Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Scientists use new technique to repair fibrotic liver cells within the organ

Advances in stem cell research have made it possible to convert patients' skin cells into heart cells, kidney cells, liver cells and more in the lab dish, giving researchers hope that one day such cells could replace organ transplantation for patients with organ failure.

3 Jun 2016

Gut microbe's metabolite butyrate hampers intestinal repair from IBD

Intestinal stem cells are among the most rapidly dividing cells in the body, busily creating new cells to replace the ones that are constantly being sloughed off. But unlike stem cells elsewhere in the body, those in the intestine are hidden away, and for good reason, it turns out.

3 Jun 2016

Few commercial weight loss programs show promise of benefit for diabetic patients

Johns Hopkins scientists who indirectly investigated the blood sugar effects of 10 (out of 32 selected) commercial weight loss programs say a few show promise of benefit for diabetic patients, but far more rigorous research is needed before doctors can wholeheartedly recommend them.

3 Jun 2016

Shift work alters internal body clock and leads to strokes, serious brain implications

Statistics show that some 15 million Americans don't work the typical nine-to-five. These employees (or shift workers), who punch in for graveyard or rotating shifts, are more prone to numerous health hazards, from heart attacks to obesity, and now, new research, published in Endocrinology, shows shift work may also have serious implications for the brain.

2 Jun 2016

$Sostdc1 gene may play vital role in fracture healing process$

Sostdc1 gene may play vital role in fracture healing process

New identification of a gene involved in the fracture healing process could lead to the development of new therapeutic treatments for difficult-to-heal injuries.

2 Jun 2016

Black men with high degree of West African genetic ancestry have less central adiposity

Among black men, those with more genetic variants descended from West Africa may have a relatively lower risk of being overweight, obese and diabetic, according to a new study out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Arizona.

2 Jun 2016

Severe obesity may contribute to infection risk after bypass surgery

Severely obese patients who undergo a coronary artery bypass are more likely to develop an infection after surgery and stay in hospital longer, compared with people of normal weight, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

2 Jun 2016

New technique could help reduce chances of drug failure during later stages of clinical trials

An approach that could reduce the chances of drugs failing during the later stages of clinical trials has been demonstrated by a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

2 Jun 2016

Experts urge cancer researchers to use old, obese mice for preclinical immunotherapy studies

Researchers should include laboratory mice that are old and obese in their studies of immunotherapy treatments for cancer, according to a review article by Saint Louis University scientists.

2 Jun 2016

Cleveland Clinic authors urge physicians to use staging models to manage obesity-related problems

Authors from the Cleveland Clinic's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute recommend physicians use obesity staging models to recognize and manage weight-related health issues that may not be captured by traditional diagnosis criteria. The review article was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

1 Jun 2016

UEG report reveals alarming trends in paediatric digestive health across Europe

A report investigating the current state of digestive health in children has revealed alarming trends in disease incidence and inequalities in the provision of digestive healthcare services for children across Europe.

31 May 2016

Portable breath sensor to detect lifestyle diseases? An interview with Osamu Tsuboi, Fujitsu Laboratories

Generally, it is thought that there is a connection between concentrations of ammonia and liver disease, such as fatty liver and cirrhosis, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, and kidney failure.

31 May 2016

Global study finds weight loss could be key for tackling pre-diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is the world’s fastest growing chronic disease and is linked to the increasing number of overweight people. One in 16 people (3.9 million) in the UK are thought to have diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.

31 May 2016

European cardiovascular prevention guidelines emphasise population approaches

The European Society of Cardiology has updated its cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines to include, for the first time, population approaches to be implemented by legislators, schools and workplaces.

28 May 2016

PNNL scientists play central role in National Microbiome Initiative

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are playing a central role as the nation devotes more than $500 million to understand communities of microorganisms and their role in climate science, food production and human health.

28 May 2016

Updates on sixty-ninth World Health Assembly

Delegates at the World Health Assembly have agreed resolutions and decisions on air pollution, chemicals, the health workforce, childhood obesity, violence, noncommunicable diseases, and the election of the next Director-General.

28 May 2016

NR supplements can reduce diabetes-related complications in mice

A naturally occurring vitamin, nicotinamide riboside (NR), can lower blood sugar levels, reduce fatty liver, and prevent peripheral nerve damage in mouse models of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a new study by researchers at the University of Iowa and the Iowa City VA Health Care System.

27 May 2016

Healthy lifestyle may help women reduce chances of developing breast cancer

Women with a high risk of developing breast cancer based on family history and genetic risk can still reduce the chance they will develop the disease in their lifetimes by following a healthy lifestyle, new research led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

27 May 2016

Diabetes societies endorse 'metabolic surgery'

An "unprecedented" number of societies have endorsed guidelines recommending metabolic surgery for patients with diabetes - and not just for patients with severe obesity.

27 May 2016

Spexin harmone may play role in weight gain among teenagers

A Mayo Clinic-led study found that obese teenagers have lower levels of a hormone potentially tied to weight management than teens of normal weights. The study is published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

27 May 2016