Obesity, which is medically defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of over 30, is consistently cited as a major contributor to increasing rates of serious health problems among Americans, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
It has been defined as both a disease and an epidemic, with an estimated prevalence of over 41%.
Social media has been a place to both discuss and contest the mainstream discussions about obesity. What is being said?
The Trends Section provides an overview of some of the most recent and relevant topics that relate to particular health conditions.
It features a selection of the topics that have the fastest growing Google search interest across the last three months, and reflects the inquiries of patients, healthcare providers, scientists, and others who are invested in the topic.
This is valuable to understand people’s interests and concerns at the present moment, and often include the U.S. states that have the highest interest in a topic.
Quilt.AI brings these trends to life through an analysis that incorporates both cultural and scientific lenses.
Search interest for obesity hypoventilation syndrome grew by 68% over the last 3 months, from August 2022 to October 2022.
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Obesity hypoventilation syndrome, otherwise known as Pickwickian syndrome, is a breathing disorder that affects some people who have obesity.
Although the exact cause of the condition is unknown, healthcare professionals believed that extra fats along one’s neck, chest and abdomen hinders the capability of the muscles to breathe fast and hard enough. [1]
Recent publications on obesity hypoventilation syndrome, such as the study "Leptin-mediated neural targets in obesity hypoventilation syndrome" by Oxford University Press [2], have likely contributed to a heightened interest in searching for information on the topic from August to October.
In October, Eli Lilly and Company announced that the FDA granted Fast Track designation for the investigation of tirzepatide to treat adult obesity, which will speed up access to the drug for patients.
Tirzepatide is a once-weekly drug that targets the body's natural hormones for glucose and weight control, potentially reducing food intake and improving markers such as body weight, glucose, and lipids.[1].
This news has led to a surge in searches for Tirzepatide during August to October 2022.
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Search interest for Tirzepatide grew by 159% over the last 3 months, from August 2022 to October 2022.
Search interest for Continuous glucose monitor grew by 126% over the last 3 months, from August 2022 to October 2022.
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The In Vitro Diagnostics Business Outlook predicts that the market for glucose testing will reach $20.4 billion by 2022 and $27.1 billion by 2027 [1].
Search data shows growing popularity for CGMs, which are devices that continuously measure glucose levels throughout the day, and allow patients to make more informed decisions on balancing nutrition, physical activities and medications.
The increased interest in CGMs, and the growth in the glucose testing market, suggests that more people are becoming aware of the benefits of these devices and are using them to improve their diabetes management.
September is National Childhood Obesity Month, which is observed to bring attention to the issue of childhood obesity, raise awareness about its impact on children’s health and well-being, and encourage communities to take action to address the problem [1].
According to studies, every 1 in 5 American children has obesity [2]. The surge in searches during recent months also reflect a heightened desire among parents to gain knowledge about childhood obesity, and to find ways to help prevent and reduce its occurrence.
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Search interest for Childhood obesity grew by 84% over the last 3 months, from August 2022 to October 2022.
Search interest for Signos grew by 57% over the last 3 months, from August 2022 to October 2022.
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Signos is a unique health monitoring system that utilizes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology in combination with an AI-driven app. The system provides real-time glucose level data to aid in optimal health and weight management.
Signos uses the latest Dexcom CGM technology, making it the only FDA-approved CGM that can provide real-time alerts without the need for fingerstick calibration [1]. It is currently only available to non-diabetics through the Signos app, but it suggests that AI devices could soon be a regular part of patients' daily lives as a treatment option.
The Culture Section highlights emerging cultural trends, new products, and notable dialogue about a variety of health conditions. The purpose of this section is to zoom in on what has been happening within the cultural and professional landscape of a particular health condition–stories that are often missed by quantitative searches.
By featuring influential social media items, patient discourse, professional dialogue, product innovations, and impactful news items, this section illuminates the lived experiences of many patients, while also providing a snapshot of the developments happening around them.
Here, Quilt.AI offers a detailed and nuanced perspective of what is new and what is meaningful.
In gastric sleeve surgery, part of the stomach is separated and removed from the body and the remaining section of the stomach is formed into a tube-like structure. This smaller stomach cannot hold as much food and produces less ghrelin, which is a hormone produced by the stomach that increases appetite [1]. Hashtag #gastricsleeve has gained significant popularity on TikTok with 1.8 Billion views, where people post their transformation pre and post-gastric sleeve surgery.
With this treatment, people are able to showcase their incredible transformations within one year, which gives hope to other people with high BMI levels and who are unable to exercise.
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The sharing of weight loss transformation content on social platforms has been effective in raising awareness about obesity. Instagram influencer Christine Evans has lost a significant amount of weight and documented her progress on this social media platform. She has been open about her journey and shared with her 266k followers about her diet plans, exercise plans, medication, and daily routine that she has followed throughout her journey.
Christine's weight loss journey, which encompasses both the triumphs and challenges, has inspired and motivated her followers.
There are several diet plans recommended by Instagram influencers for weight loss. The most trending diet plans are the Ketogenic Diet and the Dash diet. On the ketogenic diet, carbohydrate intake is typically less than 50 grams daily, less than a medium plain bagel, and can be as low as 20 grams.
Under the hashtag #ketogenicdiet, there are more than 5 million posts. Ketosis_meal, with 54.9K followers and more than 700 posts, frequently posts about the benefits and recipes of the ketogenic diet. DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has also been notably promoted for aiding with weight loss and reducing the risk of stroke, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers. Lean poultry, seafood, whole grains, fruits & vegetables, and low-fat dairy products are part of the diet.
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In September, on the subreddit r/DankLeft, with 185k members, there is a meme that ignited a lively discussion on the topic of obesity and its relationship to the American economy. The members of the community attribute the rise in obesity to the notion that the American economy relies on it to fuel profits in the healthcare sector.
Additionally, the discussions delved into the impact of urban infrastructure and economic condition on public health, with some members positing that the way of life in America is structured in a manner that leads to obesity.
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