A Friends of Imperial College Evening - 'Can I control myself? Harnessing the Hunger Hormone'

A Friends of Imperial College lecture with special guests speaking about the increasing problem of obesity.

The latest lecture hosted by the Friends of Imperial College looked at the increasing problem of obesity. Professor Steve Bloom, a leading obesity researcher was joined by Normandie Keith, former supermodel and Beauty Editor at Large for You Magazine, Dr Richard Ashcroft, a medical ethics expert from the Faculty of Medicine, and Jacqueline Boorman, sport dietician, for a lecture and discussion on the rising epidemic of obesity and its potential solutions.

Professor Bloom began the event with a lecture describing his research into obesity, and in particular, the discovery of the hormone PYY3-36. PYY3-36 is a naturally occurring hormone which is released from the stomach after eating a meal. PYY3-36 then tells the brain the body is no longer hungry. By infusing volunteers with PYY3-36 before a meal, it was found to reduce appetite by around a third.

As well as looking at the science around obesity, the panellists also looked at other issues around it, such as social and ethical issues. Its not an acceptable thing to be overweight remarked Professor Bloom on the possibility of social deprivation being caused by obesity.

Normandie Keith commented that despite the known health problems caused by obesity, she still found it difficult to believe the escalating levels of obesity in America, with Professor Bloom admitting to being a "stress eater."

Despite the public health risks caused by obesity, Dr Ashcroft raised the issue that obesity is a lifestyle condition, not a serious medical condition, and that we could be creating a drug for non-medical use or a drug of abuse.

The lecture, attended by over 100 guests was rounded off with a wine and buffet reception, where discussion and debate continued late into the evening.

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Obesity Facts:
The epidemic of obesity continues to increase worldwide; in the UK 50% of the adult population are overweight and 20% are obese. The rapid increase in the incidence of obesity over the last 20 years currently shows no sign of slowing down, in fact the USA have just reported the level of obesity has risen to 30%.

The relationship between obesity and ill health is unquestionable, as obesity leads to an increased risk of a number of medical conditions such as Type II diabetes and coronary heart disease.

This epidemic has not been slowed by new treatment strategies and it is estimated that in the UK there are 1000 preventable deaths from obesity per week.

In addition to its associated medical conditions, obesity carries significant social stigma and is still regarded by many as a lack of self-control. Although short-term weight loss can often be achieved with dieting, long-term maintenance of reduced body fat is more difficult.

The region in the brain that controls hunger and eating is called the hypothalamus. Current research is unravelling an increasingly complex network of circulating hormones and hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate energy intake and expenditure.

Scientists at Imperial College have recently found that a hormone, Peptide YY 3-36 released by food from the gut, profoundly inhibits appetite in man. However, despite our recent exciting breakthrough, we are still some way off a cure for obesity.