Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Health experts offer recommendation to improve school meal programs

More fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, less sodium and a limit on calories served per meal—those are just some of the recommendations a committee of experts has made on how to improve the nation’s school lunch and breakfast menus.

22 Dec 2009

Jamie Oliver to receive the 2010 TED Prize

Jamie Oliver, celebrity chef and standard-bearer in the fight against obesity and other diet related issues, has been announced as the recipient of the 2010 TED Prize, an award granting recipients $100,000 and something much bigger - an opportunity to realize a wish to change the world.

22 Dec 2009

Medical experts recognize surgery as legitimate and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes

A first-of-its-kind consensus statement by 50 medical experts from around the world has pronounced surgery to be a legitimate and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes, bringing the procedure a significant step closer to wider use and acceptance.

21 Dec 2009

Direct primary care amendment may offer affordable health care options for Americans

The U.S. Senate today made an important step that could expand health care coverage to more Americans while simultaneously reducing costs. The Manager's Amendment, introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this morning, includes a provision that would allow flat-fee direct primary care practices, in which patients pay a flat fee for primary and preventive care, to compete in the proposed insurance exchange. This will provide Americans more affordable health care options beyond traditional insurance.

21 Dec 2009

UAB professors honored for scientific contributions and outstanding mentorship

Three University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) professors have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

18 Dec 2009

White paper discussing investment opportunities related to the U.S. healthcare reform released

Rockefeller and Company - a leading global wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations and endowments - today released "The Investment Opportunities in Healthcare Reform," a white paper discussing the compelling investment opportunities related to the U.S. healthcare reform initiative.

18 Dec 2009

Immuno Laboratories and TRPN sign agreement to reduce chronic illness

Immuno Laboratories, a leading provider of food and environmental allergy testing services, announced an agreement with Three Rivers Provider Network (TRPN), the largest and fastest growing proprietary Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) network in the United States.

18 Dec 2009

SLIMR gastric band makes its debut in the US at Tooley Weight Wellness Clinic

An innovative weight loss program, the "SLIMR™ gastric band," is making its debut in the United States at the Tooley Weight Wellness Clinic in Torrance, California.

18 Dec 2009

Unigene Laboratories selects UGP281 lead peptide from obesity program for development

Unigene Laboratories, Inc. (http://www.unigene.com) announced today that it has selected a lead peptide compound, designated UGP281, from its obesity program for development.

18 Dec 2009

Access to convenience stores can pormote childhood obesity

Childhood obesity is directly related to how close kids live to convenience stores, according to the preliminary findings of a major Canadian study presented at the Entretiens Jacques-Cartier in Lyon, France. The ongoing study is named QUALITY for Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth.

18 Dec 2009

Attitudes of overweight and normal weight adults regarding exercise at health clubs

Time and time again, it has been documented that regular exercise has many health benefits including lowering risks associated with the comorbidities of obesity.

18 Dec 2009

Food health and safety stories top the list of memorable food stories of 2009

When Americans were asked which were the most memorable food stories of 2009, food health and safety stories topped the list.

17 Dec 2009

Santa Claus: A public health pariah?

Santa should share Rudolf's snack of carrots and celery sticks rather than brandy and mince pies and swap his reindeer for a bike or walk, says a public health expert in the Christmas issue published on bmj.com today.

17 Dec 2009

UK researchers encourage families to go for regular walks

Researchers from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Science at Loughborough University in the UK are today encouraging families worldwide to take more regular exercise together in the New Year following concerning research that shows two-thirds of people across the globe are not walking together as a family (68%), with the Portuguese being the least likely (71%) and Austrians (63%) most likely to walk together.

17 Dec 2009

FDA Advisory Committee votes against the approval of Tarceva

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) voted 12 to one recommending against approval of the daily pill Tarceva® (erlotinib) for first-line maintenance use in people with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose cancer has not progressed (grown or spread) following first-line treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.

17 Dec 2009

New learning collaborative for healthcare organizations

HealthSciences Institute will sponsor a new learning collaborative for health care professionals, teams and organizations who serve individuals at risk of, or affected by, chronic diseases in employer, health plan, medical home and other provider settings.

17 Dec 2009

Foods with anti-hunger aromas could become a new weapon to fight obesity

A real possibility does exist for developing a new generation of foods that make people feel full by releasing anti-hunger aromas during chewing, scientists in the Netherlands are reporting after a review of research on that topic. Such foods would fight the global epidemic of obesity with aromas that quench hunger and prevent people from overeating.

17 Dec 2009

Sara Lee plans to reduce salt in its top food brands

Sara Lee Corp. today announced it is committed to reducing salt an average of 20 percent over the next five years across its key categories of fresh bread, hot dogs, lunchmeat, breakfast foods and cooked sausage.

17 Dec 2009

Pistachios can decrease inflammation and cardiovascular disease

New research published online, December 10, 2009 indicates that bioactive compounds in pistachios, and molecules present in pistachios, have anti-inflammatory properties.

17 Dec 2009

Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic team up to explore metabolic syndrome

Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic in Arizona are joining forces in a partnership to investigate metabolic syndrome - a cluster of high-risk medical factors that include increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

16 Dec 2009