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.

Overweight women undertaking ART at increased risk of miscarriage

Being overweight leads to a greater risk of miscarriage for patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART), the 26th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Monday). Dr. Vivian Rittenberg, a Clinical Fellow in the Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, said that her research provided additional evidence to show that increased body mass index (BMI) was independently associated with a higher miscarriage rate after IVF or ICSI treatment.

28 Jun 2010

Arena's lorcaserin reduces body weight across patient subgroups

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported pooled Week 52 data from more than 6,000 patients in lorcaserin's pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial program that demonstrate lorcaserin 10 mg dosed twice daily reduced body weight in all patient subgroups evaluated, as defined by gender, age, ethnicity and starting body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI). Greater improvements in cardiovascular risk factors were also achieved with lorcaserin treatment compared to placebo overall and in most subgroups.

28 Jun 2010

Patients denied insurance for bariatric surgery develop new obesity-related diseases, conditions

Patients who were denied bariatric surgery for insurance reasons developed a slew of new obesity-related diseases and conditions within three years of follow-up, according to a new study presented here at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

24 Jun 2010

"Lap Band" weight loss surgery improves physical, psychological health in extremely obese adults

One year after weight loss surgery with laparoscopic gastric banding, extremely obese adults demonstrate not only better physical health but also improved psychological health, a new study shows. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

21 Jun 2010

Research findings open door to new model for health and fitness measurement

A University of Southern California study appearing in the current issue of peer-review journal, Nutrition Research reports that the user-friendly, Web-native Stayhealthy BC1 System offers clinical-grade body composition analysis comparable to the most rigorous clinical tools. According to the company, the study's findings open the door to a new, far more effective and engaging model for health and fitness measurement, reporting body composition analysis, rather than body weight or the outdated body mass index.

19 Jun 2010

Recommended supplementation not sufficient to normalise vitamin D levels in RA patients: Study

Two separate studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with a range of rheumatic diseases, with over half of all patients having below the 'normal' healthy levels of vitamin D (48-145 nmol/L) in their bodies. A further study assessing response to vitamin D supplementation found that taking the recommended daily dose did not normalise vitamin D levels in rheumatic disease patients.

18 Jun 2010

When doctors don't comment, parents tend to underestimate preschool children's weight: Study

Parents are more likely to underestimate their preschool children's weight when pediatricians do not tell them their children are overweight or gaining weight too fast, a study by the University of South Florida and Johns Hopkins University reports.

16 Jun 2010

Increased risk of cardiovascular problems can affect people with mild to moderate SDB: Research

Doctors have long known that snoring is hazardous to health for a number of reasons. In addition to restless nights and increased daytime sleepiness, sleep-disordered breathing has a series of associated health problems, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease. While it is not always clear what the association between SDB and a given health problem is, new research exposes that at least one factor may help to explain the increased risk of cardiovascular problems that affects even people with mild to moderate SDB.

15 Jun 2010

New study affirms relationship between depression and abdominal obesity

A new study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham confirms the relationship between depression and abdominal obesity, which has been linked to an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

10 Jun 2010

Personality traits influence reproductive success

The reproductive success of both men and women is influenced by our personality traits, according to new research from the University of Sheffield.

9 Jun 2010

Preliminary outcomes and trends from Phase III pivotal study of Generex Oral-lyn reported

Generex Biotechnology Corporation, the leader in drug delivery for metabolic diseases through the inner lining of the mouth, today reported preliminary outcomes and trends from the ongoing Phase III pivotal study of Generex Oral-lyn, the Company's proprietary oral insulin spray product.

7 Jun 2010

Protein-rich breakfast may reduce calorie consumption

According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nearly one in three American children are overweight or obese, which increases their risk for developing obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.

3 Jun 2010

Study results show calcium consumption increases prostate cancer risk in Chinese

Among Chinese men, calcium consumption — even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables — may increase prostate cancer risk, according to results published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

2 Jun 2010

Increased BMI levels not attributed to sugar consumption: Study

A new independent study of scientific research has revealed that, contrary to the widely held hypothesis, dietary sugars are not the driving factor behind rising body mass index (BMI) levels in children in Great Britain.

27 May 2010

BMI in overweight range not a higher risk for health problems

A study examining the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and illness suggests that a BMI of 30 or above, a signal of obesity according to federal health standards, does not translate into current illness among adults under age 40.

26 May 2010

One-third of Minnesotans understate their weight problems

When it comes to self-perceptions about their own healthy weight, many Minnesotans appear to be adapting Garrison Keillor's famous quip: "I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it."

25 May 2010

Study confirms inverse association of increase in BMI with lower brain volumes

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future. Results of this study are published early online in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association.

20 May 2010

Rich Canadian men increase their likelihood of being overweight

In Canada, in stark contrast with the rest of the world, wealthy men increase their likelihood of being overweight with every extra dollar they make. The new study was led by Nathalie Dumas, a graduate student at the University of Montreal Department of Sociology, and presented at the annual conference of the Association francophone pour le savoir.

15 May 2010

Minimum-wage employees more likely to be obese than those who earn higher wages: UC Davis study

A new UC Davis study has found that minimum-wage employees are more likely to be obese than those who earn higher wages, adding to growing evidence that being poor is a risk factor for unhealthy weight.

12 May 2010

Study shows relationship between built environment, SES and changes in BMI

People living in neighbourhoods where they perceived traffic made it unpleasant to walk were more likely to have a higher BMI than those who didn't, according to a new University of Alberta study looking at the relationship between the built environment, socio-economic status, and changes in body mass index over a six year period.