Articles

The Interrelation among Obesity, Climate Change and the Food Industry

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Climate change poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems and human societies, while the global obesity pandemic constitutes a major public health challenge. These two phenomena are increasingly recognized as interconnected, with both influencing and being influenced by the food industry. The present study investigates the interrelationship among obesity, climate change, and the food industry, examining the interactions and mutual dependencies among these three domains. Their interlinkages are analyzed separately and their systemic interactions are highlighted. The results indicate that obesity, climate change, and the food industry are strongly interconnected and mutually influential. Consequently, changes in one of these domains can produce significant effects on the others. The findings suggest that the development of sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient agricultural systems capable of producing sufficient and nutritious food with minimal environmental impacts is urgently required. Furthermore, a strategic reorientation of the food industry toward the production of healthier food products with lower environmental footprints is necessary. Finally, the promotion through public policies of healthy dietary patterns with low greenhouse gas emissions could simultaneously reduce obesity prevalence and contribute to climate change mitigation. The findings of this study may be useful to policy makers, climate scientists, medical professionals, the food industry, farmers, and civil society organizations seeking to address these major challenges of the 21st century.

The Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Global Challenges

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Mediterranean diet is considered healthy compared to typical western diets while it was used by populations residing in Mediterranean basin since centuries. Several studies indicate that Mediterranean diet offers many health and environmental benefits. The positive impacts of this diet in treating various global challenges have been examined. Reviewing  several published papers the impacts of Mediterranean diet on managing obesity and malnutrition, on climate change mitigation and in the achievement of the sustainable development goals have been investigated. The results indicate that the use of Mediterranean diet helps in treating obesity and malnutrition, while it contributes positively in climate change mitigation and in achieving the 17 sustainable development goals. Unfortunately, for several reasons, the traditional Mediterranean diet  has been nowadays replaced by unhealthy western type diets burdening various global challenges that humanity faces. Our work is important since it indicates that the change of our dietary pattern shifting from western diet to Mediterranean diet will result in the mitigation of several global challenges. The results of the present study could be useful to medicinal doctors, policy makers, public authorities, non-governmental environmental organizations and other institutions related with the abovementioned issues.

The Effect of Moringa Leaf Soup (Moringa oleifera) on Total Cholesterol Levels among Overweight Employees at Nusa Cendana University

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Background: Overweight and obesity remain major global health problems and are closely associated with metabolic disorders, including hypercholesterolemia. Elevated total cholesterol levels contribute significantly to the development of atherosclerosis and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In Indonesia, particularly in East Nusa Tenggara, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is relatively high among employees. Moringa oleifera, a locally available plant widely consumed as food, contains dietary fiber and bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that may influence lipid metabolism.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of moringa leaf soup consumption on changes in total cholesterol levels among overweight employees at Nusa Cendana University.

Methods: A pre-experimental study with a one-group pre-test–post-test design was conducted among 27 employees selected using purposive sampling. Participants received moringa leaf soup as an intervention for seven consecutive days. Total cholesterol levels were measured before and after the intervention using capillary blood samples analyzed with a point-of-care testing device. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test.

Results: The mean total cholesterol level before the intervention was 190.18 mg/dL, which decreased to 179.22 mg/dL after the intervention. The mean reduction in total cholesterol level was 10.96 mg/dL. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in total cholesterol levels following seven days of moringa leaf soup consumption (p = 0.012).

Conclusion: Consumption of moringa leaf soup was associated with a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels among overweight employees at Nusa Cendana University.

Short-Term Intake of Moringa oleifera Leaf Soup and Its Effect on Fasting Blood Glucose in Overweight Office Workers: A Preliminary Study

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Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia continues to rise, particularly among workers with sedentary lifestyles and overweight conditions. Moringa oleifera leaves are known to contain antidiabetic bioactive compounds; however, studies regarding their effectiveness in the form of a cooked vegetable dish (soup) remain limited.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf soup intake on changes in fasting blood glucose levels among overweight employees at the University of Nusa Cendana.

Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design. Twenty-seven employees with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The intervention consisted of administering Moringa leaf soup (100 grams of fresh leaves boiled at 80°C for 3 minutes), consumed daily for one week.

Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed that the soup contained flavonoids, tannins, and vitamin C. Clinically, the intervention resulted in a decrease in mean fasting blood glucose from 121.37 mg/dL to 118.33 mg/dL, with 16 out of 27 respondents (59.3%) showing a reduction. However, statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test indicated that this change was not statistically significant (p = 0.361).

Conclusion: Although the results were not statistically significant—likely due to the short duration of the intervention—a clinical downward trend was observed in the majority of respondents. This finding suggests the potential of Moringa leaf soup as a functional food to support glycemic control.

Meta Analysis Study: Nutritional Factors in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) with Obesity

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Improvement prevalence obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) become challenge significant global health, especially affected by changes style life like pattern Eat No health and lack of activity Physical. This study aims to analyze the influence of nutritional factors on the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) with obesity through a meta-analysis approach. The method used was a systematic review of articles published in 2019–2024 obtained from the PubMed, DOAJ, PLoS One, and Google Scholar databases, with a focus on dietary factors and physical activity.

The analysis of 21 observational articles with cohort and case-control study designs eligible for meta-analysis showed that unhealthy diets and low physical activity significantly contribute to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes in obese individuals. This meta-analysis emphasizes the importance of nutritional factors as modifiable determinants in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes in obesity. These findings provide a strong scientific basis for the development of nutrition- and lifestyle-based public health policies and interventions.

