Non-Nutritive Sweeteners and Obesity

Non-nutritive sweeteners are substances that provide sweet taste but contribute few or no calories. While non-nutritive sweeteners were, until recently, found primarily in reduced-calorie “diet” foods and beverages, they are now widely present in foods, medications, and personal care products as well as in a variety of foods and beverages not marketed for weight management. Several non-nutritive sweeteners (e.g. acesulfame-potassium, aspartame, saccharin, stevia, sucralose, etc.) are approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Whether they are helpful or harmful in the prevention and management of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases is controversial.

Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—an umbrella term for the spectrum of fatty liver diseases not linked to alcohol consumption—affects 1 in 4 Americans and is now the most common cause of liver dysfunction. The onset and progression of NAFLD are closely linked to insulin resistance and abdominal obesity in both adults and children. In the absence of NAFLD-specific pharmacotherapies, greater investment in effective obesity prevention and treatment approaches may be the best available strategy to mitigate NAFLD burden.

Excessive Weight Gain Among Young Adults

The doubling in obesity prevalence between the ages of 6-11 years and 20-39 years—from 17 to 34 percent—indicates that the transition from childhood to young adulthood is a critical window for obesity prevention and control efforts. Little is known about how the development of obesity in this age group may follow the multiple life transitions that occur during this time – including first jobs, newly independent living, childbearing and marriage.

Distribution of Health Providers for

Severe Obesity

In this graphic, we use 2016 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the American Medical Association’s State Physician Workforce Data Book to estimate the availability and distribution of potential obesity care providers for individuals with severe obesity.

Maternal-Child Intergenerational

Transmission of Obesity

A growing body of evidence indicates that obesity has a detrimental impact on reproductive potential in women. In addition to reduced fertility, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), excessive gestational weight gain, and postpartum weight retention are collectively associated with adverse fetal development, obstetric complications, and long-term health outcomes for mothers and their offspring.

Review of Obesity Treatment and Devices

The emergence of several innovative FDA-approved obesity treatment devices may offer an additional therapeutic option for adults seeking obesity care. Designed to mimic the effects of restrictive and bypass surgeries, preliminary data suggest that obesity treatment devices typically produce 10-20% weight loss at one year that may be accompanied by significant metabolic improvement.