Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

JRRD releases issue on pain

Effects of depression and pain severity on satisfaction in medical outpatients: Analysis of the Medical Outcomes Study, pg. 143 Patient satisfaction is a critical measure of healthcare quality.

1 Jun 2007

FASgen announces new diagnostic test for steatohepititis

FASgen Inc. announced it has successfully expanded the potential use for its serum FAS (fatty acid synthase) ELISA diagnostic research test, FAS-Detect ELISA for the identification of Non-Alcoholic Steatophepititis (NASH).

1 Jun 2007

Physical inactivity among children today at epidemic levels

A new University of Leicester study funded by the British Heart Foundation reveals that the level of physical inactivity among children today has reached epidemic levels.

30 May 2007

Caring for grandchildren does not have negative impacts on grandparents' health

Despite previous research findings that showed negative health impacts on grandmothers who care for their grandchildren, new research conducted by Linda Waite, the Lucy Flower Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, and researchers at three other universities shows caring for grandchildren generally does not have dramatic and widespread negative impacts on grandparents' health.

30 May 2007

Couch potato kids will suffer later with years of ill-health

According to British researchers lazy children are setting themselves up for years of ill-health because they are not active enough.

29 May 2007

Link found between gastric bypass and several serious neurological conditions

A decade-long study by neurologists at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock has found a link between the increasingly popular weight-loss surgery known as gastric bypass and several serious neurological conditions.

24 May 2007

Transplanting human gut bugs into mice helps understanding of metabolic system

Bugs found in the guts of humans, which play an important part in people's metabolic makeup, have been transplanted into mice to further understanding of the human and animal metabolic system, reveals a new study in the journal Molecular Systems Biology.

24 May 2007

Sleep apnea is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy-induced hypertension

Sleep apnea is associated with a greatly increased incidence of pregnancy-induced diabetes and high blood pressure, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Wednesday, May 22.

24 May 2007

Obese people more likely to have persistent or severe persistent asthma

A new study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference finds that obese people are significantly more likely to have persistent or severe persistent asthma than their thinner counterparts.

24 May 2007

Obstructive sleep apnea increases a person's risk of having a heart attack

The nighttime breathing disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea increases a person's risk of having a heart attack or dying by 30% over a period of four to five years, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Monday, May 21.

22 May 2007

Macrophages may have role blocking obesity

Macrophages - the scavenger cells of the body's immune system - are known as troublemakers for the role they play in obesity, but Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have found that the cells can also be saviors when it comes to metabolism.

22 May 2007

Impact of lifestyle on GI health

According to new research presented at Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW), lifestyle factors like choosing your diet regimen or ordering an appetizer for dinner may have a significant impact on the gastrointestinal (GI) system, affecting your risk for certain diseases, weight and general GI-related activity.

22 May 2007

Child obesity boom in China

Childhood obesity is widely recognised as a major contributor towards cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep disorders, and psychological and social problems.

22 May 2007

Healthy body weight throughout life prevents onset of physical disability later in life

Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout adulthood may help prevent or delay the onset of physical disability as we age, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

22 May 2007

FDA in trouble over widely used diabetic drug Avandia

A diabetes pill which has been widely used since 1999 is now suspected of increasing the risk of heart attacks for those taking it.

22 May 2007

Circadian clock gene plays role in weight gain

Scientists at the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Wisconsin have discovered that a gene that participates in the regulation of the body's biological rhythms may also be a major control in regulating metabolism.

18 May 2007

One kilogram higher birth weight associated with a 10-20% reduced risk of heart disease later in life

Dr Rachel Huxley, lead author of the paper and Acting Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle at The George Institute said, "Although there was support for a small association between birth weight and an individual's future risk of heart disease, the relationship is not as strong as earlier studies have suggested.

18 May 2007

Merits and risks of postmenopausal hormone therapy

The study was categorized as a primary prevention trial for coronary heart disease, although the fact that mean age at recruitment was 63 years was not given enough importance at that time. WHI investigators concluded that hormone therapy (HT) was not cardioprotective, and, in fact, its riskbenefit ratio did not favor the use of postmenopausal hormones for prevention of chronic diseases.

17 May 2007

Vertical work-stations could help obese lose weight

Vertical work-stations, incorporating a treadmill, could help obese employees shed up to 30 kg in weight every year, suggests a small study published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

16 May 2007

Cronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major and increasing global health epidemic

Cronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major and increasing global health epidemic that has received insufficient attention from the health-care profession, governments, and the pharmaceutical industry, argues Professor Peter Barnes, one of the world's leading experts on lung disease.

16 May 2007