Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Researchers study link between obesity and risk of periodontal disease

This is the question asked by a team of investigators from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Puerto Rico, reporting their findings during the 87th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, convening at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

6 Apr 2009

Possible increase in colon cancer after start of folic acid fortification

The rate of colorectal cancer in Chile may have increased since that country began fortifying wheat flour with folic acid, reports a study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

5 Apr 2009

Big men more susceptible to atrial fibrillation

Older men who were big during their 20s face an increased risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation, or abnormal heart rhythm. New research from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, reveals that height and weight are both factors.

4 Apr 2009

URMC to trial minimally invasive device that 'reins in' acid reflux

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is one of 15 specialized sites across the U.S. and Europe gearing up to trial a new implantable device that could bring relief to the estimated 25 million American adults who suffer from daily heartburn.

4 Apr 2009

Bariatric surgery shows potential for resolving type 2 diabetes

As the incidence of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to increase worldwide, medical research indicates that surgery to reduce obesity can completely eliminate all manifestations of diabetes.

2 Apr 2009

Scientists detect molecular obesity link to insulin resistance, type II diabetes

A molecular switch found in the fat tissue of obese mice is a critical factor in the development of insulin resistance, report scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

2 Apr 2009

Eating a low energy density diet can offset influence of obesity gene

Children who carry a gene strongly associated with obesity could offset its effect by eating a low energy density diet, according to new research from UCL (University College London) and the University of Bristol published in PLoS ONE.

2 Apr 2009

Multiple childhood maltreatments lead to underage binge drinking

Researchers from Boston University found that multiple types of child maltreatment are robust risk factors for underage binge drinking based on a national multi-year study that explored the influence of social environment on the health of adolescents.

2 Apr 2009

Urban design and fast-food density affect residents' weight and waist size

In a research article published recently by the American Journal of Epidemiology, Oregon Research Institute (ORI) scientist Fuzhong Li, Ph.D., and colleagues show that a high-density of fast food outlets was associated with an increase of 3 pounds in weight and .8 inches in waist circumference among neighborhood residents who frequently ate at those restaurants.

2 Apr 2009

Drugs that act on 'fasting signal' may curb insulin resistance in obese

A report in the March issue of Cell Metabolism , a Cell Press publication, has found that a signal known to play a role during fasting also switches on early in the fat tissue of obese mice as they progress toward type 2 diabetes.

2 Apr 2009

Young vegetarians may have healthier diets but could be at risk for disordered eating behaviors

Although adolescent and young adult vegetarians may eat a healthier diet, there is some evidence that they may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors.

1 Apr 2009

Blocking hunger hormone helps fight cocaine addiction

UC Irvine pharmacological researchers have discovered that blocking a hormone related to hunger regulation can limit cocaine cravings.

1 Apr 2009

Discovery of new fat-fighting pathway

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a process that controls the amount of fat that cells store for use as a back-up energy source.

1 Apr 2009

CeNeRx BioPharma awarded patent for novel compounds that selectively target peripheral cannabinoid receptors

CeNeRx BioPharma, Inc. has announced issuance of a new U.S. patent covering its novel compounds that selectively target peripheral cannabinoid receptors.

1 Apr 2009

People will make healthier choices if restaurants provide nutritional data

As more and more Americans eat meals outside the home, the country also faces an epidemic of obesity.

1 Apr 2009

HHS report says health reform vital to U.S. economy as costs rise, quality of care worsens

Comprehensive health care reform is necessary this year because of rising costs and the declining quality of care, according to an HHS report released on Monday, Reuters/Boston Globe reports.

31 Mar 2009

University of Nottingham back pain study wins prestigious research prize

A study aimed at overcoming problems with treatments for a common cause of back pain has picked up one of the most prestigious prizes in spinal research.

31 Mar 2009

Schizophrenics at increased risk for type 2 diabetes

People with schizophrenia are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers have found.

30 Mar 2009

New York Times examines challenges faced by a Minneapolis hospital that treats many Somali, Hispanic patients

The New York Times on Sunday profiled the Hennepin County Medical Center, a Minneapolis-based hospital that "offers an extraordinary vantage point on the ways immigrants are testing the American medical establishment."

30 Mar 2009

Childhood obesity may begin in early infancy

As childhood obesity continues its thirty-year advance from occasional curiosity to cultural epidemic, health care providers are struggling to find out why-and the reasons are many. Increasingly sedentary environments for both adults and children, as well as cheap and ubiquitous processed foods no doubt play a role, but researchers are finding more evidence that the first clues for childhood obesity may begin as far back as early infancy.

30 Mar 2009