Iranian Journal of Diabetes and Obesity
Volume:11 Issue: 2, Summer 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of flaxseed consumption in improving weight loss and altering anthropometric indices in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Our hypothesis was that the high fiber and α-linolenic (ALA) contents of flaxseed would decrease weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and fat mass, so it would improve PCOS.

Sixty eight patients between the ages of 20 and 40 years participated in this double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled study. Subjects were randomly assigned to flaxseed and placebo groups to use 15 grams of flaxseed or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Sixty two participants completed anthropometric measurements before and after study.

The results showed that weight, BMI, waist circumference, visceral fat percentage and body fat percentage were significantly decreased and body muscle percentage was significantly increased in both groups. In addition consumption of 15 gr/days flaxseed for 12 weeks by overweight or obese women with PCOS significantly decreased the mean change of BMI (P-value= 0.04) and in regards of weight, the reduction was marginally significant (P-value= 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the mean change of waist circumference (P-value= 0.46), percentage of body fat (P-value= 0.78), muscle (P-value= 0.18) and visceral fat (P-value= 0.43) between flaxseed and control groups.

These findings represented that flaxseed supplementation could reduce BMI and weight but other factors did not change significantly. Further studies are needed to show that flaxseed can be used as a supplement for weight loss in PCOS.

Pancreatic b-cell dysfunction is described to be present at the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and progressively deteriorated with disease duration. However, its progression is variable and potentially influenced by several factors. The Magnesium (Mg) deficiency mediates insulin resistance but reports regarding its role in pancreatic β-cell dysfunction are scarce and conflicting. The aim of this study was to evaluate Mg deficiency effect on pancreatic β-cell function in T2DM patients at a specialist hospital in north eastern Nigeria.

Study subjects were categorized in to two groups according to plasma Mg levels; 34 subjects with hypomagnesemia and 45 subjects with normal magnesium levels. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for Mg, glucose and insulin. Pancreatic β-cell function was estimated as HOMA-β.

Degree of pancreatic β-cell function, as measured by HOMA-β, was significantly lower among T2DM subjects with hypomagnesemia compared to the subjects with normal magnesium levels (38.1± 5.5 vs. 41.2± 6.2, P-value< 0.05). Lower plasma Mg was associated with decreased pancreatic β-cell function among the study subjects independent of age, BMI and duration of diabetes.

We concluded that among subjects with T2DM in this study, Mg deficiency might be linked with worsening of pancreatic β-cell function.

Dysmenorrhea is common and disturbs the quality of life of women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ginger supplement on aerobic training capacity and dysmenorrhea in overweight girls.

In this semi-experimental study, 52 overweight female students of Shahid Chamran university of Ahwaz were randomly divided into two groups. The supplement group consumed 2 grams of ginger powder daily for two weeks before meals. The aerobic activity included two sessions of exhausting activity. The symptoms of dysmenorrhea were measured through a questionnaire, in two consecutive menstrual cycles (once before and one after the supplementation).

The results showed that after two weeks of ginger supplementation there was no significant difference in the aerobic power of two supplement and placebo groups (P-value≥ 0.05). A comparison between groups showed that two weeks of ginger supplementation had a significant reduction in the physical and psychological symptoms of dysmenorrhea in the supplement group compared to placebo (P-value: 0.001).

According to the results, consumption of ginger supplement for 14 days did not affect aerobic capacity improvement, but it reduced the pain and symptoms of menstruation.

The present study aimed to determine the effects of diet of negative calorie foods (NCF) on weight, atherogenic lipids, and atherogenic ratio and compare its efficiency with diet of low calorie foods (LCF).

In this randomized clinical trial, the participants were randomly selected from inactive overweight females (age 45-75 years) by parallel assignment were distributed randomly into two groups: NCF group that received a high-carbohydrate (75%), and low-fat (10%) diet, and LCF group had a dietary recipe with 55% of carbohydrate and a little fat (30%) content. Both groups had a healthy calorie restriction (15%) from their daily caloric requirements within three months. Evaluation of body weight, atherogenic lipids (total-C, HDL-C and LDL-C), and atherogenic ratio (total-C to HDL-C) were performed pre- and post-intervention for all subjects and compared to each other.

