Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

BMI training course launched by Anthem Blue Cross to tackle childhood obesity

In a continued effort to keep screening for childhood obesity at the forefront, Anthem Blue Cross' State Sponsored Business launched an innovative on-line Body Mass Index (BMI) training course featuring a virtual BMI wheel and web-based interactive practice sessions to help provide hands-on experience.

3 Oct 2009

Dapagliflozin with metformin reduces glycosylated hemoglobin level and body weight

Results from a 24-week phase 3 clinical study demonstrated that the investigational drug dapagliflozin, added to metformin, demonstrated significant mean reductions in the primary endpoint, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) and in the secondary endpoint, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone, as compared to placebo plus metformin.

3 Oct 2009

Study reveals disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women

A study released by Kaiser Permanente indicates that while the rate of cesarean-section (CS) deliveries for first-time moms has continued to increase over the last ten years, there is a disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women.

3 Oct 2009

Orexigen's Empatic Phase 2b results demonstrate weight loss

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that its 24-week, Phase 2b trial for Empatic(TM) (bupropion SR/zonisamide SR), the Company's second late stage investigational combination drug for the treatment of obesity, met its primary efficacy endpoint by demonstrating statistically significantly greater weight loss for both Empatic doses compared to monotherapies and placebo.

1 Oct 2009

Program to improve the lives of parents and children

Kids’ Turn (KT,) a San Francisco-based non-profit organization today announced results of a landmark study by Dr. Jeffrey Cookson, Department of Psychology at San Francisco State University.

1 Oct 2009

FASgen receives $1.4 million SBIR Phase II NIH grant for obesity research

FASgen, Inc. is pleased to announce that it was awarded a new $1.4 million SBIR Phase II NIH grant for continued research for obesity. FASgen has for some time had extensive research into the effects of inhibition of the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway on the regulation of appetite and weight loss.

1 Oct 2009

Altered state physiology drug development platform to treat an array of human conditions

David H. Fater, CEO of Vicor Technologies, Inc., today announced that on July 23, 2009, the Australian Patent Office issued it a Deed of Letters Patent for its altered state physiology drug development platform. Vicor Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on the commercialization of innovative, non-invasive medical devices and diagnostics using its patented, proprietary PD2i® nonlinear algorithm and software to stratify patients at risk of sudden cardiac death and trauma victims in need of lifesaving intervention.

1 Oct 2009

Patients with serious mental illness need to be treated for physical and mental health

New research backs up the demand to integrate psychiatric care with primary care services for people with serious mental disorders in Ontario, according to a study published today. "Patients need their care providers to close that gap," says lead author Dr. Russell Callaghan of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto.

1 Oct 2009

Peanuts can help control obesity in children

A landmark study published in Obesity shows that, 80% of high-risk adolescents decreased or maintained weight, while almost 65% of the control group gained at one year.

1 Oct 2009

Research study on teens who underwent laparoscopic bypass surgery

According to a recent study of clinical characteristics of teens who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery from 2002 until 2007, doctors may have a much narrower window of opportunity to reverse morbid obesity in teens than previously thought.

30 Sep 2009

‘Sugar Free’ TV show receives significant interest from global television program distributors

Muscle Flex Inc. (PINKSHEETS: MFLI) (www.MuscleFlexInc.com) and Sterling Worldwide Entertainment, LLC (www.SterlingWWE.com), a subsidiary of Visual Industries, Inc., jointly announced today that their television show "Sugar Free," which is currently in pre-production, has received significant expressions of interest from global television program distributors and have engaged the interested media conglomerates in discussions regarding the show.

30 Sep 2009

Metabolic syndrome related to elevated levels of liver enzymes in obese teenagers

Researchers studying a large sample of adolescent American boys have found an association between metabolic syndrome, which is a complication of obesity, and elevated liver enzymes that mark potentially serious liver disease.

30 Sep 2009

Vitae receives 11Beta-HSD-1 program milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim

Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated discovery and development company, today announced that it has earned an $8 million milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim for achievement of a performance milestone in their 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)-1 diabetes and metabolic disease strategic alliance.

29 Sep 2009

AAP receives grant to promote awareness on childhood obesity

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announces that it has been awarded a $250,000 grant from MetLife Foundation, to promote community and regional approaches to obesity prevention. Through the grant, AAP will launch two national grant programs, which are focused on encouraging both established pediatricians and pediatricians-in-training to develop collaborative methods to educate communities about the health effects of childhood obesity.

29 Sep 2009

Januvia in combination with metformin or taken alone lowers blood sugar

A post-hoc analysis, presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), of data pooled from studies of 104 weeks in duration showed ‘Januvia’ (sitagliptin), when taken alone or in combination with metformin, provided significant blood sugar lowering over two years.

29 Sep 2009

Leptin can determine osteoarthritis in obese patients

The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight.

29 Sep 2009

Obesity due to leptin deficiency plays major role in knee osteoarthritis

In 2005 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that globally 400 million adults were obese, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater. WHO projects that by 2015 there will be more than 700 million obese adults worldwide. Obesity is considered to be one of the greatest risk factors for osteoarthritis, a progressive musculoskeletal disorder that is characterized by loss of joint cartilage.

29 Sep 2009