Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Parental views of lay theories influence children's diet and their food preferences

Young children naturally like sugar and salt in food and develop food preferences based on what their parents serve them, but new research suggests that how parents view self-regulation also is a contributing factor.

7 Aug 2020

Your favorite store or restaurant is open. How do you know it’s ok to go in?

Just because many businesses are open again doesn't mean the pandemic is over. The coronavirus is still on the loose — actually surging in many locations — which means people have to make serious choices about their health all day, every day.

7 Aug 2020

Five biomarkers in blood linked to higher odds of clinical deterioration, death in COVID-19 patients

George Washington University researchers found five biomarkers, medical indicators found in the blood, associated with higher odds of clinical deterioration and death in COVID-19 patients.

6 Aug 2020

America’s obesity epidemic threatens effectiveness of any COVID vaccine

For a world crippled by the coronavirus, salvation hinges on a vaccine.

6 Aug 2020

Scientists explore mechanisms involved in the development of liver disease

Metabolic fatty liver disease, known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is one of the most common causes of liver disease in Western countries and covers a spectrum of disorders.

6 Aug 2020

Researchers discover how to activate brown fat in humans

The receptor responsible for activating the energy-burning property of brown fat in humans has been identified.

5 Aug 2020

Body weight seriously impacts brain activity and blood flow

As a person's weight goes up, all regions of the brain go down in activity and blood flow, according to a new brain imaging study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

5 Aug 2020

Embryos are susceptible to COVID-19 if mothers get sick, indicates study

Genes that are thought to play a role in how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects our cells have been found to be active in embryos as early as during the second week of pregnancy, say scientists at the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

5 Aug 2020

Researchers use computational models to examine how sleep prevents damage to old memories

From lowering your risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease to improving your concentration and overall daily performance, sleep has been proven to play a critical role in our health.

5 Aug 2020

Can Vitamin D help combat the coronavirus?

In a new report published in The Lancet, a team of researchers discussed the possibility that vitamin D could offer protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials performed from 2007 to 2020.

4 Aug 2020

NCI gives 'exceptional' rating to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center

The National Cancer Institute has once again rated the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania as "exceptional," the highest possible rating for an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

4 Aug 2020

ACTG initiates novel clinical trial to evaluate multiple therapeutics for COVID-19

The AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the world's largest and longest established HIV research network, today announced the initiation of the ACTIV-2 Outpatient Monoclonal Antibodies and Other Therapies Trial, which will be conducted by the ACTG.

4 Aug 2020

Consumption of inorganic arsenic bearing rice associated with elevated cardiovascular mortality

Rice is the most widely consumed staple food source for a large part of the world's population. It has now been confirmed that rice can contribute to prolonged low-level arsenic exposure leading to thousands of avoidable premature deaths per year.

4 Aug 2020

HIIT helps achieve critical health outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome

Incorporating high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, into exercise programs for individuals with Down syndrome may help achieve critical health outcomes in a more time-efficient manner, according to an article written by researchers at the University of Georgia and Kennesaw State University.

4 Aug 2020

A quarter of arthritis cases in the U.S. are attributable to excess weight, shows study

A new Boston University School of Public Health study shows that weight loss between early adulthood and midlife lowers arthritis risk, and found no evidence of any persistent risk of arthritis for people who were heavier earlier in life and then lost weight.

4 Aug 2020

AI-enabled ECG provides a rapid and effective method to screen heart failure

When people seek emergency care for shortness of breath, a routine electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) is better than standard blood tests at determining if the cause is heart failure, according to new research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, an American Heart Association journal.

4 Aug 2020

Severe vitamin D deficiency in UK South Asian population can lead to health problems

20 percent of the middle-aged UK South Asian population may have a very severe vitamin D deficiency, a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition reports. Such deficiency can lead to health problems such as osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and other chronic diseases.

4 Aug 2020

Research explains recognized sex differences in COVID-19 outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic has notably taken a more significant toll on men compared to women, in terms of both disease severity and death. Now, a new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 confirms the increased risk that males have for death following COVID-19 while also highlighting worse outcomes in women with coronary artery disease, obesity, and hypoxia compared to men.

3 Aug 2020

Immune system's oldest branches may underpin COVID severity

One of the immune system's oldest branches, called complement, may be influencing the severity of COVID disease, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

3 Aug 2020

American baby boomers have lower cognition scores than earlier generations

In a reversal of trends, American baby boomers scored lower on a test of cognitive functioning than did members of previous generations, according to a new nationwide study.

3 Aug 2020