Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

UK Chief Medical Officer calls for tough action to tackle childhood obesity

UK Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, has called for snacking on public transport to be banned in a bold effort to tackle childhood obesity.

10 Oct 2019

Osteoarthritis has no cure, but symptoms can be managed

Osteoarthritis can't be ignored. On a grand scale, it is the most common form of arthritis (which actually isn't a specific disease but rather a general term for inflammation in a joint), accounting for more cases than all the other forms combined. It affects an estimated 31 million Americans and is a leading cause of disability among adults.

10 Oct 2019

Study sheds light on how human gut microbes break down processed foods

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis sheds light on how human gut microbes break down processed foods - especially potentially harmful chemical changes often produced during modern food manufacturing processes.

9 Oct 2019

Researchers use AI to counter soaring costs of health care

Researchers at West Virginia University are using artificial intelligence to counter soaring costs of health care and deliver more efficient and accurate diagnoses of cardiovascular diseases.

9 Oct 2019

Cell discovery could help fight against liver disease

Scientists have identified new sub-types of cells that, when they interact, accelerate the scarring process in diseased livers.

9 Oct 2019

Calorie content of popular UK restaurant chain dishes is too high, study finds

The calorie content of popular starters, sides and desserts served in UK restaurant chains is too high and only a minority meet public health recommendations, finds a University of Liverpool study published in BMJ Open.

9 Oct 2019

Adult severe obesity risk rates vary by sex, race and other childhood factors

Severe adult obesity carries many risks to health, but until now, little has been known about childhood risk factors involved. Now, a multi-national study led by experts at Cincinnati Children's shows how adult severe obesity risk rates vary by sex, race and other factors identifiable in childhood.

9 Oct 2019

Lab-grown, testosterone-producing cells could help treat hypogonadism

Researchers have managed to grow human, testosterone-producing cells, which could lead to improved treatment options for low testosterone levels.

9 Oct 2019

BMI of children generally rises in summer and decreases in the fall, study shows

Recent studies suggest kids tend to gain the most weight in summer, but schools are chastised for providing unhealthy food and beverages, along with decreasing opportunities for physical activity.

9 Oct 2019

Losing weight and keeping it off could help stabilize or improve cardiometabolic risk factors

People who lose weight and keep it off can stabilize or even improve their cardiometabolic risk factors compared to people who regain weight, finds a new study led by researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.

9 Oct 2019

Children with autism have higher risk of developing obesity

A recent meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews revealed that children with autism spectrum disorders had a 41.1% higher risk of developing obesity than matched groups of children, and on average, 22 out of 100 children with autism were found to have obesity.

9 Oct 2019

New experimental growth factor drug appears to prevent worsening of osteoarthritis

More than 10 percent of Americans over age 60 experience knee pain related to osteoarthritis, the most common disease of the knee joint. Osteoarthritis of the knee causes pain, activity limitation, physical disability, reduced health-related quality of life and excess mortality compared with the general population.

8 Oct 2019

Maternal obesity accelerates rate of aging of metabolic problems in offspring

It has long been known that obesity impairs our metabolism and predisposes to diabetes and heart disease. New research in The Journal of Physiology has shown that the effects of maternal obesity even pass across generations to offspring, accelerating the rate of aging of metabolic problems that occur in normal life.

8 Oct 2019

SunSmart program may have reduced skin cancer rates among younger Australians

A skin cancer prevention program called SunSmart may have contributed to a recent reduction in melanoma among younger residents of Melbourne, according to a study published October 8 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Suzanne Dobbinson of Cancer Council Victoria in Australia, and colleagues.

From PLOS ONE 8 Oct 2019

Violence exposure can negatively impact a person's physical and psychosocial health

Exposure to violence can negatively impact a person's physical and psychosocial health, according to two new studies co-authored by University of Chicago Medicine social epidemiologist Elizabeth L. Tung, MD.

8 Oct 2019

Probiotics can help curb malnutrition over next two decades, says Bill Gates

Probiotics or good bacteria have shown promise in the potential to maintain a healthy gut. Many studies have provided evidence on the health benefits of probiotics. Now, the popular philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates said he believes probiotics could help stem malnutrition over the next two decades.

8 Oct 2019

Women with early menopause need to be wary of heart disease

Women who attain menopause between the age of 40 and 50 years need to watch out for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the risk being almost doubled in some groups of women according to a new University of Queensland study published October 3, 2019, in The Lancet Public Health. In absolute terms, the risk increased by 40% to 88% depending on the age of early menopause.

7 Oct 2019

Diabetes advances can help manage challenges associated with post-meal blood sugar levels

Mealtimes can become a difficult experience for individuals with diabetes. After a meal, blood sugar levels may soar as the food digests or unexpectedly plummet if an insulin dose was more than the meal required.

7 Oct 2019

Researchers identify an immune cell that helps keep time in the gut

As people go through their daily and nightly routines, their digestive tracts follow a routine, too: digesting food and absorbing nutrients during waking hours, and replenishing worn-out cells during sleep. Shift work and jet lag can knock sleep schedules and digestive rhythms out of whack.

4 Oct 2019

People eat more with friends and family than when dining alone, finds study

People eat more with friends and family than when dining alone - a possible throwback to our early ancestors' approach to survival, according to a new study. This phenomenon is known as 'social facilitation'.

4 Oct 2019