Gastro Flash Vol-5, No-3, 2019

Hypolactasia, lactose maldigestion, malabsorption, and intolerance: An introduction Nourishment for mammalian infants in the first few months of life comes only in the form of milk, which essentially consists of an array of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates composed of lactose and other important oligosaccharides. However, in many individuals, the tolerance for this kind of food is seen to decrease in adulthood.1 Lactose intolerance is an age-old clinical condition which has been extensively analyzed scientifically; herein the characteristic signs and symptoms of pain, abdominal distention, flatulence, and diarrhea occur after lactose consumption.1,2 This disaccharide, present in milk and dairy products, is hydrolyzed into glucose and galactose by lactase enzyme thus requiring lactase activity in the small intestinal brush border for its absorption.

Obesity: The global epidemic Obesity is a fast spreading metabolic disease of pandemic proportions whose prevalence has increased from 7% to a staggering 25% within the last three decades. Herein, severe obesity (BMI>40kg/m2) is seen to affect a massive 2.4% of the population and if current trends are any indication, by 2030 overweight and obese individuals will comprise 60% of the world’s population (Figure 1).1 This obesity epidemic is a result of complex interactions between genetics, epigenetics, cultural and environmental parameters and while growth trends in most developed countries seem to have leveled off, upsurge of morbid obesity in many of these countries still continues with children being no exception.1,2 In developing countries as well, obesity prevalence continues to trend upwards. The associated burden is profound, stemming from comorbidities, mortality risk, and economic costs incurred, with obesity known to increase the risk of major chronic conditions such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and poor mental health while significantly impacting the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis.