Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

New insight into reprogramming of cells

A discovery by Babraham scientists brings new insight into how cells are reprogrammed and a greater understanding of how the environment, or factors like nutritional signals, can interact with our genes to affect health. As an embryo develops, cells acquire a particular fate, for example becoming a nerve or skin cell. The findings, reported online in the journal Nature, pinpoint a protein called AID as being important for complete cellular reprogramming in mammals.

28 Jan 2010

Alli boosts weight loss and reduces excess visceral fat

New studies show that overweight and obese people using alli® (orlistat 60 mg) with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet can significantly reduce weight, visceral fat, and waist circumference and therefore may reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke.

28 Jan 2010

Majority of Americans agree monetary stress can negatively affect health

As we enter a new decade with the hope of rebounding from one of the worst economic downturns in our history, a newly commissioned bank study confirms that nearly 90 percent of Americans agree that monetary stress can negatively affect one’s health. Even more women (91 percent) and older adults (92 percent of those 45 and older) link stress to concerns over money.

28 Jan 2010

GENFIT's GFT505 exhibits potential to address unmet needs in prediabetic and diabetic patients

GENFIT, a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of drug discovery and development, focusing on the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, today announces positive results from a recently completed clinical trial demonstrating the activity of GFT505 on glucose homeostasis. Results from the clinical trial (GFT505-2094) clearly demonstrate the potential of the drug candidate to reduce global cardiovascular risk in prediabetic patients who suffer from impaired fasting plasma glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and abdominal obesity.

28 Jan 2010

Amarin reviews 2009 accomplishments; outlines strategy for 2010 and beyond

Amarin Corporation plc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the treatment of cardiovascular disease, today issued a special letter to its shareholders.

28 Jan 2010

Virgin HealthMiles announces significant annual growth in 2009

Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of employee health and productivity programs that reward individuals for getting healthy, today announced significant annual growth in 2009, with a 30 percent year-over-year increase in new clients and a 163 percent year-over-year growth in the number of eligible program members.

28 Jan 2010

International congress reflects emerging importance of abdominal obesity

Clinical and basic science researchers from around the world will convene in Hong Kong from January 28 to 30 for the First International Congress on Abdominal Obesity: "Bridging the Gap between Cardiology and Diabetology."

28 Jan 2010

Safe natural extracts reduce hunger and help control appetite

Klaumwell Research Labs, LLC, U.S., a subsidiary of Italian multinational Medestea Internazionale, announced positive results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study published in the prestigious, peer-reviewed International Journal of Obesity which demonstrates the efficacy of key ingredients contained in a new appetite control spray. Fullfast™ is a clinically tested dietary supplement that helps reduce excessive feelings of hunger.

28 Jan 2010

TE can be accurately performed in majority of NAFLD patients to exclude advanced fibrosis

Researchers from France and Hong Kong determined that transient elastography (TE), a noninvasive, ultrasonic imaging modality, can be accurately performed in the majority of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to exclude advanced fibrosis. Full findings of this study, funded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, appear in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

27 Jan 2010

WellWorld Science officially launches Livea in the U.S.

After more than 30 years of research and an extensive open-label weight loss study, WellWorld Science® announces the official U.S. launch of Livea®, a doctor-developed, non-prescription, patent-pending appetite-control supplement that is unlike any other dietary supplement on the market.

27 Jan 2010

Study finds direct link between parental support and children’s physical activity

According to a new study, there is no direct link between parents' own level of physical activity, and how much their child may exercise. In fact, parents' perceptions of their children's athleticism are what have a direct impact on the children's activity.

27 Jan 2010

Extensive gap exists between primary care practice and obesity care

Using combined and intensive treatments and restructuring care to treat obesity like other chronic diseases may help primary care clinicians and patients better address the condition, according to a commentary and three articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

27 Jan 2010

Regular exercise associated with greater longevity and reduced risk of age-related conditions

Physical activity appears to be associated with a reduced risk or slower progression of several age-related conditions as well as improvements in overall health in older age, according to a commentary and four articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

27 Jan 2010

Trial results show primary care doctors are capable of helping obese patients to lose weight

Despite a general belief among physicians that extreme obesity is too difficult to treat, except with bariatric surgery, researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center have learned a substantial proportion of individuals with extreme obesity can lose 10-percent or more of their body weight through medical treatment that does not include surgery.

27 Jan 2010

NewHope Bariatrics Surgery Center receives AAAHC accreditation certificate

NewHope Bariatrics Surgery Center announced today that its new bariatric-focused surgery center in The Colony has received accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.

27 Jan 2010

Joint Commission urges hospitals to take steps to prevent pregnancy-related deaths

Pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure are putting women at greater risk for death during or shortly after pregnancy, according to a Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert issued today.

27 Jan 2010

Cinergy Health creates five steps to reduce childhood obesity

Cinergy Health, a nationwide health insurance agency providing guaranteed issue and short term major medical insurance programs, responds to the alarming rise in childhood obesity. One in three children in America is overweight or obese and one out of every five teenagers has a cholesterol level that increases the risk of heart disease.

27 Jan 2010

Ablation therapy better than drug therapy for heart rhythm disorder

Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, according to a landmark study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

27 Jan 2010

Findings may point toward potential therapies for type 2 diabetes

In people who put on a lot of weight, or whose bodies start developing the inability to use insulin effectively that leads toward type 2 diabetes, the pancreas typically ramps up its supply of insulin-generating "beta" cells, at least partly by replication of the existing cells.

27 Jan 2010

Obese children face increased risk of stroke and heart disease

By as early as 7 years of age, being obese may raise a child's risk of future heart disease and stroke, even in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

27 Jan 2010