Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Positive interim results from PROLOR's hGH-CTP Phase II trial in growth hormone deficiency

PROLOR Biotech, Inc. today reported positive interim efficacy results from a Phase II clinical trial of its long-acting CTP-modified version of human growth hormone in growth hormone deficient adults.

11 Apr 2011

The Lancet publishes VIVUS 56-week QNEXA study results in obesity

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that detailed results from the 56-week CONQUER study were published in The Lancet evaluating the efficacy and safety of investigational drug QNEXA in 2,487 patients across 93 sites in the US.

11 Apr 2011

Investigational drug effective for patients with obesity

An investigational combination of drugs already approved to treat obesity, migraine and epilepsy produced up to a 10 percent weight loss in obese individuals participating in a one-year clinical trial, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

11 Apr 2011

Blueberry polyphenols can reduce obesity

The benefits of blueberry consumption have been demonstrated in several nutrition studies, more specifically the cardio-protective benefits derived from their high polyphenol content.

11 Apr 2011

New weight loss pill - combination of two existing drugs

According to the latest research on obesity treatments there is now a new weapon in the battle for weight loss. It combines two existing drugs that have resulted in twice as much weight loss as the only approved long-term anti-obesity medication.

10 Apr 2011

Key regulator of fat cell development may provide a target for obesity and diabetes drugs

New research by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and collaborating institutions has identified a key regulator of fat cell development that may provide a target for obesity and diabetes drugs.

8 Apr 2011

Experimental Biology 2011 to be held April 9-13 in Washington, D.C.

The meeting Experimental Biology 2011 (EB 2011) begins April 9 and runs through April 13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

8 Apr 2011

Biochemical battle of the bulge: New developments

Dozens of researchers in the coming days will lay out what's around the corner in the biochemical battle of the bulge as part of the Experimental Biology 2011 conference in Washington, D.C.

8 Apr 2011

First trial to test shared decision making for weight-loss surgery

A video-based decision aid helped severely obese people to make more informed choices about bariatric surgery and reach more certainty about them, according to a trial involving 152 Group Health patients, e-published in Obesity in advance of print. This randomized controlled trial is the first to test shared decision making for weight-loss surgery.

8 Apr 2011

Refined carbohydrates create an ill and obese population

When it comes to feeding a body well, we've all been told we need proteins, fats and carbohydrates. For years, many of those we trust for health information have told us that the foundation of our diet should primarily consist of carbohydrates, namely, grains, breads and pastas.

8 Apr 2011

Experts to discuss about links between metabolic function and disease at EB2011

Metabolism encompasses the biochemical reactions that sustain life and is usually thought of as two complementary systems: one that breaks down nutrients to generate energy and another that harnesses this energy to produce the building blocks cells need to thrive.

8 Apr 2011

Parents and schools may contribute to childhood obesity

Two of the biggest influences on children — parents and schools — may unintentionally contribute to childhood obesity. That's the observation of Susan Terwilliger, clinical associate professor in the Decker School of Nursing at Binghamton University, who studies the problem.

7 Apr 2011

Elevated BMI linked to high risk of obesity-related disorders in young adults

A large cohort study following 37,000 teenagers for 17 years found that an elevated, yet normal range Body Mass Index constitutes a substantial risk factor for obesity-related disorders in young adults.

7 Apr 2011

Strawberries for prevention of esophageal cancer: Study

According to a preliminary study released Wednesday, strawberries have the potential to prevent esophageal cancer. Researchers, led by Ohio State University have shown that freeze-dried strawberries slowed the growth of dysplastic, or precancerous, lesions in about 30 people who consumed the fruit for six months. Study's lead researcher, Tong Chen, an assistant professor in the oncology division of Ohio State University, presented the study at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting.

6 Apr 2011

Childhood obesity: Positive & negative trends

According to the latest study, fewer Australian pre-schoolers are overweight in recent years compared with the late-1990s and also the social disparities in children's obesity risk seem to be shrinking. These findings were reported in the International Journal of Obesity.

6 Apr 2011

Chemical senses scientists to hold 33rd annual meeting, April 13-17, 2011

The Association for Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS), a US-based scientific organization, is holding its 33rd annual meeting. About 700 scientists are gathering to present new information on the role of smell and taste in disease, nutrition, and social interactions in humans as well as animals. Smell and taste play essential roles in our daily lives.

6 Apr 2011

First-of-its-kind map of recombination hotspots in a multi-celled organism

Researchers have zoomed in on mouse chromosomes to map hotspots of genetic recombination - sites where DNA breaks and reforms to shuffle genes. The findings of the scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USU) have the potential to improve the detection of genes linked to disease and to help understand the root causes of genetic abnormalities.

6 Apr 2011

AMPK suppression and SREBP activation are root cause of fatty liver and hyperlipidemia in type 2 diabetes

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, including Yu Li, PhD, and other colleagues, have demonstrated that a nutrient sensing pathway is involved in the disruption of cellular lipid homeostasis in obese and insulin resistant mice fed a diet high in fat and sucrose.

6 Apr 2011

Scientists identify biological pathways that mediate IgA nephropathy

For the first time, researchers have found five regions in the human genome that increase susceptibility to immunoglobulin A nephropathy, a major cause of kidney failure worldwide - systematically identifying those that point to a tendency for IgA nephropathy, or a protection against it.

6 Apr 2011

Adipocytes associated with breast cancer could amplify 'aggressive' effect of tumors in obese patients

Apart from its direct effect on health (such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes), obesity is increasingly suspected of playing a role in the prognosis of breast cancer and, in particular, its propensity to spread. However, no direct cause and effect relationship had been demonstrated until now. This breakthrough has finally been made through the collaborative work of two teams of researchers from Inserm, CNRS and the Université Paul Sabatier.

6 Apr 2011