Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Children with NAFLD at substantial risk for high blood pressure

High blood pressure and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two emerging health problems related to the epidemic of childhood obesity. In a recent study, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine sought to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure in children with NAFLD, which places them at risk for premature cardiovascular disease.

24 Nov 2014

Scientists discover that brown fat could be used to manage type 2 diabetes

Scientists from Monash University and Stockholm University have discovered that brown fat, nicknamed the 'good fat' because it warms up the body in cold temperatures, burning up calories in the process, also 'hoovers up' excess sugar.

24 Nov 2014

New cell therapy offers hope for patients with liver cirrhosis

Liver disease patients could be helped by a new cell therapy to treat the condition.

24 Nov 2014

Five USF faculty members named AAAS Fellow

Five faculty members from the University of South Florida in Tampa have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

24 Nov 2014

Study provides estimates of obesity-attributable costs of absenteeism among U.S. workers

A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health shows that obesity costs the U.S. $8.65 billion per year as a result of absenteeism in the workplace --more than 9% of all absenteeism costs.

23 Nov 2014

AGA's journals highlight important updates into treatments for cirrhosis, NAFLD

Cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two serious liver conditions with limited pharmacological treatments. The December issues of AGA's journals -- Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Gastroenterology -- highlight important updates into treatments for these two debilitating diseases.

23 Nov 2014

Obese people experience silent cardiac damage that fuels risk for heart failure

Using an ultrasensitive blood test to detect the presence of a protein that heralds heart muscle injury, researchers from Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have found that obese people without overt heart disease experience silent cardiac damage that fuels their risk for heart failure down the road.

21 Nov 2014

Snus consumption in Norway is highest among young people

The increase in Scandinavian snus consumption in Norway is highest among young people, according to a new report from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

21 Nov 2014

Children of women who work full time get fewer hours of sleep, have higher BMIs

The majority of preschoolers may not be getting the amount of sleep they need each night, placing them at higher risk of being overweight or obese within a year, according to a new study.

21 Nov 2014

One third of male adolescents inaccurately perceive their weight, shows study

Almost one third of male adolescents inaccurately perceive their weight. This can influence their eating habits and, consequently, their health, according to a study led by the UAB and conducted with 600 teenage boys from Barcelona and surrounding areas.

20 Nov 2014

New nutrition standards do not limit added sugar in school meals

New federal regulations requiring school meals to contain more whole grains, less saturated fat and more fruits and vegetables, while perhaps improving some aspects of the food being served at schools across the United States, may also be perpetuating eating habits linked to obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases, an analysis by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers has found.

20 Nov 2014

Poor young people with positive perceptions report better health than people with worse perceptions

Young people growing up in impoverished neighborhoods who perceive their poor communities in a positive light report better health and well-being than those with worse perceptions of where they live, new research led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

19 Nov 2014

Exposure to antibiotics during pregnancy increases obesity risk in children

A study just released by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that children who were exposed to antibiotics in the second or third trimester of pregnancy had a higher risk of childhood obesity at age 7. The research also showed that for mothers who delivered their babies by a Caesarean section, whether elective or non-elective, there was a higher risk for obesity in their offspring.

19 Nov 2014

Lifestyle of young people could pose risk for developing diabetes mellitus

Research performed by the University of Veracruz, in the east coast of Mexico, called Lifestyles Nutrition Students and Risk of Type II Diabetes, showed that the lifestyle of young people between 17 and 24 years of age, like lack of physical activity, mild psychological stress, and the omission of breakfast could pose a risk for developing diseases such as diabetes mellitus.

18 Nov 2014

Study finds that fat around heart closely associated with atrial fibrillation

Obesity is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder.

18 Nov 2014

People who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier than those who cook less

People who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier and consume fewer calories than those who cook less, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

18 Nov 2014

Research finding points to potential new treatment for metabolic disorders

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered how a previously unknown hormone serves as a messenger from fat cells to the liver and are investigating the potential of developing a new treatment for metabolic disorders.

17 Nov 2014

NIH study finds limited kidney benefit from more rigorous blood pressure treatment

Using two drugs was no more effective than a single drug in slowing disease progression in people with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), according to two studies funded by the National Institutes of Health. One of the studies also showed that rigorous blood pressure treatment slowed growth of kidney cysts, a marker of ADPKD, but had little effect on kidney function compared to standard blood pressure treatment.

17 Nov 2014

Preterm birth becomes world's number one killer of young children

For the first time in history, the complications of preterm birth outrank all other causes as the world's number one killer of young children.

17 Nov 2014

New research finds prevalence of obesity among teens with disabilities

Teens with physical or mental disabilities are more likely to be obese compared to adolescents without disabilities, according to new research presented today at the American Public Health Association's 142nd Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

17 Nov 2014