Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Majority of adults in America to become obese by 2020

In 2020, the vast majority of adults in America will be overweight or obese and more than half will suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions, according to projections presented by Northwestern Medicine researchers at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Orlando.

17 Nov 2011

Research into role of insulin in obesity-related cancers

Niyati Parekh, an assistant professor at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, has received a $720,000 Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society to study the role of insulin in obesity-related cancers.

17 Nov 2011

Teens more likely to die from heart disease at younger age than adults

A new study that takes a complete snapshot of adolescent cardiovascular health in the United States reveals a dismal picture of teens who are likely to die of heart disease at a younger age than adults do today, reports Northwestern Medicine research.

17 Nov 2011

Researchers uncover central component of fat metabolism

Obesity-related diseases are an increasing health problem. Researchers at the University of Oslo have now uncovered a central component of fat metabolism.

17 Nov 2011

Heavy work increases heart disease death risk in physically unfit men

High physical work demands are linked to an increased risk of death from ischemic heart disease (IHD)—but only for men who aren't physically fit, reports a study in the November Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

17 Nov 2011

More risk of health problems in lean children who become obese as adults

Insulin sensitivity in the ovaries and the pituitary linked to infertility

Infertility is common among obese women, but the reasons remain poorly understood and few treatments exist. Now a team of Johns Hopkins Children's Center scientists, conducting experiments in mice, has uncovered what they consider surprising evidence that insulin resistance, long considered a prime suspect, has little to do with infertility in women with type-2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome and metabolic syndrome, all obesity-related conditions.

16 Nov 2011

Frequent counseling, physician support and interactive website help obese patients lose weight

Obese patients enrolled in a weight-loss program delivered over the phone by health coaches and with website and physician support lost weight and kept it off for two years, according to new Johns Hopkins research. The program was just as effective as another weight-loss program that involved in-person coaching sessions.

16 Nov 2011

International consortium develops first-in-class adiponectin receptor agonist

A compound that mimics the effects of adiponectin, a beneficial protein that is produced by fat tissue in healthy weight individuals and may exhibit protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions and insulin resistance has been developed by an international consortium lead by Dr. Eva Surmacz, Associate Professor in Biology (Adjunct) and director of the Obesity and Cancer Program at the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University's College of Science and Technology.

16 Nov 2011

New health institute to combat chronic diseases across Maryland

Jay A. Perman, MD, President of the University of Maryland, and Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), announced today the creation of the Institute for a Healthiest Maryland, a collaboration of support systems that will guide efforts to combat chronic diseases across Maryland.

16 Nov 2011

Children advised to get tested for cholesterol: Guidelines

According to latest medical guidelines announced Friday, all children aged 9 to 11 should have their cholesterol checked to help head off cardiovascular disease early. Overweight children and those who have other risks of Type 2 diabetes should be screened for diabetes every two years starting as early as 9, according to the panel.

15 Nov 2011

Prox1 gene plays a critical role in formation and maintenance of lymphatic system

A century after the valves that link the lymphatic and blood systems were first described, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have detailed how those valves form and identified a gene that is critical to the process.

15 Nov 2011

Multiple medication use may increase severity of erectile dysfunction

The use of multiple medications is associated with increased severity of erectile dysfunction, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the British Journal of Urology International.

15 Nov 2011

New clues about connections among fat, inflammation and insulin resistance

In a new study, scientists report that they substantially curbed weight gain, improved metabolism, and improved the efficacy of insulin in mice by engineering them to express a specific human enzyme in their fat tissue. Although the obesity prevention came at the significant cost of widespread inflammation, the research offers new clues about the connections among obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and inflammation.

14 Nov 2011

Smoke-free workplace laws help reduce heart attacks and save lives

Mayo Clinic researchers have amassed additional evidence that secondhand smoke kills and smoke-free workplace laws save lives.

14 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Conservative legal path on health law; Romney's plans for Medicare and vets; States moving on reform

A federal appeals court in the District of Columbia endorsed the constitutionality of health care reform this week in an opinion as notable for its authorship as for its legal reasoning. The majority opinion in the 2-to-1 decision was written by Judge Laurence Silberman, a stalwart of conservative jurisprudence whose views are said to be enormously influential in conservative legal circles.

14 Nov 2011

Sugary drinks raise risk of heart disease in women: Study

A new study shows that women who take sugared beverages every day may be raising their risk for heart disease, even if their habit is not packing on the pounds. The researchers say the drinks could be anything - sweet tea, soda, or coffee drinks that look like desserts.

14 Nov 2011

Sexual and physical abuse of girls raises risk of heart disease: Study

A new study finds that women who have experienced repeated episodes of sexual abuse during childhood or adolescence appear to have a 62% greater risk for heart disease. Further, severe physical abuse was also associated with a 45% increased risk for cardiovascular or CV events

14 Nov 2011

Mothers' behaviour during pregnancy can predict children at high risk of obesity

Researchers can predict which children are most likely to become obese by examining their mothers' behaviour around their birth, according to a recent University of Montreal study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

14 Nov 2011

Link between sugar-sweetened beverages and increased cardiovascular risk in women

Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman's waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011.

14 Nov 2011