabolic syndrome (MetS), habitual indulgence and dietary behaviors in health-care professionals. The present study evaluates metabolic syndrome rate and its association with habitual indulgence (coffee, tea, alcohol and cigarette smoking) and diet behavior in health-care professionals.

Materials And Methods:   Information was collected from 514 health-care professionals (147 men, 367 women) who underwent routine physical examinations at a medical center in central Taiwan.

Effect of weight loss on proinflammatory state of mononuclear cells in obese women.

In order to investigate whether weight loss can lead to improvement of the mononuclear cell (MNC) proinflammatory state, 21 nondiabetic obese women with mean age 34+/-2 years (mean+/-s.e.m.

Prospective evaluation of folic acid supplementation on plasma homocysteine concentrations during weight reduction: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in obese women.

Elevated total homocysteine concentrations and obesity are both associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, previous studies of weight reduction on serum homocysteine concentrations have obtained inconsistent reports. We investigated the effect of folic acid supplementation on serum homocysteine concentrations via a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.