Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Risk of depression increases with higher weight, shows study

In an analysis of primary care records of 519,513 UK adults who were overweight or obese between 2000-2016 and followed up until 2019, the incidence of new cases of depression was 92 per 10,000 people per year. The risk of depression also rose with higher weight, according to the Obesity analysis.

8 Apr 2020

Researchers identify new biomarker to track the development of NAFLD

Fatty liver disease not associated with alcohol consumption, which is called Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD, affects more than one billion people worldwide.

7 Apr 2020

Brown fat cells can translate energy into heat in an unexpected way

When we are exposed to sufficient cold or exercise, small clusters of brown fat cells in our bodies begin to burn up energy.

6 Apr 2020

Do video games make children fatter?

A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020 reports that children who use video games for more extended periods before the age of 5 years may be slightly fatter by the age of 14 if they also drink sugary drinks and have irregular bedtimes.

6 Apr 2020

Discovery of novel brain-digestive link

Scientists across the globe have long studied the link between the brain and the digestive system. Previous studies have tied brain networks and how they influence the gastrointestinal tract or vice versa. Food has a unique effect on humans as food tastes or flavors often dictate food-seeking behaviors. So is the palate the only thing that controls food choices among humans?

6 Apr 2020

Healthy lifestyle, greater disease-free life expectancy

For years, doctors have been advocating a healthy diet, more regular exercise, stress relief, and weight control. However, no study has examined a combination of all these factors with the number of years that one can live free of major chronic disease. This could help communicate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle more convincingly than the commonly reported relative risk of disease with each of these risk factors.

6 Apr 2020

COVID-19-related school closures may exacerbate childhood obesity

Public health scientists predict that school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic will exacerbate the epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States.

5 Apr 2020

Larger thigh circumference associated with lower heart disease risk in obesity

Larger thigh circumference may be associated with lower blood pressure and reduced heart disease risk in people with obesity.

3 Apr 2020

Mediterranean diet best for lowering LDL cholesterol

A new study published in The BMJ in April 2020 suggests that almost any remedial diet can result in a certain amount of weight loss and a better cardiovascular risk profile over the next six months, compared with the usual diet. However, at the 12-month mark, the dieter has mostly gained back the weight, while most cardiovascular risk factors are back at their original levels.

2 Apr 2020

Studies shed light on the link between obesity and use of prescription opioids

Two new studies from the Boston University School of Public Health shed light on the relationship between obesity and the use of prescription opioids in the United States.

2 Apr 2020

Psychoactive ingredient in marijuana may impair ability to produce viable embryos

Female eggs exposed to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, have an impaired ability to produce viable embryos, and are significantly less likely to result in a viable pregnancy, according to an animal study accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.

2 Apr 2020

Pilates helps control blood pressure in young obese women

A new paper published in the journal American Journal of Hypertension in April 2020 shows that Pilates could work well when it comes to improving cardiovascular health and controlling blood pressure in young obese women. This group of patients is at high risk for high blood pressure and weak blood vessel health.

2 Apr 2020

Study: Early introduction of solid foods may predispose infants to obesity

Infants who were started on solid foods at or before three months of age showed changes in the levels of gut bacteria and bacterial byproducts, called short-chain fatty acids, measured in their stool samples, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

1 Apr 2020

Study reveals how hormone leptin contributes to weight loss

Some call it baby fat. But recent research has shown that adults have it too--which is a good thing. Brown fat, the so-called good fat that can protect against obesity and associated health risks, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, is located in small pockets throughout the body.

31 Mar 2020

Wearable delivery device allows adults with type 2 diabetes to safely use affordable insulin therapy

Adults with type 2 diabetes requiring insulin therapy can safely achieve good blood sugar control using regular human insulin (RHI) in a wearable, patch-like insulin delivery device called V-Go®, a new study finds.

31 Mar 2020

Location of broken bone in older people can have major impact on long-term health outcomes

In older individuals, the location of a broken bone can have significant impacts on long-term health outcomes, according to research accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

31 Mar 2020

Hypothyroidism patients cite effectiveness of desiccated thyroid extract over standard therapy

Three in four hypothyroidism patients who chose desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) over the standard therapy said this option was more effective than other thyroid hormone medications, according to an analysis of comments in online patient forums accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

31 Mar 2020

Individuals taking glucocorticoids are at high risk if infected with COVID-19

Individuals taking a class of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids for conditions such as asthma, allergies and arthritis on a routine basis may be unable to mount a normal stress response and are at high risk if they are infected with the virus causing COVID-19, according to a new editorial published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

31 Mar 2020

Investigational oral form of treatment offers hope for adults with acromegaly

Adults who need medical maintenance treatment of the growth hormone disorder acromegaly respond well to an investigational oral form of the drug octreotide, investigators of the Chiasma OPTIMAL study reported.

31 Mar 2020

Fracking chemical may interfere with reproductive hormones in men

A chemical used in hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, has the potential to interfere with reproductive hormones in men, according to research accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

31 Mar 2020