Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Compound in red wine counters effects of a high-calorie diet

The results of an international study suggests that a compound found in red wine gave mice longer and healthier lives and also countered some of the effects of a high-calorie diet.

1 Nov 2006

Sad and lonely at bedtime - stress hormone up at dawn

According to a new study older people who go to bed lonely, sad or overwhelmed wake up the following morning with elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone linked to depression, obesity and other health problems.

31 Oct 2006

KFC to eliminate trans-fats from food

American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) says it will stop using trans-fatty acids for most of its products from next April.

31 Oct 2006

Prevalence of overweight and obesity increasing in Indo-Asian population

Worldwide, Indo-Asian people are among the populations at greatest risk for heart disease. Also, associations between body mass index (BMI) and chronic disease may differ between Indo-Asian and Western populations.

24 Oct 2006

Mobile phones increase mens' risk of infertility

More doubt has been cast on the safety of mobile phones by a new study which says men who use them could be risking their fertility.

24 Oct 2006

Overweight women more likely to have polycystic ovary syndrome

Overweight and obese Spanish women appear five times as likely as lean women to have polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that decreases fertility and contributes to other illnesses, according to an article in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Oct 2006

Improvements in health education will not be sufficient to tackle the obesity crisis in Europe

The two-year study, which involved collecting the views of key stakeholders in nine EU countries that all show rising obesity, calls for a package of measures to deal with the issue.

23 Oct 2006

Period 2 gene - key component of the circadian time-keeping system

By investigating how animals can predict the timing of food availability, researchers have identified the first gene critical for anticipation of mealtime. This gene, called Period 2, is a key component of the circadian time-keeping system.

23 Oct 2006

Common gene variant increases risk of developing diabetes

Carrying two copies of a common variant of a particular gene doubles your chances of developing diabetes and puts you in a similar risk category to being clinically obese, according to a collaborative study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

23 Oct 2006

Academic life brings knowledge and weight gain!

According to a newly released study students can look forward to more than just gaining knowledge when they go to college; they will also it seems, gain as much as 15 pounds or more in that first semester.

23 Oct 2006

Count those calories when you eat out because the chef won't!

According to a survey carried out in the U.S., counting how many calories are in the food they prepare is not something the average chef in a restaurant bothers about.

22 Oct 2006

New diabetes drug Januvia works without causing weight gain

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has granted approval for a new drug to treat adults with type 2 diabetes.

17 Oct 2006

Being obese lowers your intelligence!

If French scientists are to be believed being obese is linked to a decline in a person's cognitive function.

16 Oct 2006

British the fattest people in Europe

If new figures released by the British Government are to be believed, the British are now the fattest men and women in Europe.

11 Oct 2006

Overweight in middle age could mean dementia later in life

To add further fuel to the debate over obesity, researchers in France are saying that being overweight in middle age may indicate a higher risk of dementia later in life.

10 Oct 2006

Mediterranean diet shown to protect against Alzheimer's

A new study has added to the growing body of research which suggests that eating a Mediterranean diet can help to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

10 Oct 2006

Bill clinches deal with snack food companies

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has convinced some companies to improve the quality of food available in schools in the U.S. and to make school snacks healthier.

8 Oct 2006

One-third of U.S. kids unfit

Researchers in the U.S. report that as many as one-third of American children are physically unfit but boys are in better shape than girls.

3 Oct 2006

Newly discovered molecule could lead to new treatments for obesity

Japanese scientists have found a molecule which is responsible for making mammals feel full, and they believe the discovery could lead to new ways to treat obesity in humans.

3 Oct 2006

Food like an addictive drug for some people

Researchers in the U.S. have found that the same brain circuits are involved when obese people fill their stomachs as when drug addicts think about drugs and the discovery they say suggests an association between overeating and addiction.

3 Oct 2006