Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Lack of sleep a factor in childhood obesity

According to the latest research not getting enough sleep can increase a child's risk of being overweight.

7 Feb 2007

Combined effects of aging and obesity epidemic results in bigger body size among the elderly

When it comes to body fat, today's older adults face a double whammy, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues. Up until age 80, older adults not only gain fat as they age -- but because of the obesity epidemic -- they actually begin their older years fatter.

7 Feb 2007

Soft drink giants head to court over claims about new drink

A nonprofit consumer watchdog group the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is taking soft drinks giants Coca-Cola and Nestle to court for making fraudulent claims about a new drink.

5 Feb 2007

Current obesity prevention campaigns not hitting the mark with parents

Researchers with Deakin's Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research surveyed more than 1200 families to find out if parents had concerns about their children's weight and if they took any preventative action to avoid obesity in their children.

5 Feb 2007

TV + teenagers = high blood pressure

Teenagers who spend a lot of time planted in front of the TV are more likely to have higher blood pressure, regardless of whether they are overweight.

5 Feb 2007

Gastric surgery the latest idea in the U.S. to resolve obesity in children

The popularity of stomach surgery in the United States to resolve obesity has greatly increased in the last few years but operating on obese children has rarely been done because of the considerable risks involved.

5 Feb 2007

Poor mums more likely to become obese

A new study in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, reveals how women from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds are most at risk of developing maternal obesity.

4 Feb 2007

Binge eating more widespread than anorexia and bulimia

Researchers at Harvard University Medical School have found as a result of a national survey that binge eating is far more common than anorexia and bulimia.

1 Feb 2007

Effect of physical activities on knee osteoarthritis in older adults

Regular exercise is recommended for middle-aged and older people, but the effect of exercise on the development of osteoarthritis (OA) in older people is unclear, especially if they are overweight.

31 Jan 2007

Natural fibre may help overweight achieve a healthy body weight

It sounds almost too good to be true, but Dr. Raylene Reimer, a researcher at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Kinesiology, believes she may have found an important weapon in the war against obesity.

31 Jan 2007

Weight loss supplement - conjugated linoleic acid - shows nasty side effects

A supplement some people turn to in hopes of losing a few pounds may have some previously unknown, unsavory side effects, suggest two new studies.

30 Jan 2007

SH2B1 protein plays a key role in controlling body weight, response to insulin and leptin

A single protein in brain cells may act as a linchpin in the body's weight-regulating system, playing a key role in the flurry of signals that govern fat storage, sugar use, energy balance and weight, University of Michigan Medical School researchers report.

29 Jan 2007

Alternative to artery-clogging trans fats

Alejandro's research group found a way to mix oil, water, monoglycerides and fatty acids to form a gel substance that provides the same structural and functional benefits as trans and saturated fats.

28 Jan 2007

Linemen more than twice as likely as other players to have metabolic syndrome

After retirement, National Football League (NFL) linemen - generally the heaviest players - are more than twice as likely as other players to have a syndrome that puts them at risk for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases

28 Jan 2007

Healthy 4 year-olds who eat lots of fat weigh less

Four-year-olds eat too few vegetables and too much sugar. They also bolt down lots of junk food, but children who eat more fat than others nevertheless weigh less. This is shown in a new dissertation from the Sahlgrenska Academy at Goteborg University in Sweden.

28 Jan 2007

Melanin concentrating hormone found to be involved with insulin production

A new Joslin Diabetes Center-led study has shown conclusively that a neuropeptide, melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), found in the brain and known for its role in increasing appetite in people, plays a role in the growth of insulin-producing beta cells and the secretion of insulin.

28 Jan 2007

Health inequalities in Britain

Tackling health inequalities in Britain needs closer co-ordination between all major policy areas including health, education, housing, employment and taxation, according to the authors of a new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) publication.

23 Jan 2007