Friday, January 11, 2008

Article 24

Obesity and Diabetes Have Vaccines

As much as possible, when a child is still young or in his toddler age, which is eighteen months to four, parents try their best to not spoil them or give in to their demands. These demands are usually sweets and snacks in between meals. That is because if they continue to give in, then when the child goes to school, or worse, attends middle school, he may be overweight.

Losing weight is a hard thing to do. Obesity is a common problem among Americans. When one is obese, he has less self-confidence and self-esteem than the average weighed Joe and Jane. A research study done by "The Insider" correspondent Vanessa Minnillo shows that obese people receive condescending and disgusted looks from pedestrians. Imagine the effect this has on them.

When one is determined to lose weight, he does his best to eat less and to work out more. But there are those who are unfortunate because it is in their genes, thus making it harder for them to shed the excess pounds. Some engage in diet such as Watsons and South Beach. Now this is a huge step for them. If some people love playing video games, there are people who love to eat.

Just as there are people who have diabetes. They cannot avoid not having it - it's in their genes. It's how they were built. Children with diabetes are the more unfortunate because normally, you'd want to give them candies and chocolates. Because they're diabetic, they cannot have, or at least have as much, as they'd want to - compared to other kids.

Nowadays, there could be a possible solution for yo-yo diet or what is known to be the loss and gain of weight. This new vaccine aids in regulating the energy balance within the body. It has been tested on mature male rats. They ate normally but they gain less weight. When these findings turn out to be successful, then there is a possible confirmation of its effect. A vaccine that helps obese people to regulate their weight can come into conception.

What the vaccine does is that it slows down the weight gain. Because of the ghrelin that is found in the substance, the bloodstream in the brain is stimulated and retains the stored energy as fat.

Reason why doctors are looking for something to regulate the increasing number of obese people is that a person who is obese has more chances of getting other diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems. Not to mention depression that could be resulted from low self-esteem, low self-confidence and self-disgust.

As for diabetes, in 2001, scientists have already developed a drug that would stop the destruction of the pancreas in the immune system. In layman's terms, this drug lessens the fast pace of the type I diabetes. The good thing about this is that it gives them a longer time to live. The drug is injected within six months. There are no side effects even tot his date.

With the type II diabetes, there is less luck to coming up with a vaccine. Research is still ongoing to come up with a vaccine that could lessen the risk of diabetic people. Diabetes attacks slowly but surely.

However, young children who have received the vaccine, those aged seven to sixteen showed progress. From there, the research goes on.

Right now, scientists are working on mice. They inject an antigen that would combat the protein HSP60 which attributes to the degradation of a person's health when he or she has diabetes.

In due time, who knows? Maybe there will be a cure.

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