Projects
Development and evaluation of nutritional strategies to reduce and prevent obesity in shift workers KU Leuven
Shift work is an independent risk factor for the development of overweight and obesity. As shift workers represent a huge target group throughout many sectors in Europe obesity and associated diseases stress national health systems. Unhealthy food choices (snacking, high sugar intake, preferences for spicy and sweet-fatty foods) were reported for this group, which are likely the main causes for becoming obese. The underlying mechanisms for ...
Trustworthy AI Tools for the Prediction of Obesity Related Vascular Diseases KU Leuven
Weight problems and obesity are increasing at a rapid rate already concerning more than 436mio people in European countries. Obese persons have a 50% higher risk of cardio-vascular disease (CVD) mortality and treatment costs result in a total economic burden of over 210 billion Euro per year. To date the prediction of the individual risk for major adverse CVD events in the obese patient population is a challenge. Current risk scores are not ...
Combating Child Obesity Ghent University
In the past 40 years, childhood obesity has become one of the world's most serious public health challenges, and a recognized problem in every country in Europe.
Inflammation, self-regulation and weight loss resistance in children and adolescents with obesity Ghent University
Childhood obesity is a complex health issue that has reached epidemic levels. The adverse effects on the physical and psychological health make it important to fully understand this disease. Especially resistance to weight loss and maintaining the loss after treatment stays problematic. Obesity-associated inflammation, assumed to have a detrimental role also on mental health, could help in understanding this problem. However, research did not ...
Inflammation, self-regulation and weight loss resistance in children and adolescents with obesity Ghent University
Current project will study the role of inflammation in obese adolescents by evaluating: how inflammation affects maladaptive eating via self-regulation, whether maladaptive eating leads to weight gain and increases of inflammation and psychosocial stress, and whether this stress moderates the relationship between self-regulation and maladaptive eating. We will also evaluate whether psychological interventions can enhance self-regulation and ...
Bitter substances in the gut increase the stress-related hormone GDF15 in addition to GLP-1, to affect food intake and body weight during obesity KU Leuven
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) reduces food intake and body weight by activating its receptor (GRFAL) in the hindbrain. GDF15 mediates the inhibitory effect of metformin, a type 2 diabetes medication, on body weight. Metformin is a bitter tasting compound and intra-gastric administration of a bitter substance is known to decrease hunger signaling in healthy volunteers and to decrease body weight in obese mice by affecting the ...
e-Coach application for the prevention of Children Obesity KU Leuven
Problem
There is a high need for the young population to follow a healthy diet adapted to their needs, preferences, and lifestyle. Additionally, there is a lack of personalized strategies focused on young population with the aim of motivating them and to provide precise information about which type of food and physical activity is more appropriate to their profile and motivations. Despite action at the European level to reverse the ...