Body Mass Index News and Research

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Pedometers - a great way to tackle obesity in the young!

New research by Australian scientists has revealed that pedometers are as equally as effective in children as they are in adults in encouraging more physical activity.

24 May 2009

Pregnant women should steer clear of advice to "eat for two"

Alison Stuebe, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, reviewed data for more than 1,300 women and found that those who consumed extra calories, as well as fried foods and dairy products, were more likely to gain more than is recommended during pregnancy - that's 35 pounds or more for a woman with a normal body mass index, or BMI.

22 May 2009

Diabetics who have retinopathy should also be screened for obstructive sleep apnea

The eyes may be the window into the soul, but they may also contain important medical information. According to new research to be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 105th International Conference in San Diego on May 19, patients with diabetes who have retinopathy should also be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

19 May 2009

Obese mothers, asthmatic kids

Babies born to obese mothers may have an increased risk of asthma, according to data from a new study to be presented on May 19 at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego.

19 May 2009

Obesity appears to play a protective role in heart disease

Being overweight or obese is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors; however, in patients with established CVD, obesity appears to play a protective role.

18 May 2009

Weight loss in seniors may increase risk of dementia

A new study shows that older people who are thinner or are losing weight quickly are at a higher risk of developing dementia, especially if they started out overweight or obese. The research is published in the May 19, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 May 2009

Two new genes decide when a girl starts menstruation

An international team of researchers have identified two genes that are involved in determining when girls begin menstruation.

18 May 2009

Discovery of genes that determine when girls start menstruation

Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, along with collaborators from research institutions across Europe and the United States, have for the first time identified two genes that are involved in determining when girls begin menstruation. The work will be published in Nature Genetics this weekend.

17 May 2009

Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight?

Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight? According to new research to be presented on Sunday, May 17, at the American Thoracic Society's 105th International Conference in San Diego, body mass index (BMI) is linked to length and quality of sleep in a surprisingly consistent fashion.

17 May 2009

Stress may indeed be a direct contributor to childhood obesity.

That's according to a new Iowa State University study finding that increased levels of stress in adolescents are associated with a greater likelihood of them being overweight or obese.

15 May 2009

Healthy living helps older, overweight cancer survivors reduce functional decline

A home-based diet and exercise program reduced the rate of functional decline among older, overweight long-term survivors of colorectal, breast and prostate cancer, according to a study in the May 13 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical.

12 May 2009

When having an extremely high body image can lead to health problems

For many women, body image is a constant struggle; a poor self-image can lead to a host of both mental and physical health problems. But a new study out of Temple University finds that an extremely good body image can also take its toll on a woman's health.

7 May 2009

Probiotics may help fight obesity post pregnancy

One year after giving birth, women were less likely to have the most dangerous kind of obesity if they had been given probiotics from the first trimester of pregnancy, found new research that suggests manipulating the balance of bacteria in the gut may help fight obesity.

7 May 2009

Sufferers of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from exercise

Practicing certain tongue and pharyngeal exercises may reduce symptoms of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to new research being published in the second issue for May of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

7 May 2009

Prevalence and physiological predictors of sleep apnea in patients with heart failure

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) are not markedly decreased in heart failure (HF) patients managed with beta-blockers and spironolactone, reports a study in the March issue of Journal of Cardiac Failure, published by Elsevier.

6 May 2009

Kids with high blood pressure more likely to have learning/attention problems

Children who have high blood pressure are more likely to have learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children who are not hypertensive. They are also more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), an indicator of body fat.

4 May 2009

A link found between childhood obesity and allergies

A new study indicates there may be yet another reason to reduce childhood obesity - it may help prevent allergies. The study published in the May issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that obese children and adolescents are at increased risk of having some kind of allergy, especially to a food.

4 May 2009

Obesity increases risk of urinary tract infections

As body mass increases, so does a patient's risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), according to Baltimore researchers.

26 Apr 2009

Diabetes, obesity and hypertension increase mortality in hepatitis C patients

The specific impact of metabolic syndrome on mortality in hepatitis C patients has been revealed by new research to be presented on Sunday April 26 at EASL 2009, the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Copenhagen, Denmark.

22 Apr 2009

Study examines outcomes of gastric bypass surgery in morbidly obese and superobese patients

Superobese gastric bypass patients appear to have improvements in quality of life and obesity-related co-existing conditions, and despite losing weight remain obese after surgery, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery.

21 Apr 2009