Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Fresh insight into how teenage girls with anorexia nervosa really feel about themselves

A new University of Western Sydney study has given a fresh insight into how teenage girls with anorexia nervosa really feel about themselves, paving the way for more effective treatments for the potentially fatal eating disorder.

9 Nov 2004

Western diet linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in women

The "Western" diet -- one especially high in red and processed meats and refined grain -- once again appears to be a culprit in women's health -- this time linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in women, according to a study released today in the November issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

8 Nov 2004

People active in their 50s and 60s about 35 percent less likely to die in the next eight years

A new study gives people in their 50s and 60s another reason to get off the couch and be physically active — especially if they have conditions or habits that endanger their hearts, like diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking.

8 Nov 2004

Obese and overweight men spend 3.5 times more on prescription drugs than normal-weight men

As middle-aged men’s weight goes up, so do their monthly costs for prescription drugs to treat heart disease risk factors and weight-related conditions, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

8 Nov 2004

Stable weight significantly reduces risks of heart disease and development of metabolic syndrome

Gaining 15 pounds or more over several years is the major contributor to progression of risk factors for heart disease and development of metabolic syndrome, while maintaining a stable weight -- even in individuals considered obese – significantly reduces those risks, according to a study led by a Northwestern University researcher.

8 Nov 2004

Obesity could more than double an older woman's risk of acute myelogenous leukemia

A study from the University of Minnesota Cancer Center indicates that overweight and obesity could more than double an older woman's risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), an often fatal cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

8 Nov 2004

British Medical Association calls on Health Secretary to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health

The British Medical Association today (4 November 2004) calls on Health Secretary John Reid to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health, as he finalises the White Paper on Public Health for England.

4 Nov 2004

Novel health food composition proves highly effective

A more than 50 % increase in the life span of Zucker rats, a commonly used animal model for human obesity, was seen by enrichment of unhealthy food with a novel combination of plant sterols and mineral nutrients.

4 Nov 2004

Labor lasts longer for overweight or obese women

Pregnant women who are overweight or obese progress through labor more slowly than do normal weight women, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.

2 Nov 2004

The microorganisms that normally live in the gut can increase body fat

The microorganisms that normally live in the gut can increase body fat, say researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. They found that gut microbes can open the "gates" fat uses to enter the body's fat cells.

1 Nov 2004

Diabetic or obese patients suffering advanced heart failure have higher levels of fat embedded in their hearts

Heart failure, progressive and potentially fatal weakening of the heart muscle, is associated with both obesity and diabetes, but the mechanisms by which damage occurs are not well-understood, said senior author Heinrich Taegtmeyer, M.D., Ph.D., professor of cardiology.

1 Nov 2004

Optimistic people have lower risk of cardiovascular problems

Patients who described themselves as highly optimistic had lower risks of all-cause death, and lower rates of cardiovascular death than those with high levels of pessimism, according to an article in the November issue of The Archives of General Psychiatry.

1 Nov 2004

Interim recommendations on low-carb diets

From the extreme Atkins Diet to the more modest Zone Diet, low carbohydrate diets are all the rage, embraced by celebrities and the general public alike as a quick way to lose weight.

1 Nov 2004

Symptoms of heartburn and GERD are highly prevalent among obese patients

Overall, heartburn and or acid regurgitation were found among 75 percent of the morbidly obese patients, while 23 percent experienced difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and 34 percent experienced asthma symptoms.

1 Nov 2004

Adult men and women are roughly an inch taller than they were in 1960

Adult men and women are roughly an inch taller than they were in 1960, but are nearly 25 pounds heavier on average as well, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

29 Oct 2004

Chronic diseases linked to obesity could put the brakes on economic progress in many developing countries

Chronic diseases linked to obesity could put the brakes on economic progress in many developing countries unless urgent action is taken, experts warned at the opening of the first major international conference on obesity in Africa yesterday (Oct 28).

29 Oct 2004