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.

Methane in breath linked to obesity

New Cedars-Sinai research shows obese patients who test positive for methane on their breath have a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than their peers.

7 May 2010

Obesity epidemic may be flattening out - still much to be done

The prevalence of childhood obesity might be stabilising in developed countries, but there is still much to be done to combat this major threat to health, according to a Seminar published on Online First and in an upcoming issue of The Lancet.

6 May 2010

Positive results from Phase IIa clinical study of LIPO-102

Lithera, Inc. today announced positive results from a Phase IIa clinical study of LIPO-102, its novel injectable combination of salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate for selective, non-ablative fat reduction. LIPO-102 was well-tolerated when administered weekly for 8 weeks into the subcutaneous abdominal fat of healthy subjects.

6 May 2010

Pay-for-performance may create unintended financial incentives for doctors to discriminate against obese patients

Pay-for-performance reimbursement models may create unintended financial incentives for doctors to discriminate against obese patients, measuring a patient's waist circumference may be more effective in predicting surgical outcomes than the more traditional body mass index measure, and childhood obesity doubles the risk of developing colon cancer, according to data being presented at Digestive Disease Week- 2010.

5 May 2010

Americans and their babies are gaining more body fat: Study

A new study has found for the first time that as Americans are gaining more body fat, so are their babies. The research, which reviewed data from more than 74,000 births, found that a key measure of body fat composition in newborns increased significantly over a 15-year period, mirroring similar increases among pregnant mothers. The findings were presented Sunday by researchers from Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting.

5 May 2010

Study shows association between sleep duration and weight in adolescents

Adolescents who don't get enough sleep may gain more than some extra time to play video games or text their friends. They also may gain weight, according to research being presented Tuesday, May 4 at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

4 May 2010

Obese men more likely to have low testosterone than non-obese men: HIM study

Obesity, a condition linked to heart disease and diabetes, now appears to be associated with another health problem, but one that affects men only -- low testosterone levels.

4 May 2010

Weight loss through caloric restriction and increase in physical activity improve symptoms of GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a debilitating problem for sufferers -- heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chest pain and acid reflux. According to a Mayo Clinic study that will be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2010 in New Orleans May 1-5, even moderate weight gain can exacerbate those symptoms, DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researcher in the field of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

3 May 2010

EHR with controlled interventions can produce optimal BP control, reduce mortality

Electronic health records with controlled interventions can produce optimal blood pressure control and reduce mortality, according to data presented at the American Society of Hypertension Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010).

3 May 2010

Highlights from AACE 19th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress

today's highlights from the AACE Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress in Boston

24 Apr 2010

Psychological acupuncture successful in reducing food cravings in obese people: Study

Psychological acupuncture has been shown to be successful in reducing food cravings for up to six months in people who are overweight or obese.

24 Apr 2010

Young gymnasts need proper amount of nutrition to keep their bodies healthy: HSS

Most elite gymnasts reach their peak at age 15 or 16, training 20 to 36 hours per week when a body's calorie needs are at its highest. But in a sport where aesthetics can influence scores, some athletes adopt restrictive eating habits to control their physique.

24 Apr 2010

New studies on cancer prevention presented at 101st AACR Annual Meeting 2010

Interest in cancer prevention is increasing as scientists continue to learn new information and confirm what was already suspected.

22 Apr 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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