Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Boston Scientific's ACUITY Break-Away Lead Delivery System receives FDA clearance

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance of the ACUITY Break-Away Lead Delivery System for use with cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers, both of which treat heart failure.

14 May 2010

Data on Qnexa to be presented at World Congress on CODHy in Prague

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that data on Qnexa, an investigational drug candidate, will be presented at the 3rd World Congress on Controversies to Consensus in Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension in Prague, Czech Republic.

13 May 2010

Parents must step up as role models against childhood obesity, says physical education teacher

Over the past 20 years, physical education teacher Terry Wade has seen a dramatic change in her students. Childhood obesity is rampant, and lack of exercise and overeating is leading to serious health problems in kids. What to do? Step up as role models and lead by example, says Wade, who is also a volunteer coordinator for the youth fitness and nutrition program Marathon Kids.

13 May 2010

Michelle Obama releases plan to 'reverse childhood obesity'

USA Today: "First lady Michelle Obama unveiled a plan today to 'reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity' and called for help from governments, schools and businesses as well as the families themselves. ... Obama and her aides released a task force report titled Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation. The goal, she said, is to 'ensure that our children can have the healthy lives and the bright futures that they deserve'" (Jackson, 5/11)

13 May 2010

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Today's headlines include reports about new congressional budget office projections that increase the 10-year costs of the health overhaul law.

12 May 2010

Merck hosts R&D and Business Briefing

Merck & Co., Inc. today hosted its first R&D and Business Briefing since the completion of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. The event included a comprehensive review of the company's late-stage pipeline, as well as the company's commercial strategy and progress made in the integration of Merck's worldwide operations.

12 May 2010

Children who eat lunch as part of NSLP have increased likelihood of becoming overweight: Research

With obesity becoming an epidemic among school-aged children in this country, a Georgia State University professor has found a link between overweight children and federal school nutrition programs.

12 May 2010

International Dairy Foods Association issues statement on Childhood Obesity Report

The International Dairy Foods Association issued the following statement by Connie Tipton, president and CEO, regarding today's Report to the President by the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity:

12 May 2010

Researchers develop anti-angiogenic molecule SR16388 for treatment of MM

SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced today that researchers have developed an anti-angiogenic molecule SR16388 that has demonstrated preclinical antitumor activity against multiple myeloma.

12 May 2010

TFAH commends Childhood Obesity Task Force's report

Trust for America's Health commends the Childhood Obesity Task Force's report, Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation, which includes proposed recommendations for reducing the rate of childhood obesity from 17% to 5% by 2030. The report includes a total of 70 recommendations for specific action steps, many of which can be implemented right away and are minimal or no-cost.

12 May 2010

Brookdale Senior Living announces sale of 10,000,000 shares by Fortress Investment Group affiliates

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. announced today the sale of an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares of its common stock by certain affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC. The Company will not sell any shares in the offering and will not receive any of the proceeds from the offering. Subject to customary conditions, the offering is expected to close on May 17, 2010.

12 May 2010

CHD mortality rate in Ontario decreased by 35%: Study

From 1994 to 2005 in Ontario, Canada, there was a 35 percent decrease in the rate of deaths from coronary heart disease, with about half of this reduction associated with improvements in traditional CHD risk factors such as total cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure, according to a study in the May 12 issue of JAMA.

12 May 2010

Minimum-wage employees more likely to be obese than those who earn higher wages: UC Davis study

A new UC Davis study has found that minimum-wage employees are more likely to be obese than those who earn higher wages, adding to growing evidence that being poor is a risk factor for unhealthy weight.

12 May 2010

Orexigen Therapeutics first-quarter net loss decreases to $14.1 million

Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2010. For the quarter ended March 31, 2010, Orexigen reported a net loss of $14.1 million, or $0.30 per share attributable to common stockholders, as compared to a net loss of $19.3 million, or $0.56 per share attributable to common stockholders, for the first quarter of 2009.

11 May 2010

People with family history of diabetes gain more weight

In the first study of its type, Australian researchers have shown that healthy people with a genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes gain more weight overeating over the short term than their non-genetically-prone counterparts.

11 May 2010

Nuts added to unhealthy diets can still reduce cholesterol and benefit the heart

It has been known for a while now that eating nuts regularly offers cardiovascular benefits. Now a new study has established the fact that a regular intake of nuts can lead to better and healthier cholesterol levels.

10 May 2010

Genetic link to risk for diabetes and weight gain: New study

A recent study published in the international journal Diabetologia showed that Australians who eat too many high fat snacks tend to put on more weight if they have someone in their family with diabetes.

10 May 2010

Harbor BioSciences reports encouraging results from Triolex Phase IIa trials

Harbor Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, metabolic and inflammatory diseases, today released an update to its development program for Triolex to treat obesity-induced insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

10 May 2010

NIAMS, NINDS announce 5-year, $7.5M natural history study of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) are launching a five-year, $7.5 million natural history study of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), a degenerative genetically-linked neuromuscular disease. The study aims to validate non-invasive approaches to monitor the progression and treatment of Duchenne, and holds potential to facilitate the development of promising new therapies for people with the disease.

10 May 2010

Groups vie for a piece of health law's $15 billion prevention fund

Kaiser Health News staff writer Julie Appleby reports: "If you had $15 billion to spend on preventing disease in the U.S., where do you think it would do the most good? Fighting obesity? Smoking? Maybe encouraging exercise?

10 May 2010