Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Obesity disproportionately burdens low-income, ethnic minority populations

Obesity is likely to affect individuals in low-income areas where fresh fruits and vegetables may not be as plentiful, according to a new University of Houston study.

2 Dec 2004

Benefits of weight loss may depend on alignment of affected leg, study suggests

A painful and sometimes crippling disease characterized by progressive cartilage loss, osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee affects an estimated 6 percent of adults over age 30.

2 Dec 2004

Novel anti-obesity compound shows promise for treatment of obesity

Arena Pharmaceuticals announced today results from the dosing phase of its Phase 1b clinical trial of APD356, an orally administered small molecule designed to regulate satiety (and perhaps metabolism) for the treatment of obesity.

30 Nov 2004

Rimonabant could be safer for treating obesity than previous weight-loss drugs

ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency, recently published a Health Technology Forecast profile on a novel pharmaceutical agent that is in development for the treatment of obesity.

30 Nov 2004

Metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb

The metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb. It may affect as many as 1 in 5 adults in some parts of Europe, greatly increasing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

29 Nov 2004

Low testosterone production appears to be a common complication of type 2 diabetes in men

Moreover, results of the investigation show that this condition, known clinically as hypogonadism, is caused not by a defect in the testes, where testosterone is produced, but by improper functioning of the pituitary gland, which controls production of testosterone, or of the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that controls the pituitary.

29 Nov 2004

Elevated BMI may not increase risk of death among men with heart attack or stroke

BMI, or body mass index, is considered an indicator of both mortality and heart attack risk among middle-aged and older men free of major diseases. However, the impact of BMI on mortality in men who have already had a heart attack or stroke has not been clearly established.

29 Nov 2004

British parents admit responsibility lies with them to tackle childhood obesity

More than 80% of parents say that they intend to be more accountable for their child's weight and four in five believe that measures set out in the Government's White Paper last week would go a long way to help them combat obesity in their children.

29 Nov 2004

Parents are failing to recognise obesity

Researchers surveyed the parents of 277 children and found that only a quarter recognised when their offspring were overweight. Where children were obese, a third of mothers and 57% of fathers thought their sons and daughters were "about right".

29 Nov 2004

European regulators should avoid excessive legislation when trying to tackle obesity

European regulators should avoid excessive legislation when trying to tackle the increasing problem of overweight groups in their population, according to a new study by Austrian researchers published today by the Brussels think-tank the European Enterprise Institute (EEI).

24 Nov 2004

Weight gain beginning in childhood can lead to an enlarged heart

Weight gain beginning in childhood can lead to an enlarged heart by early adulthood, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

24 Nov 2004

Chylomicrons may be as dangerous or more dangerous than low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

You may not yet have heard of chylomicrons, but a nutritional scientist at the University of Alberta believes you will soon--especially if you care about preventing a stroke or heart attack.

24 Nov 2004

Low-glycemic load diets may make dieting easier

Low-glycemic load diets, those low in sugars with moderate levels of carbohydrates and not as low in fat and protein, may lower metabolism less when compared with low-fat diets, making the dieters feel less tired, cold and hungry, as well as improve cardiovascular risk factors

24 Nov 2004

CDC admits obesity stats flawed - pharmaceutical and weight loss industry at fault

A Wall Street Journal bombshell report that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted to serious statistical errors in calculating that obesity kills 400,000 Americans each year is only the tip of the iceberg of gross exaggerations and miscalculations, according to The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF).

24 Nov 2004

Obesity could increase a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation

New research indicates that being obese could increase a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heart rhythm, by 50 percent, according to work published in the November 24 issue of JAMA.

24 Nov 2004

Having diabetes raises a woman's risk of having a heart attack to nearly 10 times

Having diabetes raises a woman's risk of having a heart attack to nearly 10 times that of other women, according to a study in the December issue of Diabetes Care. The study also describes why women with diabetes are at much higher risk than men with diabetes when it comes to having cardiac events.

23 Nov 2004

Highly obese women are 12 times more likely to have diabetes

Highly obese women are 12 times more likely to have diabetes or knee replacement surgery, and five times more likely to have high blood pressure than women who are at a normal weight, says a new study.

23 Nov 2004

People living along the U.S.-Mexico border have higher rates of diabetes

A new study shows that people living along the U.S.-Mexico border have higher rates of diabetes and are more overweight and obese than national averages in both Mexico and the United States, according to results of a survey of more than 4,000 people in the border area.

20 Nov 2004

Where you live affects what you eat

People who live in poor, urban neighborhoods have less access to quality fruits and vegetables and to stores selling a larger variety of foods than those who live in higher-income neighborhoods, according to two studies being presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO)'s Annual Scientific Meeting.

19 Nov 2004

The passive smoking proposals, whilst welcome, do not go far enough

Commenting on the proposals in today's English Public Health White Paper, local hospital consultant and Deputy Chairman of the BMA's Board of Science, Dr Peter Maguire, said: "The passive smoking proposals, whilst welcome, do not go far enough to protect the health and lives of all workers.

16 Nov 2004