Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Study finds connection between obesity and sociodemographic, economic characteristics

Nearly 70 percent of the U.S. adult population meets the definition of overweight or obese, but a new study by University of Arkansas researchers shows the problem isn't randomly distributed across the country. Instead, obesity is concentrated in areas with social and demographic factors that create what researchers term an "ecology of disadvantage."

4 Apr 2018

Researchers discover how muscles regulate oxygen consumption

A new study by researchers from Karolinska Institutet shows that an enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen. Without the enzyme, the need for oxygen increases during physical exercise. The finding is of potential significance to elite athletes, who have been found to have higher levels of FIH in their muscles than others.

3 Apr 2018

Human genome is like a time machine, says researcher

The human genome is a bit like a time machine, says Ben Voight, an associate professor in Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics and of Genetics in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine.

3 Apr 2018

Lipodystrophy: The Importance of Awareness

An interview with Rebecca Sanders, Lipodystrophy UK co-founder, discussing the importance of awareness campaigns for patients and society at large.

3 Apr 2018

Eating pasta does not lead to weight gain, say experts

A new study suggests that pasta can be included as part of a healthy diet, without necessarily leading to weight gain.

3 Apr 2018

Hypertension before pregnancy can raise risk of miscarriage

A new study has found that young women who have high blood pressure before their pregnancy are at a greater risk of suffering from a miscarriage. This is true for women who have not been diagnosed with hypertension but have an elevated blood pressure. The study was conducted at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and is due to appear in the May 2018 issue of the journal Hypertension.

2 Apr 2018

Study finds link between pre-pregnancy fitness and lower risk of gestational diabetes

Expectant mothers who were more fit before pregnancy are at lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Iowa.

2 Apr 2018

Medicaid minus stigma: In Indian country, it’s part of the fabric of life

On a crisp sunny day, Tyson Toledo, a precocious 5-year-old boy, hobbled into a private health clinic to have his infected foot examined.

2 Apr 2018

Congenital heart defects in newborns may predict mother's post-pregnancy cardiovascular disease

Women who give birth to infants with congenital heart defects may have an increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations later in life, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

2 Apr 2018

Low grades linked to class schedules that do not match natural biological rhythms

It may be time to tailor students' class schedules to their natural biological rhythms, according to a new study from UC Berkeley and Northeastern Illinois University.

30 Mar 2018

Infrastructure designed to encourage walking can help reduce childhood obesity

Children who live in more walkable neighborhoods have a smaller waist measurement and a lower BMI (body mass index). Those are the findings of a Montreal research team led by INRS professor Tracie A. Barnett. According to the results of the study published in Preventive Medicine by Adrian Ghenadenik (lead author) with Professor Barnett (senior contributing author), urban design is a factor in the development of childhood obesity.

29 Mar 2018

Thrill of hockey victory may raise heart attack risk in younger men

The thrill of a hockey victory may put younger men at an increased risk for heart attack. A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found an increase in hospital admissions for men under 55 presenting with symptoms of ST-elevation myocardial infarction or heart attack the day after a Montreal Canadiens win.

29 Mar 2018

High levels of humanin protein found in placenta of women who delivered low-birthweight babies

For the first time, UCLA scientists have discovered higher levels of a protein called humanin in the placenta tissue of women who give birth to severely underweight infants.

28 Mar 2018

Study examines changes in relationship status after bariatric surgery

Weight-loss surgery was associated with relationship changes for patients.

28 Mar 2018

Nutritionists explore the link between diet, obesity and cancer

In a special journal entry, nutritionists and other heath professionals from around the world explore the association between nutrition, obesity and cancer.

28 Mar 2018

Menopausal hormone therapy reduces abdominal fat tissue in women

Women who undergo hormone therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms tend to have less fat tissue, particularly in the abdomen, than other menopausal women, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

27 Mar 2018

Childhood friendships may have protective influence on physical health in adulthood

Time spent with friends in childhood is associated with physical health in adulthood, according to data from a multi-decade study of men.

27 Mar 2018

MSU scientists test promising drug to prevent cancer in high-risk patients

Michigan State University scientists are testing a promising drug that may stop a gene associated with obesity from triggering breast and lung cancer, as well as prevent these cancers from growing.

27 Mar 2018

Diabetes intervention program works well at home enviroment

A public health research team at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis has taken one of the most effective diabetes intervention programs and made it more accessible by partnering with an existing home-visit organization dedicated to working with mothers of preschool-aged children.

27 Mar 2018

New analysis describes how childhood obesity 'pandemic' promotes cancer

A Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researcher has compiled evidence from more than 100 publications to show how obesity increases risk of 13 different cancers in young adults.

26 Mar 2018