Body Mass Index (BMI) News and Research

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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that relates body weight to height. BMI is sometimes used to measure total body fat and whether a person is a healthy weight. Excess body fat is linked to an increased risk of some diseases including heart disease and some cancers.

Obese women at greater risk of colorectal cancer

New study findings show a high body mass index (BMI) among women is a more significant risk factor for colorectal neoplasia than for men.

1 Nov 2004

Adult men and women are roughly an inch taller than they were in 1960

Adult men and women are roughly an inch taller than they were in 1960, but are nearly 25 pounds heavier on average as well, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

29 Oct 2004

Obese patients have higher health care costs

Compared to nonobese persons, obese patients had higher average health care costs over a one-year period, according to an article in the October 25 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

25 Oct 2004

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is high among patients about to undergo weight loss surgery

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (a type of bacteria associated with gastrointestinal disorders) is high among patients about to undergo weight loss surgery, and treatment to eradicate the bacterial infection before surgery may be beneficial, according to an article in the October issue of The Archives of Surgery.

18 Oct 2004

Mothers must breastfeed for at least four months without using formula to reduce obesity risk in preschool children

Pediatric obesity researchers from Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh have found that for breastfeeding to reduce the risk of obesity in preschool children, mothers must breastfeed for at least four months without using formula or for at least six months if they are also formula feeding.

13 Oct 2004

Surgical treatment for morbid obesity helps prevent hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea

A summary of data from numerous studies suggests that the majority of morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric (obesity) surgery experienced effective weight loss and improvement in diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea, according to an article in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

12 Oct 2004

Surgery for extremely obese patients may be more effective for weight reduction

A new report issued today by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concludes that surgery for extremely obese patients who have tried and failed to lose weight with exercise and diet may be more effective for weight reduction.

10 Oct 2004

Possible links between premenstrual syndrome, a woman's Body Mass Index and whether or not she uses hormonal contraceptives

Initial findings show most women recorded some problems in the days leading up to their period, with 21 per cent of the sample studied suffering with two or more symptoms. In addition, the chances of having symptoms are more likely for heavier women with a higher BMI and less likely for women using hormonal contraception such as the Pill or the contraceptive injection.

8 Oct 2004

A child's risk of becoming obese may begin before birth and continue throughout infancy

A child's risk of becoming obese may begin before birth and continue throughout infancy and early childhood - critical periods for cellular growth and development, according to research results discussed during a national conference and outlined in the October supplement to Pediatrics.

4 Oct 2004

Genetic abnormalities have a major impact on obesity

Abnormalities in the gene that regulates body weight have a "major" impact on the tendency to obesity, bumping up the body mass index (BMI) score, reveals research in the Journal of Medical Genetics.

29 Sep 2004

Low paid civil servants were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes

London civil servants at the lower end of the employment scale and with lower social position were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those at higher employment levels, according to an article in the September 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Sep 2004

Evidence pointing to chronic cellular inflammation as the precursor of heart disease and diabetes

Endocrinologists from the University at Buffalo are providing one more link in the growing chain of evidence pointing to chronic cellular inflammation as the precursor of heart disease and diabetes.

21 Sep 2004

Obesity makes surgery more difficult and risky

Critically injured obese trauma patients have higher rates of death than nonobese trauma patients, according to an article in the September issue of The Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

21 Sep 2004

Overweight children up to five times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke before age of 65

Overweight children are three to five times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke before they reach the age of 65 warns the World Heart Federation, an NGO dedicated to the prevention of heart disease and stroke, on World Heart Day, Sunday 26th September 2004.

20 Sep 2004

Adenotonsillectomy resolves child sleep disorders

Within the last ten years, the primary reason that children have had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids is not infection but obstructive sleep apnea.

18 Sep 2004

Study compares cheap take-home sleep test to expensive polysomnography test

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea usually involves polysomnograpy, an overnight sleep test in a sleep clinic or lab. Results of a new study indicate that a take-home sleep test is just as effective as a polysomnography and is less expensive while providing timely results.

17 Sep 2004

Western diseases such as stroke and heart disease are a major problem in Asia

Diseases such as stroke and heart disease, which have traditionally been associated with Western diets and lifestyles, are also a major problem in Asia according to researchers at The University of Auckland, New Zealand.

13 Sep 2004

Higher body mass index has a stronger association with diabetes than physical inactivity

Researchers have found that a higher body mass index (BMI) has a stronger association with development of diabetes than does physical inactivity, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2004

Measuring a womans fitness gives a clearer indication of coronary artery disease than measuring obesity

Women reporting higher levels of physical fitness have fewer coronary artery disease risk factors, less coronary artery disease, and a lower risk for cardiovascular events, whereas measures of obesity are not as strongly associated with these outcomes, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA