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.

Worldwide obesity rates reach all-time high

Obesity rates have been steadily climbing over the last three decades and the number of adults and children who are now obese is higher than ever, show important new findings.

29 May 2014

New program appears to be effective in reducing risk of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors

Viewed as one of the most unfortunate outcomes of breast cancer treatment, lymphedema is characterized by an accumulation of lymph fluid in the interstitial spaces of the affected limb, leading to chronic ipsilateral limb swelling causing psychosocial distress and physical challenges for patients.

29 May 2014

Healthy diet provides lots of health benefits for patients with COPD

Sure, everyone knows a healthy diet provides lots of health benefits for patients with respiratory diseases, but now a new study has shown a direct link between eating fish, fruit and dairy products and improved lung function among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

22 May 2014

Higher BMI linked with reduced mortality risk in patients with pulmonary hypertension

In patients with congestive heart failure, obesity and a larger waist size have paradoxically been associated with a better prognosis in the prior investigations. This effect, known as the obesity paradox phenomenon, is now being demonstrated in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.

20 May 2014

Individuals with dyspnea have increased long-term mortality risk

Individuals with dyspnea, or shortness of breath, have an increased long-term mortality risk compared with individuals without dyspnea, according to a new study presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

19 May 2014

Study finds association between sleep and obesity in young children

One of the most comprehensive studies of the potential link between reduced sleep and childhood obesity finds compelling evidence that children who consistently received less than the recommended hours of sleep during infancy and early childhood had increases in both obesity and in adiposity or overall body fat at age 7.

19 May 2014

Obesity linked with longer hospital stays and higher costs in TKR patients

Obesity is associated with longer hospital stays and higher costs in total knee replacement (TKR) patients, independent of whether or not the patient has an obesity-related disease or condition (comorbidity), according to a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS).

15 May 2014

New research finds positive correlation between bariatric surgery and reduced risk of atrial fibrillation

New research has found that bariatric surgery is an effective way to control weight in morbidly obese patients who are at risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF).

9 May 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma on the rise among Mexican Americans

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary cancer of the liver, is on the verge of becoming an epidemic among Mexican Americans, especially in Texas.

8 May 2014

Motivational interviewing can help health care practitioners address child obesity

Pediatricians and dietitians who used motivational interviewing techniques to counsel families about their young child's weight were successful in reducing children's body mass index (BMI) percentile 3.1 more points than comparison children over a 2-year period, according to a study to be presented Sunday, May 4, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

5 May 2014

Life expectancy after diabetic complications gauged

Researchers have generated an equation to estimate the probable life expectancies of patients with diabetes who experience a major complication.

2 May 2014

BMI history points to diabetes risk

Changes in body mass index across a person’s life can help to gauge the likelihood of undiagnosed diabetes, say researchers.

2 May 2014

Mother's diet before conception can permanently affect how her child's genes function

A mother's diet before conception can permanently affect how her child's genes function, according to a study published in Nature Communications.

30 Apr 2014

Studies reveal new information about effects of weight gain and obesity among pregnant women

Two studies from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania reveal new information about the effects of weight gain and obesity among pregnant women.

29 Apr 2014

Glaucoma drug may help reverse obesity-related vision loss in women

An inexpensive glaucoma drug, when added to a weight loss plan, can improve vision for women with a disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

23 Apr 2014

CT angiography provides accurate assessment of arterial plaque in diabetic patients

Imaging of the coronary arteries with computed tomography (CT) angiography provides an accurate assessment of arterial plaque and could have a dramatic impact on the management of diabetic patients who face a high risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events, according to a new multicenter study published online in the journal Radiology.

22 Apr 2014

Study indicates that changes in appetite and taste are very common after gastric bypass surgery

Changes in appetite, taste and smell are par for the course for people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery during which one's stomach is made smaller and small intestines shortened.

17 Apr 2014

New set of criteria for diagnosing sarcopenia in older adults

Sarcopenia - the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength - may put up to 50 percent of seniors at greater risk for disability, yet there is no consensus within the medical community for how this condition should be measured.

16 Apr 2014

Whey protein consumption may lead to significant decrease in body weight

New research published in the March/April 2014 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition shows whey protein, either as a supplement combined with resistance exercise or as part of a weight-loss or weight-maintenance diet, may provide men and women benefits related to body composition.