Childhood Obesity
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Obesity news courtesy of Science Daily News
Nutritional Research Vindicates Diet Programs ... read more
September 6, 2008
Popular slimming programs do result in reduced energy intake while providing enough nutrients. A new scientific analysis provides comprehensive dietary data about Slim Fast, Atkins, Weight Watchers and Rosemary Conley's "Eat Yourself Slim" Diet & Fitness Plan.
Link Between Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes And Neurodegeneration Found ... read more
September 5, 2008
Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can contribute to mild neurodegeneration with features common with Alzheimer's disease -- the first study to show that obesity can cause neurodegeneration.
Thinking People Eat Too Much: Intellectual Work Found To Induce Excessive Calorie Intake ... read more
September 5, 2008
Scientists have demonstrated that intellectual work induces a substantial increase in calorie intake. The details of this discovery could go some way to explaining the current obesity epidemic.
Toxic Plastics: Bisphenol A Linked To Metabolic Syndrome In Human Tissue ... read more
September 5, 2008
New research implicates the primary chemical used to produce hard plastics -- bisphenol A (BPA) -- as a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome and its consequences.
New Evidence On Folic Acid In Diet And Colon Cancer ... read more
September 5, 2008
Researchers are reporting a new, more detailed explanation for the link between low folate intake and an increased risk for colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Atomic Structure Of The Mammalian 'Fatty Acid Factory' Determined ... read more
September 5, 2008
Mammalian fatty acid synthase is one of the most complex molecular synthetic machines in human cells. It is also a promising target for the development of anti-cancer and anti-obesity drugs and the treatment of metabolic disorders. Now researchers have determined the atomic structure of a mammalian fatty acid synthase.
Obese People With Asthma Have Nearly Five Times Greater Risk Of Hospitalization For Asthma ... read more
September 4, 2008
A new study found obese people with asthma are 4.6 times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than non-obese people with asthma. The study surveyed 1,113 asthmatics and is the first study to control for risk factors that explain the obesity-asthma association: smoking, oral or inhaled corticosteroid medication use, gastroesophageal reflux disorder and demographics. The study found obese people had a harder time controlling asthma day-to-day compared to non-obese people with asthma.
Nearly Half Of US Adults Will Develop Painful Knee Osteoarthritis By Age 85: Study ... read more
September 3, 2008
Almost half of all US adults and nearly two-thirds of obese adults will develop painful osteoarthritis of the knee by age 85, a new study suggests.
Low Birth Weight Children Appear At Higher Risk Of Psychiatric Disturbances ... read more
September 3, 2008
Low-birth-weight children appear to be at higher risk for psychiatric disturbances from childhood through high school than normal-birth-weight children, according to a new report. In addition, low-birth-weight children from urban communities may be more likely to have attention problems than suburban low-birth-weight children.
Babies' Rapid Weight Gain Linked To Higher Blood Pressure As Adults ... read more
September 3, 2008
Babies who gain weight rapidly within five months of birth and from about ages 2 to 5 years have higher systolic blood pressure in young adulthood. Babies that are lighter at birth have higher systolic blood pressure as adults. Immediate weight gain after birth is associated with higher diastolic blood pressure as adults.
New Master Switch Found In Brain Regulates Appetite And Reproduction ... read more
September 2, 2008
Body weight and fertility have long known to be related to each other -- women who are too thin, for example, can have trouble becoming pregnant. Now, a master switch has been found in the brain of mice that controls both, and researchers say it may work the same way in humans.
Kids Still Drinking Too Much Soda, Even When Not Available At School ... read more
September 2, 2008
In May 2006, an agreement was reached by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Beverage Association on voluntary sales restrictions on "competitive foods" such as soft drinks at schools. However, researchers now say limiting the availability of soft drinks at school may not be enough to affect overall consumption among elementary school children. They found that limiting availability of soft drinks at school is associated with a 4% decrease in the rate of any consumption overall.
Issues On Cholesterol: Diet, Statins And Genetics ... read more
September 1, 2008
Genetic lipoprotein disorders are frequently seen in patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). An example of strong genetic predisposition is the disorder: familial hypercholesterolemia, where a single gene defect (the low density lipoprotein receptor) contributes to most of the familial expression of CAD.
Impact Of School Based Programs To Curb Childhood Obesity ... read more
September 1, 2008
Childhood overweight and obesity are serious, large-scale, global, public health concerns and the number of children affected is still increasing every year. As the treatment of overweight and obesity is rarely effective, its prevention has priority today.
Heavy Breathing: An Obscure Link In Asthma And Obesity ... read more
August 31, 2008
There is a strong link between obesity and asthma and as the prevalence of both conditions has been increasing steadily, epidemiologists have speculated that there is an underlying condition that connects the two. But one long-suspected link, the systemic inflammation associated with obesity, has been essentially ruled out by a recent study that found no evidence of its involvement.
Young Type-2 Diabetic Men Suffer Low Testosterone Levels, Study Shows ... read more
August 30, 2008
Young men with type 2 diabetes have significantly low levels of testosterone, endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo have found -- a condition that could have a critical effect on their quality of life and on their ability to father children.
Black Raspberries Slow Cancer By Altering Hundreds Of Genes ... read more
August 29, 2008
New research strongly suggests that a mix of preventative agents, such as those found in concentrated black raspberries, may more effectively inhibit cancer development than single agents aimed at shutting down a particular gene. Researchers examined the effect of freeze-dried black raspberries on genes altered by a chemical carcinogen in an animal model of esophageal cancer.
