1.0 Introduction
1.1 Obesity Epidemic
Obesity is currently defined by the WHO as an individual having a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, with BMI being defined as weight in Kilograms, divided by height in meters squared. Anyone with a BMI ≥ 25 is also considered to be overweight (Kuczmarski et al., 1997). Looking at Obesity statistics globally, it shows that in the United States of America 54% of adults are now considered overweight, with 22% of their national adult population being obese (Hill, 1998). Arguably, however, this is not the most alarming statistic one can read when research obesity on the global level; childhood obesity is rising, and fast, currently there are 22 million overweight children when we look at the 0 to 5 age range. Furthermore, …show more content…
To date, several compounds have been released to the market. Of these drugs two compounds Orlistat, and Sibutramine have both have been approved in America for long term use, these two drugs act in different ways. Orlistat is involved with reduction of dietary fat absorption in the gut, whereas Sibutramine acts within the central nervous system to increase energy expenditure, and decrease intake (Cooke and Bloom, 2006). Despite a promising 3-4% weight loss, for both drugs, they come with, what on the whole have been received as unacceptable side effects; Orlistat based on its method of action decreases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (Foxcroft and Milne, 2000), whilst Sibutramine has been linked to hypertension and tachycardia (Finer, 2002). Stepping away from pharmaceuticals solutions, the other treatments available for obesity lie in the form of bariatric surgery, but due to the complications of surgery, and limited resources, this is currently reserved as a last ditch method of lowering a patient 's BMI (Wolfe and Morton, …show more content…
Following the discovery of Leptin 22 years ago (Stanley, 2004), the true role of peripheral gut hormones, with regard to satiety modulation started to become more apparent; following this many more hormones have been shown to have hunger modulating effects, including Oxyntomodulin itself, as well as molecules such as Glucagon-Like Peptide 1. Oxyntomodulin is formed from a common preproglucagon precursor, this prohormone is found across the body, however, it is the processing of this prohormone individual to the location it is in that allows the wide variety of molecules to be formed from it dependent on body location (Larsen et al., 1997). If we take the production of Glucagon as an example, the presence of the enzyme prohormone convertase 2 in the pancreatic alpha cell is what facilitates the production of this particular hormone (Furuta et al., 2001). It is in the intestines where the production of Oxyntomodulin takes place predominantly, more specifically the L-cells, which are found mainly in the ileum and the colon, but can also be seen in the duodenum and jejunum, it should be noted also that Oxyntomodulin is also found in the brain (Drucker and Nauck, 2006). It is in
1.1 Obesity Epidemic
Obesity is currently defined by the WHO as an individual having a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, with BMI being defined as weight in Kilograms, divided by height in meters squared. Anyone with a BMI ≥ 25 is also considered to be overweight (Kuczmarski et al., 1997). Looking at Obesity statistics globally, it shows that in the United States of America 54% of adults are now considered overweight, with 22% of their national adult population being obese (Hill, 1998). Arguably, however, this is not the most alarming statistic one can read when research obesity on the global level; childhood obesity is rising, and fast, currently there are 22 million overweight children when we look at the 0 to 5 age range. Furthermore, …show more content…
To date, several compounds have been released to the market. Of these drugs two compounds Orlistat, and Sibutramine have both have been approved in America for long term use, these two drugs act in different ways. Orlistat is involved with reduction of dietary fat absorption in the gut, whereas Sibutramine acts within the central nervous system to increase energy expenditure, and decrease intake (Cooke and Bloom, 2006). Despite a promising 3-4% weight loss, for both drugs, they come with, what on the whole have been received as unacceptable side effects; Orlistat based on its method of action decreases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (Foxcroft and Milne, 2000), whilst Sibutramine has been linked to hypertension and tachycardia (Finer, 2002). Stepping away from pharmaceuticals solutions, the other treatments available for obesity lie in the form of bariatric surgery, but due to the complications of surgery, and limited resources, this is currently reserved as a last ditch method of lowering a patient 's BMI (Wolfe and Morton, …show more content…
Following the discovery of Leptin 22 years ago (Stanley, 2004), the true role of peripheral gut hormones, with regard to satiety modulation started to become more apparent; following this many more hormones have been shown to have hunger modulating effects, including Oxyntomodulin itself, as well as molecules such as Glucagon-Like Peptide 1. Oxyntomodulin is formed from a common preproglucagon precursor, this prohormone is found across the body, however, it is the processing of this prohormone individual to the location it is in that allows the wide variety of molecules to be formed from it dependent on body location (Larsen et al., 1997). If we take the production of Glucagon as an example, the presence of the enzyme prohormone convertase 2 in the pancreatic alpha cell is what facilitates the production of this particular hormone (Furuta et al., 2001). It is in the intestines where the production of Oxyntomodulin takes place predominantly, more specifically the L-cells, which are found mainly in the ileum and the colon, but can also be seen in the duodenum and jejunum, it should be noted also that Oxyntomodulin is also found in the brain (Drucker and Nauck, 2006). It is in