Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Fitness level, not size or weight, may be more important determinant of women's risk of death

Obesity alone may no longer be linked to a high risk of death in women, according to research published in the Nov. 2010 Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. Researchers now suggest cardiovascular fitness level, not just a woman's size, may actually be the key predictor of health level and overall risk for death.

2 Nov 2010

Most hospital patients at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea

Eighty-one percent of hospital patients are at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, a Loyola University Health System study has found.

2 Nov 2010

XXXXL suits now on the racks: UK health experts concerned

In a worrying development Britain’s largest ‘off-the-peg’ suit - the XXXXL - has gone on sale, boasting a 64 inch chest jacket and 60 inch waist trousers. Health experts fear the development and say that a record 5.5 million overweight Britons are now officially on GP registers with an eight percent rise over last year.

1 Nov 2010

Allergan third quarter diluted loss per share increases to $2.21

Allergan, Inc. today announced operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. Allergan also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a third quarter dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on December 1, 2010 to stockholders of record on November 10, 2010.

1 Nov 2010

Researchers enforce to review current regulation on food advertisements

The researchers, in partnership with the Cancer Council, Australia, studied 12,618 food advertisements from 11 countries and found that 67 per cent endorsed unhealthy food. The research builds on a previous study at Liverpool which revealed that children would consume twice as many calories from snacks after watching food adverts compared to after viewing advertising for toys and games.

30 Oct 2010

Researchers discover agouti family gene regulates pigmentation, body weight

Researchers led by Vanderbilt's Roger Cone, Ph.D., have discovered a new member of a gene family that has powerful influences on pigmentation and the regulation of body weight.

30 Oct 2010

Study finds SBRT therapy delays pancreatic cancer progression

For pancreatic cancer patients unable to undergo surgery the only known cure for this form of cancer a highly targeted cancer radiation therapy may help slow cancer progression and lessen disease symptoms, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

30 Oct 2010

Study evaluates community weight loss campaign through online competition

In a time when deficits have reduced states' budgets and the services they can provide, a new study shows that the Internet might offer communities a low-cost way to motivate their overweight residents to lose pounds.

30 Oct 2010

State Watch: R.I. group experiments with payment reform; Ariz. dispute over abortion; Vt. and Feds to end monitoring of caregivers

The Providence (R.I.) Journal: "The Lifespan hospital group and Blue Cross have reached an agreement intended to gradually overturn the way hospital care is financed, with the goal of promoting health, rather than episodes of treatment. The agreement is the first to meet unique-in-the-nation rules from state Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller, who has identified hospital costs as the main reason for increases in health-insurance premiums.

30 Oct 2010

Study suggests curcumin may be an effective therapy for liver fibrosis

Curcumin, a chemical that gives curry its zing, holds promise in preventing or treating liver damage from an advanced form of a condition known as fatty liver disease, new Saint Louis University research suggests.

30 Oct 2010

Merck reports $342 million net income for 2010 third quarter

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter of $0.85, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, restructuring costs, merger-related expenses and a $950 million legal reserve.

29 Oct 2010

Majority of preschool children exceed screen time recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit combined screen time from television, DVDs, computers, and video games to 2 hours per day for preschool-age children.

29 Oct 2010

Number of beta cells remains static after age 30: Research

Beta cells, which make insulin in the human body, do not replicate after the age of 30, indicating that clinicians may be closer to better treating diabetes.

29 Oct 2010

Study finds impact of pre-transplant BMI on post liver transplant survival in pediatric population

A new study from the University of Washington reported obese children are at increased mortality risk in later years following primary liver transplantation (LT).

29 Oct 2010

Prominent scientist in mitochondrial genetics joins Children's Hospital to establish CMEM

Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D., a pioneer and internationally prominent scientist in the field of human mitochondrial genetics, has joined The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue his investigations into the role of mitochondrial energy in health and disease.

29 Oct 2010

VIVUS receives FDA CRL for QNEXA NDA

VIVUS, Inc. announced today that it received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its New Drug Application (NDA) for the investigational new drug QNEXA® (phentermine/topiramate) Controlled-Release Capsules. The FDA issued the CRL to communicate its decision that the NDA cannot be approved in its present form.

29 Oct 2010

Joined-up approach to evaluate childhood obesity programmes

A united front is needed to tackle childhood obesity effectively, according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire's Weight and Obesity Research Group.

28 Oct 2010

AAP recommends limiting screen time to 2 hours per day for preschool-age children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit combined screen time from television, DVDs, computers, and video games to 2 hours per day for preschool-age children. In a study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers found that many children are exposed to screen time both at home and while at child care, with 66% exceeding the recommended daily amount.

28 Oct 2010

Study examines children's tendencies toward food and development of obesity

When it comes to understanding where tendencies to overweight and obesity develop, you have to begin with the very young, says John Spence, a behavioural scientist in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta.

28 Oct 2010

New national campaign to drive awareness on DVT and PE prevention in women

As many as 600,000 people are affected by deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) every year, and more than half of those are never diagnosed. Some people experience swelling and varying levels of discomfort in the affected area, and some don't feel anything at all. But the symptoms of DVT can be similar to other conditions, like a pulled muscle, and because some people with DVT do not have any symptoms, there is often a delay in diagnosis. That's when DVT can be fatal.

28 Oct 2010