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.

Early life experiences underlie chronic obesity and binge-eating

A new study on the cognitive and emotional functioning of people with a high body mass index (BMI), which was published in the journal Heliyon shows that early life experiences can create a deep impact on future eating patterns and dietary habits leading to obesity or overweight.

18 Sep 2019

Low BMI with abdominal obesity linked to poor outcomes among Asian patients with heart failure

Having a lower body-mass index, but also with having a higher waist-to-height ratio, is associated with worse outcomes among Asian patients with heart failure, according to a study published September 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Carolyn Lam of the National Heart Centre Singapore, and colleagues.

From PLOS ONE 18 Sep 2019

Obesity stigma and yo-yo dieting, not BMI, are behind chronic health conditions, dietitian claims

In a recent New York Times opinion column, dietitian Christy Harrison, an "intuitive eating coach" and author, responded to a fellow clinician who had questioned some of her thoughts on the link between being overweight and developing other medical conditions.

17 Sep 2019

Heart-healthy forager-farmers in Bolivia are experiencing changes in body mass and diet

A group of forager-farmers in Bolivia's tropical forests -- known for having remarkable cardiovascular health and low blood pressure -- experienced changes in body mass and diet over a nine-year period, with increased use of cooking oil the most notable dietary change.

16 Sep 2019

SDSU professors study the sensory impact of food and evolution of healthy eating

"We eat first with our eyes." This comment has been attributed to Marcus Gavius Apicius, a 1st Century Roman gourmand. Two thousand years later, academic research backs up Apicius' statement, as a team of marketing professors at the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University have studied the sensory impact of food and the evolution of healthy eating.

11 Sep 2019

Japanese-Americans have twice the odds of diabetes

A new study found that Japanese-American adults who are not obese have a much higher prevalence of diabetes than non-obese non-Hispanic white Americans (8.0% vs. 4.5%). The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Victoria, University of Toronto, and University at Albany, SUNY.

10 Sep 2019

Genetic variants associated with adult obesity start playing a role during early childhood

Body mass index in infants, children and adults is influenced by different genetic factors that change as we age, according to a major new study.

5 Sep 2019

Mouthwash impacts the effects of exercise

Scientists have long known that the blood pressure drops after exercise but the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. A new study shows that bacteria in the mouth, which produce nitrite, is key to the whole process. The use of mouthwash to reduce the number of these bacteria prevents the expected benefit of exercise on the blood pressure.

4 Sep 2019

Abdominal fat, not BMI, may help better predict risk for coronary artery disease

For years, women have been told that weight gain could lead to heart disease. A new study indicates that it is the location of the fat that matters most, with abdominal fat representing the greatest harm and not overall body mass index when assessing risk for coronary artery disease.

28 Aug 2019

Excess body fat linked to greater risk of developing depression

Carrying ten kilograms of excess body fat increases the risk of depression by seventeen per cent. The more fat, the greater the probability of developing depression. This is the main conclusion of a new study carried out by researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

27 Aug 2019

Study examines weight loss outcomes in individuals taking psychiatric medication

A new Canadian study suggests that individuals who take anti-depressants and/or anti-psychotics and participate in a weight management program can lose weight whether or not they take psychiatric medications, according to a report published online today in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society.

23 Aug 2019

UQ researchers discover how our genes, environment influence BMI and height

Environmental conditions influence our body mass index by increasing or decreasing the effect of inherited genetic variations, University of Queensland researchers have discovered.

23 Aug 2019

Study finds genetic links to childhood obesity across different ethnicities

An international team of researchers who analyzed data across multiple ethnicities has produced the largest genetic study to date associated with common childhood obesity.

22 Aug 2019

Unique surgical risk/benefit calculator to aid metabolic and bariatric surgeons and their patients

A new surgical risk/benefit calculator that will provide metabolic and bariatric surgeons and their patients with accurate, patient-specific information to guide surgical decision making and informed consent will soon be released by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.

21 Aug 2019

Implantable brain chip could solve obesity epidemic

Scientists have developed tiny brain chips that alter the area of the brain involved in binge eating. The device is now being tested in humans with obesity.

19 Aug 2019

Genetic effects on obesity can be lessened by several kinds of regular exercise

For people who inherited genes that increase their chance of becoming obese, there is hope for keeping the weight off.

From PLOS ONE 6 Aug 2019

Research presents strongest evidence of link between obesity and many diseases

A new study, led by Professor Elina Hyppönen from UniSA's Australian Centre for Precision Health, presents the strongest evidence yet of a causal relationship between obesity and a wide range of serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological, musculoskeletal and respiratory afflictions.

2 Aug 2019

Women who begin menstruating at earlier age likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is a global health concern expected to affect 693 million people worldwide by 2045. It's been well documented how diet and exercise influence risk of type 2 diabetes; however, a new study suggests that early menarche also is associated with a higher risk, but body mass index may mediate this association.

31 Jul 2019

Study shows causal relationship between obesity and a wide range of diseases

A new study, led by Professor Elina Hyppönen from UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, presents the strongest evidence yet of a causal relationship between obesity and a wide range of serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological, musculoskeletal and respiratory afflictions.