Body Mass Index News and Research

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High BMI can raise risk of postmenopausal breast cancer

Reported mid-life increase in body mass index (BMI) may lead to substantially higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, according to results of a prospective cohort study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, held here April 17-21.

21 Apr 2010

Gamma-prime fibrinogen test can help better predict people at risk for heart attack

A simple blood test can identify people who are at risk for a heart attack, including thousands who don't have high cholesterol, according to researchers at Oregon Health & Science University.

20 Apr 2010

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy receives health insurance coverage

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) today announced its support of recent policy changes by Aetna Inc. and United Healthcare. The national health insurance giants will now cover laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a newer method of bariatric surgery that is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment for morbid obesity.

19 Apr 2010

MU researchers determine efficient method for assessing body composition

Measuring body composition - the amount of fatty tissue, muscle tissue and bone present in the body - can provide valuable information for determining an individual's overall health status. However, obtaining accurate measurements can be difficult and expensive, according to Steve Ball, University of Missouri Extension fitness specialist.

17 Apr 2010

Bariatric surgery can reduce pregnancy complications in obese women

Obese women who have bariatric surgery before getting pregnant are at significantly lower risk for developing dangerous hypertensive disorders during pregnancy than those who don't, according to a study of medical insurance records by Johns Hopkins experts.

15 Apr 2010

Americans associate good health with lifestyle behaviors, but overlook key Vital Health measures

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) today released results from the inaugural Vital Health Report, which demonstrate that Americans associate good health with lifestyle behaviors and habits, but overlook their key Vital Health measures (e.g. cholesterol, body mass index, blood pressure, disease screenings), some of the true indicators of overall health. The report further reveals that Americans believe they know more about their Vital Health than they actually do.

15 Apr 2010

Clinical trial data on AMPYRA Extended Release Tablets to be presented at AAN Annual meeting

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that four new analyses of clinical trial data on AMPYRA™ (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets 10 mg are being presented at the 62nd American Academy of Neurology Annual meeting.

13 Apr 2010

Over 17,000 scientists convene at AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010

Scientific breakthroughs in molecular targeting, translational cancer research and cancer prevention will take center stage when more than 17,000 scientists from around the world gather at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, April 17-21, for the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010.

13 Apr 2010

New article focuses on the role of registered dietitians in patient management

More than one third of Americans are considered obese and approximately 15 million (5%) Americans now have a body mass index greater than 40. The April issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association focuses on the ever-increasing use of bariatric surgery to control the excess morbidity and mortality associated with extreme obesity and the important role that registered dietitians play in the management of patients who have undergone the procedure.

13 Apr 2010

Lean mass may decline among Alzheimer's patients

Lean mass—the weight of an individual's bones, muscles and organs without body fat—appears to decline among patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

13 Apr 2010

Obese children have stiffer arteries than leaner counterparts

Children with more body fat and less endurance than their fitter, leaner counterparts have stiffer arteries at a young age, Medical College of Georgia researchers said.

12 Apr 2010

Obese patients may receive higher rate of recommended care than normal-weight patients, but not lower

Despite a concern that obese or overweight patients may receive lower quality of health care, an analysis of eight common outpatient quality measures from a sample of nearly 70,000 patients finds no evidence that obese or overweight patients receive inferior care when compared with normal-weight patients, and in fact may receive a higher rate of recommended care on several measures, according to a study in the April 7 issue of JAMA.

8 Apr 2010

Food-grade hydrogel helps reduce desire for food in obese patients

New research indicates that a first-of-its-kind, superabsorbent hydrogel significantly increased the post-meal feeling of satiety and reduced hunger between meals in obese patients. This data will be presented Thursday, April 22, 2010 at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

8 Apr 2010

Americans are getting heavier younger and carrying extra weight for longer periods: Study

It was a provocative prediction that due to the obesity epidemic Baby Boomers may outlive their children.

8 Apr 2010

Entry to aged-care facilities largely preventable

Lifestyle, social and health factors, such as being underweight, having inadequate nutrition or having low social activity, have been shown to be significant contributing factors to the entry of older people into residential aged care.

8 Apr 2010

Obesity can be detected in infants as young as 6 months: Study

Obesity can be detected in infants as young as 6 months, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

7 Apr 2010

Exposure to certain chemicals may lead to early pubertal development

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that exposure to three common chemical classes-phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens-in young girls may disrupt the timing of pubertal development, and put girls at risk for health complications later in life.

6 Apr 2010

SE5-OH with Natural S-equol supplement appears to be safe for pre- and post-menopausal women

Healthy pre-and post-menopausal Japanese women who took a supplement of SE5-OH containing Natural S-equol, a novel soy germ-based ingredient under development for the management of menopausal symptoms, had measures of reproductive hormones that stayed within normal limits throughout the study.

3 Apr 2010

Research Roundup: Soda taxes, health reform timeline, children's health disparities, best hospital practices

Health Affairs: Soda Taxes, Soft Drink Consumption, And Children's Body Mass Index - "Using data on state sales taxes for soda and individual-level data on children," the authors report existing taxes on soda fail to "substantially affect overall levels of soda consumption or obesity rates." However, the authors also found "statistically significant and substantively larger effects of differential soda sales taxes among children who are heavier, have lower family income, are African American, or watch a great deal of TV.

3 Apr 2010

Gout incidence lower in women than men: Study

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dl had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men. This study, the first to examine the relationship between uric acid levels and gout risk in women, also evaluated purported risk factors for gout and found that increasing age, obesity, hypertension, alcohol use, and diuretic use to be among leading contributors for women.

30 Mar 2010