Brain and Neuronal Changes Associated With Over Weight and Obesity

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Considerable brain and neural alterations associated with obesity affect behavior, thought, and emotional control. Changes in brain shape and function are revealed by neuroimaging research, especially in reward-processing regions like the striatum and prefrontal cortex. These alterations could result in a rise in the desire for foods rich in calories and a decline in judgment. Furthermore, neuroinflammation and changes in neurotransmitter systems are linked to obesity and can impact mood and cognitive function. To effectively treat obesity and the health problems it causes, it is essential to comprehend these brain alterations. Obesity is a complex medical problem that has significant effects on brain structure and function in addition to physical health. With an emphasis on changes in brain regions related to reward, food management, and cognitive function, this study examines the most recent research on the neuronal modifications linked to overweight and obesity.

Obesity and Cholinesterase Level Related to Impaired Fasting Glucose in Indonesian Farmers

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Obesity is characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat caused by mutations in the leptin gene and its receptors. In Indonesia, the incidence of childhood obesity increased from 6.4% in 2007 to 9.2% in 2010. The prevalence and risk factors for childhood obesity in rural Indonesia, particularly in Teluk Pandan Subdistrict, Pesawaran District, Lampung Province, have not been extensively studied. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors for childhood obesity in this rural-coastal area. A survey method was used for the prevalence study, and a case-control approach was used to identify risk factors. The study involved 94 students from elementary schools in Teluk Pandan, matched based on obesity status, gender, and age. Obesity was defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile of the CDC chart. Variables measured included dietary patterns, lack of physical activity, family income, parental obesity status, early introduction of complementary foods, and history of exclusive breastfeeding, analyzed using chi-square tests. The results showed that 148 out of 3190 children were overweight. Identified risk factors included excessive food consumption (p=0.0001; OR=15.622; CI95% 5.702-42.803), lack of physical activity (p=0.0001; OR=7.714; CI95% 2.868-20.751), high family income (p=0.0096; OR=2.202; CI95% 0.958-5.059), parental obesity status (p=0.0001; OR=24.5; CI95% 7.870-76.271), early introduction of complementary foods (p=0.0001; OR=4.567; CI95% 1.916-10.888), and non-exclusive breastfeeding (p=0.0005; OR=4.046; CI95% 1.605-10.201). The prevalence of childhood obesity in Teluk Pandan is 46% lower compared to urban areas in Indonesia. This study identifies several risk factors associated with childhood obesity in rural-coastal areas, including excessive food consumption, lack of physical activity, parental obesity, early introduction of complementary foods, and non-exclusive breastfeeding.

The Interrelation between Obesity Management and Climate Change in Greece

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Two major global problems of our era are climate change and obesity. Both are interlinked and interconnected having undesired social, economic, environmental impacts as well as harmful impacts on human health. The rate of obesity and overweight in children and adults in Greece is high compared to other EU countries causing many health, social and economic problems. Climate change is foreseen to have severe and harmful impacts in Greece as well as in other Mediterranean countries altering the climate conditions. Obesity and its treatment mitigate climate change, mainly due to the change in the dietary pattern of the treated patients. The proposed diets for managing obesity, based on Mediterranean dietary patterns, have less GHG emissions and lower climate footprint. Climate change makes more difficult the treatment of obesity, mainly due to the rising temperatures. Climate change has undesired and harmful impacts on obesity treatment in Greece while obesity treatment results in the mitigation of climate change in the country. Future policies for climate change mitigation and managing obesity in Greece should take into account their mutual interconnections and interlinkages in order to maximize their effectiveness in treating these two severe pandemics in the country.

The Correlation between the Knowledge and Understanding of Eating Behavior Appropriate for each Blood Type and its Impact on Obesity among the Population in Bangkok

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Obesity is now a major concern among Thai citizens and the world population, as the proportion of people who are obese has been rising for decades. Obesity can lead to many health issues, such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes, and therefore is a problem that should be addressed. As various studies have suggested, there is an association between blood types and certain diseases including obesity. Eating behaviors appropriate for each blood type is one of the suggested ways to lose weight and be healthy. Accordingly, we conducted a survey on the Bangkok citizens to find the correlation between their knowledge and understanding of eating behaviors appropriate for each blood type and their impact on obesity, with a total of 301 responses obtained from Google Forms. The questionnaires include general information and questions about blood type diets. The results showed no significant correlation between knowledge and understanding of blood type diets and the body mass index (BMI). However, there is a significant correlation between gender and knowledge of the blood type diet. As a result, this study has revealed a lack of awareness on blood type diets among the population in Bangkok, which has a knowledge score of 7.99 out of 20, and showed that there is no significant correlation between the score and obesity.

Obesity as a Problem in Children and Adolescents: Literature Review

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Obesity in children and adolescents affects health worldwide and is linked to premature death, comorbidities in the cardiometabolic and psychosocial systems, and other conditions. The problem of obesity in children and adolescents is 10% for children aged 5 to 17 years and 2-3.5% for teenagers, according to the most recent official data. The number of adolescents and children in Indonesia who suffer dietary deficiencies has risen every year. Adolescent obesity is caused by a variety of factors. The effects of childhood obesity can range from psychosocial effects to lifelong clinical changes like hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome, orthopedic disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), asthma, fatty liver disease, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Local, regional, and global efforts are encouraged by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) strategy on diet, physical activity, and healthier lifestyle.