Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

New understanding of the link between heart disease and belly fat

By now, everyone knows that overweight people have a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and other problems that arise from clogged, hardened arteries. And people who carry their extra weight around their waist - giving them a "beer belly" or an "apple" shape - have the highest risk of all.

22 Jan 2008

Call for ban on all online junk food ads aimed at children in Britain

Reputable organisations in the UK are calling for a total ban on all online junk food marketing aimed at children.

22 Jan 2008

Pennsylvania Hospital bariatric surgery program receives Center of Excellence designation

Pennsylvania Hospital has announced that it has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.

22 Jan 2008

New knowledge base of gene-disease relationships

The 12 Million Euro 'GEN2PHEN' project, funded by the European Commission, aims to harness the web to capture and unify genetic information that fundamentally impacts on a person's health and disease processes.

22 Jan 2008

Arthritis drug Etanercept clears up symptoms of psoriasis

New research from the United States has found that a drug commonly used to treat arthritis significantly reduces the symptoms of psoriasis in children.

20 Jan 2008

New drug lets kids feel good in their skin

Maria Anichini, a 20-year-old junior at Columbia College, zipped up a fetching black lace cocktail dress with spaghetti straps to go out with friends the other night.

17 Jan 2008

How does insulin influence resistin?

Obesity is a worldwide health problem directly linked to several diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

17 Jan 2008

Scientists study the link between children's nutrition and adult diseases

Researchers from the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Granada , in collaboration with another 38 universities and companies from 16 European countries, will study the effects of children's nutrition on the onset of cardiovascular problems, diabetes, obesity, allergies, weak bones, neuromotor functioning and children's behavioural aspects.

16 Jan 2008

How probiotics work in gut

Probiotics, such as yoghurt drinks containing live bacteria, have a tangible effect on the metabolism, according to the results of a new study published (Tuesday 15 January) in the journal Molecular Systems Biology.

16 Jan 2008

Gender differences in liver cancer

A fundamental difference in the way males and females respond to chronic liver disease at the genetic level helps explain why men are more prone to liver cancer, according to MIT researchers.

16 Jan 2008

Causes and consequences of childhood obesity

The January 2008 special issue of The Annals, published by SAGE, explores the problem of obesity in the young, providing kids, their parents and caregivers a road map for a healthier lifestyle both for them and for future generations.

16 Jan 2008

British children think fast food is the norm

New research by scientists with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) suggests that two-thirds of children do not regard fast food as a treat.

16 Jan 2008

African-American women's magazines more likely to encourage fad diets

Magazines catering to African-Americans may be falling short in their efforts to educate readers about weight loss, a new University of Iowa study suggests.

16 Jan 2008

Supplements of lipoic acid could reduce atherosclerosis, weight gain

A new study done with mice has discovered that supplements of lipoic acid can inhibit formation of arterial lesions, lower triglycerides, and reduce blood vessel inflammation and weight gain - all key issues for addressing cardiovascular disease.

15 Jan 2008

6,000 genes help determine body weight

Reporting in the online journal BMC Genetics, researchers from the Monell Center have for the first time attempted to count the number of genes that contribute to obesity and body weight.

15 Jan 2008

Researchers associate six new genetic variants with heart disease risk factor

Using new techniques for rapidly scanning the human genome, researchers have associated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, two fats in the blood, to 18 genetic variants, six of which represent new DNA regions never before associated with the traits.

15 Jan 2008

Metabolic syndrome in children

Metabolic syndrome in children represents a potentially serious threat to health in adulthood, yet many parents and caregivers do not have a clear idea of what metabolic syndrome is and why it is dangerous.

15 Jan 2008

New genetic variations associated with lipid levels, risk for coronary artery disease

Environmental and genetic factors influence a person's blood fat, or lipid levels, important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). While there is some understanding of the environmental contribution, the role of genetics has been less defined.

14 Jan 2008

Most people with diabetes would benefit from statins

Most people who have diabetes would benefit from statin therapy, even if they have not yet developed symptoms or signs of vascular disease such as heart disease and stroke.

14 Jan 2008

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis - potential clues into the treatment and diagnosis

Studies published in the Jan. 10 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) are providing clues into the treatment and diagnosis of LAM, or lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a progressive and deadly lung disease that affects women in their childbearing years.

11 Jan 2008