Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Parents oblivious to their children's weight problems

Two new studies show that many children are at high risk for diabetes and premature heart disease, according to British and U.S. reports here today at the American Diabetes Association's 64th Annual Scientific Sessions.

5 Jun 2004

Sport to tackle child obesity

Manchester Metropolitan University is tackling the problem of child obesity and malnutrition with a unique series of fitness classes.

3 Jun 2004

Growing problem of obesity in women from developing countries

Increasing obesity threatens to undermine the health of women in nations previously not known for a growing percentage of overweight citizens, the researchers say. As the amount of available food grows in most countries, the condition is becoming a greater issue for poorer women than for richer ones.

2 Jun 2004

One-third of the calories in the US diet comprised of junk food

A new analysis of the foods Americans eat finds that sugary snacks and sodas reign supreme over healthier options such as vegetables and fruit.

2 Jun 2004

Chronic diseases are the largest cause of death in the world

The rising global burden of chronic diseases needs a coordinated effort from policy makers, advocates and health professionals, according to a special communication in the June 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a theme issue on Global Health.

1 Jun 2004

Tobacco use and obesity more common among less educated and lowest income Americans

As America observed World No Tobacco Day today, the American Legacy Foundation released a new analysis showing America's most disadvantaged populations are carrying the burden of two major public health epidemics -- smoking and obesity.

1 Jun 2004

Greater the time spent in cars, higher the likelihood of obesity

A comprehensive study done by the Georgia Institute of Technology shows the built environment clearly relates to a person’s prospects for being overweight. Every additional 30 minutes a person spends in a car translates into a 3 percent greater chance of being obese.

31 May 2004

England has witnessed the fastest growth in obesity in Europe

Health Committee urges comprehensive raft of measures to combat the devastating threat to the nation’s health posed by obesity

30 May 2004

Obesity a priority says UK Health Secretary

Concerns over obesity will be addressed in the UK government's Public Health White Paper, Health Secretary John Reid said today following the publication of a Parliamentary report.

27 May 2004

Obesity affects women's employment success

Obesity contributes to various chronic medical problems, but new research on current and former welfare recipients indicates that obesity also affects women's employment success.

27 May 2004

Weight loss medication Xenical® more effective than lifestyle changes alone in managing weight

The weight loss medication Xenical® (orlistat) has been shown to be significantly more effective than lifestyle changes alone in managing weight in overweight adolescents, according to new study results presented today at ECO2004, Prague, Czech Republic.

27 May 2004

UK House of Commons Health Committee publishes its long-awaited Report on obesity

Obesity has grown by almost 400% in the last 25 years such that three-quarters of the adult population are now overweight or obese (around 22% are now obese). England has witnessed the fastest growth in obesity in Europe and childhood obesity has tripled in twenty years.

27 May 2004

Concerns over obesity will be addressed in the UK government's Public Health White Paper

Concerns over obesity will be addressed in the government's Public Health White Paper, Health Secretary John Reid said today following the publication of a Parliamentary report.

27 May 2004

Atkins announces new low-carbohydrate frozen pizzas

Atkins Nutritionals announced today the introduction of a new line of controlled-carbohydrate frozen pizzas. Atkins Quick Quisine(TM) Pizza is available in three varieties and will be distributed nationwide by Sara Lee Foods.

26 May 2004

Three year olds and upwards should have their blood pressure checked as part of routine examinations

Children as young as three years old should have their blood pressure checked as part of their routine pediatric examinations--according to new treatment guidelines to be presented at the American Society of Hypertension’s (ASH) Annual Scientific Meeting on Thursday, May 20, in New York City.

25 May 2004

Leading American and Russian endocrinologists hold joint meeting

A delegation of the nation's leading endocrinologists are in Moscow, Russia, this week for a historic joint meeting with the Russian Endocrinology Society.

25 May 2004

Global food and soft drinks industries must demonstrate their commitment towards promoting the health and wellbeing of their consumers

A positive step has been made towards action being taken to curb the rising diabetes and obesity epidemics, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) said as it welcomed the endorsement of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health by Health Ministers last weekend in Geneva.

25 May 2004

Women who are overweight or obese are more likely to receive a false-positive result on mammography screenings

Women who are overweight or obese are more likely to receive a false-positive result on mammography screenings than normal weight and underweight women, according to an article in the May 24 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

24 May 2004

Diet is responsible for up to 80,000 cases of cancer each year in the UK

Dr Tim Key, a principal scientist on the European diet study EPIC, says that around a third of these can be put down to alcohol and obesity alone. However, Dr Key says that the exact causes of the remaining two thirds are largely unknown.

24 May 2004

Some people more at risk of obesity due to genetic makeup

Some people may have a higher risk of obesity because they are genetically predisposed to overeat or lead a sedentary lifestyle, a leading Cancer Research UK scientist will told conference delegates last week.

24 May 2004