Trending News Today: Bacteria in the Gut May Determine Weight Loss Success

As the hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego continues, the county health department released a warning involving a possible exposure at a Pacific Beach restaurant, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. In a statement Friday morning, the county Health and Human Services Agency said anyone who dined or drank at the World Famous restaurant between August 29-30 between 3 pm and 11 pm; September 3-4 from 9 am to 6 pm; and September 10-11 between 3 pm and 11 pm may have been exposed to a person with hepatitis A virus. Both the county and the restaurant declined to identify whether the person who had hepatitis A at World Famous was an employee or patron, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

A UCLA pharmacy closed after a state inspector found that medications had been made with expired and potentially dangerous ingredients. According to the Los Angeles Times, the information came to light while conducting a routine records review at a Westside facility that compounded drugs for patients at UCLA medical centers. The inspector found that more than 1000 IV bags containing sterile medications for patients with heart problems and other serious conditions were made with expired and potentially dangerous ingredients.

New findings suggest gut bacteria may play a key role in weight loss, according to The New York Times. For the study, investigators analyzed the ratio of 2 gut bacteria­, Prevotella and Bacteroides, in fecal samples of 62 overweight patients. The participants were randomized to receive either a low-fat diet high in fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, or a diet comparable to the average individual, for a 26-week period. The results of the study showed, participants who received the high-fiber diet with a high Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio lost an average of 10 pounds of body fat, which was 3.5 pounds more than those who received the low ratio diet. Furthermore, those who remained on the regular diet with a high Prevotella ratio lost 4 pounds compared with 5.5. pounds for individuals with a low Prevotella ratio.