The results of the within-group comparison of NCF and LCF on weight (respectively, P-value= 0.04; P-value= 0.03), total-C (respectively, P-value= 0.02; P-value= 0.03), HDL-C (respectively, P-value= 0.04; P-value= 0.01) and LDL-C (respectively, P-value= 0.01; P-value= 0.03) revealed significant effects. Also, significant differences were observed between groups in atherogenic lipid profile, total-C (P-value: 0.03), HDL-C (P-value: 0.001), and LDL-C (P-value: 0.03). The result of the between-group comparison was also significant in atherogenic ratio (P-value: 0.04).

Contrary to expectation, dietary regimen demonstrated a similar pattern of weight loss in females. The NCF when compared to the LCF, is not a healthy choice for weight loss in sedentary females with overweight.

The theory of self-efficacy is based on the assumption that people’s beliefs about their abilities and talents have a favorable effect on their actions. It is the most important determinant of behavior. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and self-efficacy in type II diabetes (T2DM) patients.

In this analytical cross-sectional study, 128 T2DM patients were selected via simple random sampling. At first, the patients’ demographic data were recorded. Then, the persian version of Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DMSES) and EI questionnaire developed by Petrides and Furnham were completed.

The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 53.55 (±6.2) years. The results showed a significant positive correlation between the total scores of self-efficacy and EI (P-value: 0.001). Accordingly, increase in the EI score was accompanied with an increase in the score of self-efficacy.

EI plays an important role in nurturing self-efficacy beliefs and positive self-concepts in patients and promoting their mental and physical health status. Hence, training courses on EI components can make patients feel highly self-efficacious.

 High intensity interval training (HIITs) can induce weight control, lowering blood pressure and beneficial effects on cardiovascular health in type 2 diabetic patients. The effect of different volumes of these exercises is unclear in type 2 diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of low volume and high volume of short-term intensive training on glycemic indexes of men with type 2 diabetes.

Thirty type 2 diabetes male patients who were referred to Yazd diabetes research center (30 - 46 years old) were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups of low and high volume HIITs groups and control group. The intensity of the exercises in low volume was up to 110% and in high volume up to 80% of the maximum heart rate. The two training groups performed exercises 3 days of week for 8 weeks. Glycemic factors and lipids profile were measured before and after the last training session. Data were analyzed by covariance and paired T-test.

Low volume HIIT exercises significantly decreased the glucose (P-value: 0.01), HbA1c (P-value: 0.01), insulin (P-value: 0.005), insulin resistance (P-value: 0.001), and triglyceride (P-value: 0.04). Low volume HIIT in the insulin resistance had a significant difference with the control group (P-value: 0.04). High density lipoprotein in high volume group had a significant difference with the control group (P-value: 0.021).

Low-volume HIIT exercises can be a non-pharmacological approach to improving glycemic factors in type 2 diabetic patients.

Aging is associated with endothelial dysfunction and arthrosclerosis. This study aimed to assesses the impact of combined circular training (resistance-interval) on endothelial-derived microparticles (EMPs) as a marker of endothelial function and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight elderly men.

In this experimental study, twenty four overweight men aged 50 - 55 years were divided to exercise group (8 weeks circular training, 3 times/weekly, n= 12) and control group (no training, n= 12) by simple random sampling. The anthropometric measurements, serum EMPs and cardiovascular risk factors (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL)) were measured before and after training program in exercise and control groups. Data were analyzed by student’s T-test to assess the statistical significance of the changes. P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

A significant decreases were observed in anthropometrical markers (weight, BMI, body fat percentage) by training program in exercise group (P-value< 0.001). Circular training induced significant decrease in EMPs (P-value= 0.004), TG (P-value= 0.020), TC (P-value= 0.001) and increase in HDL (P-value< 0.001) compared to pre-training. No significant change was observed in LDL by circular training in exercise group (P-value= 0.052). There were no changes in all dependent variables in the control subjects (P-value≥ 0.05).

Based on these data, it is concluded that combined circular training can be improve endothelial function in overweight elderly men.

The overweight-related health problems among adolescents are obvious. Resistance training is recognized as a safe and efficacious exercise modality to have health-promoting effects in overweight adolescents. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of circuit resistance training (CRT) in improving inflammatory status, insulin resistance and body composition in overweight male adolescents.

Twenty overweight adolescent boys (aged: 18.5 (±1), weight: 81.1 (±4.5), body mass index: 27.7 (±0.7)) completed this study. The participants were randomly and equally divided into two groups of control (CG; n=10) and circuit resistance training (CRT; n=10). The CG did their daily routine activities and the CRT group performed its training protocol 3 days a week for 6 weeks. Body composition components and serum variables were measured a day before and after the study. Insulin resistance index was measured by HOMA-IR.

The subjects in the CG showed significantly increased changes compared with pre-training values. Moreover, significant changes were found fort the changes of BW (P-value= 0.005), BMI (P-value= 0.001) and BF% (P-value= 0.003) between groups.

This study suggested that although six weeks of CRT failed to induce meaningful anti-inflammatory cytokine responses, and to improve body composition and HOMA-IR in overweight adolescent boys, but had protective effects on inflammatory status, HOMA-IR and body composition and prevented them from being deteriorated.

Intense muscle contractions are associated with oxidative stress and immune system deficiency, especially in the presence of obesity. This study aimed to determine the effect of whey protein supplementation following eccentric resistance contractions on some determinants of oxidative stress in non-athletic obese students.

In this double blinded randomized clinical trial study, 24 non-athlete obese male students were divided into two groups: experimental (whey protein supplementation, 0.4 g / kg body weight for 3 consecutive days) or placebo groups by simple random sampling. Blood samples were taken before, immediately, 24, 48 and 72 hours after an intense resistance exercise session with regard to measure Superoxidasedismutase (SOD) and Malodaldoeide (MDA). Subsequently, a two-way repeated measure ANOVA was performed to compare data between groups. P-value of less than 5 percent was considered statistically significant.

No significant differences were observed between two groups in MDA (P-value: 0.211) and SOD (P-value: 0.222) at post-exercise. Based on ANOVA data, significant changes were observed between two groups with regard to MDA (P-value: 0.001) and SOD (P-value: 0.001). On the other hand, MDA activity was significantly lower in experimental than placebo subjects in each stage of study (24 hours recovery, 48 hours recovery and 72 hours recovery with P-value: 0.001). Also, SOD activity was significantly higher in experimental than placebo subjects in each stage of study (24 hours recovery, 48 hours recovery and 72 hours recovery with P-value: 0.001).

Based on this study, it is concluded that whey protein supplementation can be improve antioxidant capacity after intense exercise in non-athletes obese male.

Diabetes causes free radical production, oxidative stress and alterations in mitochondrial enzymes and apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise and consumption of L-carnitine on BCL2 and some mitochondrial enzymes of the kidney in diabetic rats.

In this experimental study, 45 male wistar rats (200-300 gr) were simple randomly divided into six groups: 1) placebo group, 2) healthy control group, 3) diabetic control group, 4) diabetic group receiving L- carnitine, 5) diabetic group of aerobic training and 6) diabetic group of aerobic training and recipient of L-carnitine. Rats with a serum glucose level higher than 300 mg/ dL were considered diabetic. L-carnitine recipients received 100 mg of L-carnitine daily orally. The dependent variables of the study were measured 24 hours after the last training program session by ELISA in kidney tissue. Data were analyzed by Shapiro- Wilk and two way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test at P-value< 0.05.

The results showed that the combined effect of aerobic training and supplementation of L-carnitine on Bcl2 factor of kidney tissue of rats with diabetes has a significant effect (P-value: 0.019). But aerobic exercise (P-value: 0.969) and supplementation of L-carnitine (P-value: 0.584) were not significant.

The results of this study showed that the combined effect of aerobic exercise and supplementation of L-carnitine on CPT2 and Malonyl COa and Bcl2 have a significant effect on the kidney of diabetic rats. Also, exercise alone and consumption of L-carnitine alone do not have a significant effect.