Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

NIH awards two new grants to develop Avidocin platform

AvidBiotics today announced the receipt of two new grants totaling $1 million dollars from the National Institutes of Health that further the development of the company's novel Avidocin™ platform for narrow spectrum antibacterial proteins against important health care threats. These grants add to three previous grants covering AvidBiotics' anti-infectious disease technologies, which provide approximately $3.4 million in currently active funding for the company.

15 Oct 2010

IOM Report: Food nutrition labels should be simple, on front

The food industry should provide simple, clearly-worded nutrition information on the front of food packages, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

15 Oct 2010

Waist circumference predicts long-term cardio-metabolic health risks in children: Research

A new long-term study published by researchers at the University of Georgia, the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart, Australia and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia suggests that waist circumference, rather than the commonly used body mass index measure, is the best clinical measure to predict a child's risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes later in life.

15 Oct 2010

Study finds multiple genetic variations can contribute to common childhood obesity

A new study uncovers multiple genetic variations associated with common childhood obesity. The research, published by Cell Press on October 14th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, is likely to guide future studies aimed at characterizing the affected genes and unraveling the complex biology that underlies childhood obesity.

15 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 14, 2010

Today's headlines examine the Obama administration's efforts to work with insurers to keep coverage options for children, the latest campaign news on the health overhaul and a major government crackdown on a Medicare fraud ring.

14 Oct 2010

The Shriver Report reveals AD’s epidemic effect on women

Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association the leader in Alzheimer's care, support and research today released The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's. This groundbreaking report reveals the epidemic's effect on women as caregivers, advocates and people living with this disease.

14 Oct 2010

Highlighting calories, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium in food packaging nutrition rating systems needed

Nutrition rating systems and symbols on the fronts of food packaging would be most useful to shoppers if they highlighted four nutrients of greatest concern - calories, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium - says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. These food components are routinely overconsumed and associated most strongly with diet-related health problems affecting many Americans, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

14 Oct 2010

U.S. Bone and Joint Decade observes National Action Week

An annual global event, Bone and Joint National Action Week is held October 12-20 with activities focused on disorders including arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis, and the effects of childhood obesity on the musculoskeletal system. Events and projects organized worldwide are designed to raise awareness of prevention, disease management and treatments. In the United States, the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade represents the global initiative.

14 Oct 2010

AGA's new book offers strategies to reduce IBS symptoms

A new book from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) offers patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a variety of strategies to lessen the burden that IBS puts on their everyday lives. IBS is a common disorder of the intestines that leads to crampy pain, gassiness, bloating and changes in bowel habits; there is no cure. The new book, "Master Your IBS," includes a variety of strategies to help patients learn how to manage their IBS symptoms and achieve greater freedom from IBS.

14 Oct 2010

News outlets report on sessions at World Health Summit

As the World Health Summit continues in Berlin, some media outlets wrote about the discussions taking place.

14 Oct 2010

Dangers of over the counter 'natural' slimming products

The desire for a quick-fix for obesity fuels a lucrative market in so-called natural remedies. But a study of medical records in Hong Kong revealed 66 cases where people were suspected to have been poisoned by a "natural" slimming therapy. In eight cases the people became severely ill, and in one case the person died. The study is published today in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

14 Oct 2010

Watermelon effective against prehypertension

No matter how you slice it, watermelon has a lot going for it -- sweet, low calorie, high fiber, nutrient rich -- and now, there's more. Evidence from a pilot study led by food scientists at The Florida State University suggests that watermelon can be an effective natural weapon against prehypertension, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.

14 Oct 2010

Researchers propose Nintendo Wii gaming to control gestational diabetes in women

Many women have trouble finding time to exercise in their busy lifestyles. That's especially true for pregnant women who live in northern climates such as Canada, where the weather can limit outdoor activity during winter months every year. But exercise is critical to managing gestational diabetes, a growing problem that occurs in 2 to 9 per cent of pregnancies.

14 Oct 2010

Bariatric surgery reduces healthcare costs for morbidly obese diabetics

New data presented today at Obesity 2010, the 28th annual scientific meeting of The Obesity Society, find that bariatric surgery is associated with reduced healthcare costs for diabetes patients who are morbidly obese.

13 Oct 2010

Metabolic screening before conception predicts development of diabetes in subsequent pregnancy

Cardio-metabolic risk factors such as high blood sugar and insulin, and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol that are present before pregnancy, predict whether a woman will develop diabetes during a future pregnancy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the current issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

13 Oct 2010

Kuwait Healthy Life Study to examine metabolic health in children

In the face of a dramatic worldwide increase in adolescent obesity and Type 2 diabetes, The Forsyth Institute today announced a research alliance with the Dasman Diabetes Institute of Kuwait to initiate studies that could lay a scientific basis for prevention. This collaboration, called The Kuwait Healthy Life Study, will examine conditions in children that predispose them to obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

13 Oct 2010

Australian women stressed and overweight: Survey

In a poll known as “Australia's Biggest Health Check” 26,000 responders showed that Australia's women feel stressed out and unfit and overworked. It also shows that they have barely half an hour of leisure time per day and the mismatch between how much sex women want versus what they get. The survey was promoted via two magazines - Women's Health and Prevention - and also had the backing of Priceline and the Seven Network’s Sunrise program. There were 24,500 women and 1,500 men in on the poll.

12 Oct 2010

Dr. Phil helps lose weight with meals from BistroMD

In its all-new season, Dr. Phil is tackling more challenges, and helping more guests achieve their personal dreams of losing weight with meals from BistroMD. On the show airing Tuesday, October 12th, the Dr. Phil housewives are opening up, getting real, and taking the first big steps towards living healthier and happier lives.

12 Oct 2010

EMA approves TWYNSTA therapy that reduces BP in hypertensive patients

Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that the European Commission confirmed the positive opinion of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approving TWYNSTA. TWYNSTA is indicated for the treatment of hypertension in adults whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled on amlodipine or as replacement therapy in adult patients receiving telmisartan and amlodipine from separate tablets containing the same component doses.

12 Oct 2010

Global study finds new set of genes associated with body fat distribution and obesity

Two major international studies looking at data from a quarter of a million people around the globe have found a new set of genes associated with body fat distribution and obesity. Researchers at 280 institutions worldwide, including Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, conducted the studies. The research, published in the October 10 online edition of Nature Genetics, sheds light on the biological processes involved in body fat distribution, possibly leading to new ways of treating obesity.

12 Oct 2010