Weight Loss News and Research

Latest Weight Loss News and Research

Baptist Hospital extends discount for Lap-Band procedure for self-pay patients

To allow more patients the opportunity of affordable weight loss surgery, the Metabolic Surgery Center at Baptist Hospital has extended its discount for Lap-Band surgery for self-pay patients. The cost of the Lap-Band procedure has been reduced by 25 percent - from $16,100 to $12,000 - for self-pay patients only.

21 Apr 2010

New research indicates patients may develop anemia after gastric bypass surgery

Morbid obesity is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has become a common procedure for achieving short- and long-term weight loss. It has gained great popularity among surgeons and patients in recent years. Long

21 Apr 2010

Certain genetic mutations lead to Type 1 diabetes: The Scripps Research Institute

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have provided an answer to the 40-year-old mystery of how certain genetic mutations lead to Type 1 diabetes. This new molecular understanding could lead to novel therapies for Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases.

20 Apr 2010

Weight gain near time of prostate surgery doubles risk of cancer recurrence

Johns Hopkins epidemiologists say that prostate cancer patients who gain five or more pounds near the time of their prostate surgery are twice as likely to have a recurrence of their cancer compared with patients whose weight is stable.

20 Apr 2010

Even modest weight loss brings many health benefits

There have been repeated warnings related to the growing obese and diabetes related population in Australia. Studies have shown that nearly 50% Australians are either obese or overweight and thus suffer from its ill effects like heart disease, high cholesterol and type II diabetes.

20 Apr 2010

Consumers: How will health reform affect insurance premiums?

Las Vegas Sun: "Like many other Las Vegas Valley residents, Yvette Williams is hoping the new national health insurance law will choke down the siphoning of money from her family's budget." The family spends $12,000 a year on health care. "Because the new national health insurance law is supposed to give consumers more ways to get insurance, it's expected to force industry giants to offer more comprehensive plans at lower prices" (Kanigher, 4/19).

20 Apr 2010

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy receives health insurance coverage

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) today announced its support of recent policy changes by Aetna Inc. and United Healthcare. The national health insurance giants will now cover laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a newer method of bariatric surgery that is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment for morbid obesity.

19 Apr 2010

Amylin Pharmaceuticals announces $174.1M total revenue for first-quarter 2010

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company reported total revenue of $174.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, which includes net product sales of $172.3 million. Non-GAAP operating loss was $3.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, compared to $19.9 million for the same period in 2009.

19 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 19, 2010

Today's headlines continue to explore and analyze the implementation and impact of the health reform law.

19 Apr 2010

U-M Health System physicians to discuss childhood obesity

As First Lady Michelle Obama launches initiatives to fight childhood obesity, physicians from the top-ranked University of Michigan Health System are available to discuss childhood obesity and what efforts are successful at keeping children healthy.

17 Apr 2010

Results of study comparing REMICADE to azathioprine for Crohn's disease published

Findings published today in The New England Journal of Medicine from a first-of-its-kind comparator trial evaluating the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha biologic treatment REMICADE (infliximab) in the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in patients who were naive to immunomodulator and biologic therapy, showed that a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving REMICADE achieved steroid-free remission and mucosal healing compared with patients receiving azathioprine.

16 Apr 2010

Moving is the best medicine for arthritic pain

The burden of arthritis is greater for African Americans and Hispanics, despite lower prevalence among these groups according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report published in the May issue of Preventing Chronic Disease.

16 Apr 2010

Obesity prejudice in medical community

Prejudice towards obese people is rife among trainee health professionals, but can be modified, new research has found.

16 Apr 2010

Bariatric surgery reduces breathing problems, medication costs

Another benefit of rapid weight loss after bariatric surgery is a 50 percent reduction in use of prescription breathing medications, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

16 Apr 2010

Leading experts discuss health effects of low calorie sweeteners at BNF conference

A survey of over 2000 consumers carried out by YouGov on behalf of the British Nutrition Foundation shows that consumers are unsure about how low calorie sweeteners are used, whether they are beneficial for weight loss and whether they are safe.

15 Apr 2010

Infliximab-azathioprine combination helps more Crohn's disease patients achieve remission

A study led by Mayo Clinic suggests remission from Crohn's disease may be more likely if patients get biologic therapy combined with immune-suppressing drugs first instead of immune-suppressing drugs alone. The study, published in the April 15, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease with infliximab plus azathioprine allows more patients to achieve remission and mucosal healing than therapy with azathioprine alone.

15 Apr 2010

Bariatric surgery can reduce pregnancy complications in obese women

Obese women who have bariatric surgery before getting pregnant are at significantly lower risk for developing dangerous hypertensive disorders during pregnancy than those who don't, according to a study of medical insurance records by Johns Hopkins experts.

15 Apr 2010

Low calorie diet does not promote significant weight loss

Newly-published research by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University demonstrates that simply reducing caloric intake is not enough to promote significant weight loss.

15 Apr 2010

UnitedHealth partners with Walgreens and YMCA to control diabetes

The New York Times: "The UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation's largest health insurers, is teaming up with the Y.M.C.A. and retail pharmacies to try a new approach to one of the nation's most serious and expensive medical problems: Type 2 Diabetes. Rather than simply continuing to pay ever-higher medical claims to care for its diabetic customers, UnitedHealth is paying the Y.M.C.A. and pharmacists to keep people healthier."

15 Apr 2010

Tel Aviv University is bioengineering tissues as an alternative to animal testing

It's illegal for health products with medical formulations to be accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration without tests on animals ― a situation that has serious ethical and moral implications. New research in the field of tissue engineering by Prof. Amit Gefen of Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Engineering holds a promise that far fewer lab animals will be needed for the necessary experimental trials.

15 Apr 2010