Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Smoke-free laws lead to fewer heart attacks

A recent decline in the incidence of myocardial infarction in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, could be due to the implementation of smoke-free laws, researchers suggest.

5 Nov 2012

Sleep experts advise people to reset sleep habits when they reset clocks

On Sunday morning, the clocks will fall back to mark the official end of daylight savings time. Northwestern Medicine sleep experts warn that the one hour time shift can be disruptive to sleep patterns, but that it also offers an excellent opportunity to evaluate and improve sleep patterns.

3 Nov 2012

Some types of bariatric surgery may cause bone loss, say endocrinologists

Bariatric surgery, which significantly curtails the amount of food a person can eat, is the most effective treatment against obesity and is being recognized as a potentially valuable tool in the fight against diabetes related to obesity.

3 Nov 2012

Malaysia hopes to solve nutrition transition problem

With health problems like obesity and diabetes on the rise due to changing diets in emerging economies, Malaysia is forging new linkages between domestic and international scientists and institutions in hopes of mitigating the problem.

3 Nov 2012

Lecture to examine how eating habits are influenced by physiology and psychology

The coming crisis for society caused by millions of people who are seriously overweight will be discussed at a University of Greenwich public lecture on 28 November.

2 Nov 2012

Australia's Generation X on the path to become more obese than baby boomers

New research from the University of Adelaide shows that Australia's Generation X is already on the path to becoming more obese than their baby boomer predecessors.

2 Nov 2012

Insomnia and sleep apnoea turn us into major health service consumers

Insomnia and sleep apnoea are turning us into major health service consumers, causing us to be less productive at work, and may even lead to serious accidents.

2 Nov 2012

TransTech Pharma to complete TTP054 Phase 2 trial on type 2 diabetes

TransTech Pharma, Inc., announced today that recruitment of patients for its recently initiated, multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial of TTP054 in type 2 diabetics, is exceeding expectations with initial top line results available in early 2013. The 90-day proof of concept study is being conducted in type 2 diabetics not well controlled with approved oral anti-diabetic agents.

2 Nov 2012

Implant-based breast reconstruction has disadvantages

Implant-based breast reconstruction, particularly immediate reconstruction, is associated with a higher failure rate than a free flap technique in obese people, suggest researchers.

1 Nov 2012

Study finds link between severe sepsis and chronic diseases

It's a major cause of death, yet few of us have ever heard of it. Sepsis occurs when a patient's immune system overreacts to an infection, triggering a potentially fatal, system-wide inflammation. Severe sepsis strikes about 750,000 Americans each year, most of them older and often ill, with as many as half of these patients dying as septic shock shuts down their organs. Furthermore, patients in many Southern states are about twice as likely to develop sepsis for reasons unknown.

1 Nov 2012

Ischemic stroke: an interview with Dr Gregory Ford

A stroke is a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain which deprives the brain of oxygen and nutrients. Approximately two millions brain cells die each minute during a stroke. This can lead to brain damage, physical and mental disability and death.

1 Nov 2012

Few U.S. medical schools provide effective training on how to address weight issues in obese patients

It's no secret that obesity is a major problem in America. More than one-third of adults and one-sixth of children are obese and it is one of the leading causes of preventable death. The costs associated with obesity are estimated at $99 million annually, comparable to the economic toll of cigarette smoking.

1 Nov 2012

Roundup: Dallas approves stipend for gay, unmarried employees; Federal judge says Milwaukee can raise retiree contribution

Dallas County will give a stipend to unmarried and gay employees who provide health care benefits to their partners. County commissioners approved the new program in a narrow 3-2 vote, which was split along party lines. Democratic commissioners hailed the move as a way to attract and retain talent, embrace the county's diversity and compete against private companies who already provide domestic partner benefits.

1 Nov 2012

Study examines impact of school-based obesity intervention program

Soda consumption, TV and video/computer games, and the frequency of meals heavily influenced students' weight in an Indiana University study that examined the impact of a school-based obesity intervention program over an 18-month period.

1 Nov 2012

Regular exercise does not impact amount of time women spend sitting

Women who exercise regularly spend as much time sitting as women who don't, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

1 Nov 2012

Medicare news: Health spending on seniors grew faster in U.S. than Canada; Plan to cut costs on dual eligibles raises questions

A new study finds that U.S. spending grew nearly three times faster since 1980 than Canada's spending on a similar population group.

1 Nov 2012

Smoke-free laws lead to fewer heart attacks

A recent decline in the incidence of myocardial infarction in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, could be due to the implementation of smoke-free laws, researchers suggest.

31 Oct 2012

Weight-management advice needed with cat neutering

Neutered status is one of the most significant factors for obesity in vet-visiting cats in the UK, report researchers, who suggest that weight-management measures should be targeted at owners when their pets are neutered.

31 Oct 2012

Hormone therapy increases risk of heart attack or dying in women with metabolic syndrome

A new analysis of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trials show that women who had metabolic syndrome before they started hormone therapy had a greatly increased risk of heart attack or dying of heart disease. Women who didn't have metabolic syndrome beforehand showed no increased risk.

31 Oct 2012

Behavioural treatment can be very effective for severely obese children

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that behavioural treatment for inducing weight-loss can be very effective for severely obese children. However, the treatment to change dietary and exercise habits must be given in time, as it showed to have little effect on adolescents with the same problem.

31 Oct 2012