Beyond Food and Exercise: the Other Factors in the Obesity Epidemic

Everything you come in contact with, every second of every day, makes an impact on your health. It’s known as the exposome. It’s a relatively new concept, first defined in 2005. The exposome includes the food you eat, the beauty products you use, the air you breathe, your friends and family, and everything in between. Studying it, could be the key to understanding the obesity epidemic.

That was the focus of the 12th Annual Sugar, Stress, Environment & Weight Symposium put on by The Consortium for Obesity Assessment, Study, and Treatment at UCSF. Popular opinion would have you believe that obesity is a simple equation of too much food and not enough exercise. But, researchers say the problem is far more complex. In this eye-opening lecture series, you will hear how polluted air has been linked to obesity in children living in California’s Central Valley. You will learn about obesogens – chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. And, you will understand how stress can create a vicious cycle of weight gain.

The final talk focuses on how you can remove toxins from your personal exposome and the progress being made around the world. New labeling in the food and beauty industries allows you to make smarter decisions. LEED buildings are becoming more common in the United States. And, monitoring systems for exposome pollutants are getting better. There is plenty being done, and plenty you can do, to make an impact.

Browse more programs in UCSF Consortium for Obesity Assessment, Study and Treatment

Aging Well

Evidence is building for the importance of physical and social activity as the way to optimize wellbeing in older age. UCSF Geriatrics faculty review their research and cutting-edge work on improving physical, social and emotional wellbeing in older adults.

Explore topics on the myths of aging, improving surgical outcomes, the science of longevity, social connection in older adults, and tools for comprehensive advance care planning.

If you are an older adult, caregiver or anyone interested in optimizing well-being as you get older, this is for you.

Browse more programs in Aging, Activity, and Community: The Science Behind Function and Social Connections in Older Age

Oncology from Top to Bottom

If you are looking to work in the medical field, cancer is something you will be forced to face on a regular basis — especially considering that the incidences of cancer are rising, and currently the likelihood of contracting cancer in your lifetime is 1 in 2.

The latest video from the Foundations for Future Healthcare Providers series takes a look at oncology, specifically cancers within the gastrointestinal tract.

Dr. Andrew Ko, from the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, specializes in gastrointestinal cancers and says that there are many different types, just about as many different types of gastrointestinal cancers as there are different gastrointestinal organs. The most dangerous and most prevalent of these gastrointestinal cancers is colorectal cancer, which is ranked #3 in incidence and in cancer-related mortality amongst all cancers in general.

Find out more about just how different and deadly these types of cancers are in “Oncology from Top to Bottom: A Survey of Cancers through the Gastrointestinal Tract

See what else you can learn from the Foundations for Future Healthcare Providers series!

The Atlantic Meets the Pacific

Want to hear from the doctors at the forefront of Obama’s BRAIN initiative? Or, learn about the cutting edge of drone science intended for personal civilian use? Or, get a guided tour inside the Scripps Research Institute and the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine?

Well, you can do all those things at this year’s The Atlantic Meets the Pacific. This third annual conference, presented by The Atlantic Magazine and UC San Diego, gathers top thought leaders in technology and health to discuss their ground breaking research in panels and interviews.

This year’s speakers will include top UCSD scientists such as Eric Topol, Todd Coleman, Scott M. Lippman, Jacopo Annese, Ralph J. Greenspan; business and technology leaders like Roni Zeiger and Chris Anderson; and prize winning journalists and authors such as Laurie Garrett, Deepak Chopra, Clifton Leaf, and many many more!

The Atlantic Meets the Pacific will take place here at UCSD on October 2 through 4. If you can’t attend, don’t worry! UCSD-TV will be there will to catch all exciting speakers.

Can’t wait for the conference? Check out UCSD-TV’s coverage of last year’s The Atlantic Meets Pacific!

Watch a video from last year’s The Atlantic Meets the Pacific of Dr. Eric Topol explaining his new medical device that could revolutionize healthcare in a very personal way. What will he talk about this year?

See other videos from UCSD-TV’s coverage of The Atlantic Meets the Pacific!

Skin Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Have you been wearing sunscreen this Summer? Sunburns might not be so bad, but the damage done to your skin can turn into something much more deadly.

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and is the number one cause of death from skin disease. It accounts for 5% of all cancer cases in men and 4% of all cancer cases in women.

According to medical oncologist Gregory A. Daniels, MD, PhD, the Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, the lifetime probability of developing Melanoma, is 1 in 36.

Unfortunately, the incidences of this disease are increasing. One hundred years ago, Melanoma was not a common problem. At that time, Daniels says the probability of developing Melanoma was more like 1 in 1,000 or even 1 in 1,500.

Watch “Skin Cancer Treatment and Prevention – Research on Aging” to find out why incidences of Melanoma are increasing and what you can do to treat or prevent this disease.

Watch other videos presented by the Stein Institute for Research on Aging!