Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Resveratrol stimulates expression of adiponectin hormone: Study

Resveratrol, a compound in grapes, displays antioxidant and other positive properties. In a study published this week, researchers at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio describe a novel way in which resveratrol exerts these beneficial health effects.

10 Jan 2011

Positive PK study results from ECLIPSE trial against cardiovascular disease

Omthera Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held emerging specialty pharmaceuticals company, today announced data from its ECLIPSE trial, designed to evaluate the bioavailability of Epanova™, the Company's lead compound for the treatment of very high triglycerides, in comparison to Lovaza®, the leading prescription Omega 3.

10 Jan 2011

U-M lab ranks No. 1 in protein structure and function prediction in scientific competition

The University of Michigan Health System took top honors in the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction, a biennial scientific competition to test protein structure and function prediction methods developed by laboratories all over the world.

10 Jan 2011

Study finds link between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and stroke

People suffering from fatty liver disease may be three times more likely to suffer a stroke than individuals without fatty liver, according to a study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the London Health Sciences Centre.

10 Jan 2011

Entelos receives U.S. Patent for Predictive Toxicology for Biological Systems

Entelos, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent No. 7,853,406 entitled "Predictive Toxicology for Biological Systems" to the Company.

9 Jan 2011

ASBP raises concern over FDA recommendations to lower BMI requirements for lap-band surgery

The American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) is concerned that the FDA advisory panel recommended lowering the BMI requirement for lap-band surgery, while the FDA recently denied two new obesity medications. Bariatric surgery is drastic and expensive and carries higher morbidity and mortality risks than lifestyle interventions or medication. Patients who could have otherwise lost weight in a non-surgical medical bariatric program may now be encouraged to skip medical therapy and jump directly to surgery.

7 Jan 2011

Regular blood test shows pre-diabetes risk factors, reduces treatment costs

A simpler form of testing individuals with risk factors for diabetes could improve diabetes prevention efforts by substantially increasing the number of individuals who complete testing and learn whether or not they are likely to develop diabetes.

7 Jan 2011

Extreme obesity a powerful risk factor for death among 2009 H1N1 patients

For those infected with the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, extreme obesity was a powerful risk factor for death, according to an analysis of a public health surveillance database. In a study to be published in the February 1, 2011, issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers associated extreme obesity with a nearly three-fold increased odds of death from 2009 H1N1 influenza. Half of Californians greater than 20 years of age hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 were obese.

7 Jan 2011

Isis Pharmaceuticals announces addition of two new drugs to development pipeline

Isis Pharmaceuticals, announced today that it has added two new drugs to its development pipeline, ISIS-FGFR4Rx and ISIS-STAT3Rx.

7 Jan 2011

Liver transplant recipients develop PTMS, face high risk of cardiovascular disease

Researchers from Israel have determined that more than half of liver transplant recipients develop post-transplantation metabolic syndrome, placing them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

7 Jan 2011

Tomatoes contain nutrient which prevents vascular diseases

They are the most widely produced fruit in the world and now scientists in Japan have discovered that tomatoes contain a nutrient which could tackle the onset of vascular diseases. The research, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, reveals that an extracted compound, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic, has anti-dyslipidemic affects.

6 Jan 2011

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals announces clinical trial, mechanistic study results of LX4211

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, announced data from a recently completed clinical trial and mechanistic study of a solid oral dose formulation for LX4211, a dual inhibitor of sodium-glucose co-transporters 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT2).

6 Jan 2011

Research: Tomatoes can tackle onset of vascular diseases

They are the most widely produced fruit in the world and now scientists in Japan have discovered that tomatoes contain a nutrient which could tackle the onset of vascular diseases.

6 Jan 2011

Pros and cons of weight loss surgery in men and women

Women who underwent gastric band surgery to lose weight reported significant improvements in urinary function and quality of life after the operation, according to research published in the January issue of the urology journal BJUI.

6 Jan 2011

Positive topline results from ZGN-433 Phase 1b study in obesity patients

Zafgen, a pharmaceutical company pioneering novel obesity therapeutics to help the body regain and sustain a lean, healthy state by targeting imbalances in fat metabolism, today announced positive topline results from its Phase 1b study of ZGN-433, a methionine aminopeptidase 2 inhibitor, for the treatment of severe obesity.

6 Jan 2011

Avaxia Biologics generates compelling pre-clinical data in animal models of IBD

Avaxia Biologics, Inc., a privately-held biotech company developing an innovative platform technology to deliver orally-active antibodies to the gastrointestinal tract, announced today that it has generated compelling pre-clinical data in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease.

6 Jan 2011

Study explores 26 school-based nutrition interventions in the US

Thanks to the Let's Move initiative, society is becoming more aware of alarming statistics like 1 in 4 children are obese and childhood obesity has nearly doubled over the past two decades! With this platform, nutrition education and physical activity in the classroom have taken the forefront against this growing epidemic. A study in the January/February 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores twenty-six school-based nutrition interventions in the United States.

6 Jan 2011