Not All Fat Is Created Equal: Fat In Obese Patients Is 'Sick' Compared To Fat From Lean Patients ... read more
August 29, 2008
A new study finds that fat in obese patients is "sick" when compared to fat from lean patients, which could more fully explain the link between obesity and higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Low Levels Of Brain Chemical May Lead To Obesity ... read more
August 28, 2008
A brain chemical that plays a role in long term memory also appears to be involved in regulating how much people eat and their likelihood of becoming obese, according to a National Institutes of Health study of a rare genetic condition.
High Cholesterol Levels Drop Naturally In Children On High-fat Anti-seizure Diet, Study Show ... read more
August 28, 2008
Elevated cholesterol levels return to normal or near normal levels over time in four out of 10 children with uncontrollable epilepsy treated with the high-fat ketogenic diet, according to results reported in the Journal of Child Neurology.
Why Do Eyelids Sag With Age? Mystery Is Solved ... read more
August 27, 2008
Many theories have sought to explain what causes the baggy lower eyelids that come with aging, but researchers have now found that fat expansion in the eye socket is the primary culprit.
Health Risk Behaviors Associated With Lower Prostate Specific Antigen Awareness ... read more
August 27, 2008
A new study finds that health risk behaviors such as smoking and obesity are associated with lower awareness of the prostate specific antigen, which could lead to a lower likelihood of undergoing actual prostate cancer screening. Although previous studies have explored predictors of PSA test awareness, this is the first research to focus on health risk behaviors.
80 Percent Of Adolescents Who Play Sports Don't Smoke, Spanish Study Finds ... read more
August 26, 2008
A research work carried out in sample of adolescents aged between 13 and 18 from Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza has analysed the relationship between sport activity and tobacco consumption. According to this work, 59.2 percent of the Spanish adolescents are physically active, although there are significant differences according to sex (71.1 percent of boys, as against 46.7 percent of girls).
M&Ms As Diet Food? 100-calorie Pack Misconceptions ... read more
August 25, 2008
Beware of mini-packs and mini-foods, especially if you're a dieter. Chronic dieters tend to consume more calories when foods and packages are smaller, according to a new study.
Addiction Treatment Proves Successful In Animal Weight Loss Study ... read more
August 24, 2008
Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. Genetically bred 'fat rats' experience dramatic weight loss, reduced food intake after being given vigabatrin. Vigabatrin is currently undergoing US Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase II clinical trials against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction across the US.
The Older The Fatter: Longitudinal Study About Overweight Children ... read more
August 24, 2008
Fast food and soda instead of fruits and vegetables: the consequences can already be seen in children – more and more of them suffer from overweight and adiposity. But what are the reasons? In what way are they connected, for example, with social status and body weight of the parents?
Killer Carbs: Scientist Finds Key To Overeating As We Age ... read more
August 22, 2008
Scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and, potentially, weight gain as we grow older.
Obesity In Elderly A Ticking Time Bomb For Health Services ... read more
August 22, 2008
Obesity in later life does not make a substantial difference to risks of death among older people but it is a major contributor to increased disability in later life -- creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries, new research shows.
Diabetes Transmitted From Parents To Children, New Research Suggests ... read more
August 21, 2008
A new study suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States.
Making 'Good' Fat From Muscle And Vice Versa ... read more
August 21, 2008
A surprise discovery -- that calorie-burning brown fat can be produced experimentally from muscle precursor cells in mice -- raises the prospect of new ways to fight obesity and overweight, report Dana-Farber scientists. They demonstrated that a previously known molecular switch, PRDM16, regulates the creation of brown fat from immature muscle cells. They also determined that the process is a two-way street: Knocking out PRDM16 in brown fat cells can convert them into muscle cells.
Study Identifies Protein That Produces 'Good' Fat: Finding May Lead To Ways To Treat, Prevent Obesity ... read more
August 21, 2008
A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity.
Obesity Raises Risks Of Serious Digestive Health Concerns: Incidence Of GERD, Colorectal Cancer Increase With Body Mass ... read more
August 20, 2008
The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
Obese Prostate Cancer Patients May Benefit More From Brachytherapy ... read more
August 20, 2008
Brachytherapy, also called seed implants, may be a more beneficial treatment than surgery or external beam radiation therapy for overweight or obese prostate cancer patients, according to a study published in the August issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
New Mushroom Study Shows The Power Of Energy Density ... read more
August 17, 2008
Preliminary research suggests increasing intake of low-energy density foods, specifically mushrooms, in place of high-energy-density foods, like lean ground beef, is a strategy for preventing or treating obesity. This is good news for the more than one-third of US adults age 20 and older who are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control.
Surgical Weight Loss Does Not Eliminate Obstructive Sleep Apnea ... read more
August 16, 2008
A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that surgical weight loss results in an improvement of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but most patients continue to have moderate to severe OSA one year after undergoing bariatric surgery. Results of this study suggest that it is the severity of the condition, rather than a patient's presurgical weight, that determines if OSA will be resolved.
Chronic Ear Infections Linked To Increased Obesity Risk; Taste Damage Can Lead To Preferences For Fatty And Sugary Foods ... read more
August 15, 2008
Ear infections are a painful rite of passage for many children. New research suggests the damage caused by chronic ear infections could be linked to people's preference for fatty foods, which increases their risk of being overweight as they age.
Blood Pressure Response To Daily Stress Provides Clues For Better Hypertension Treatment ... read more
August 15, 2008
How the body regulates blood pressure in response to daily stress is the focus of a study geared toward helping people whose pressure is out of control.
Adenocarcinoma Of The Esophagus Increasing In White Men And Women ... read more
August 14, 2008
The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus in the United States increased among both white men and women between 1975 and 2004.
MSG Use Linked To Obesity ... read more
August 14, 2008
People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don't use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake, according to a study in the journal Obesity.
Built Environment Connected With Obesity In Baby Boomers ... read more
August 14, 2008
Results showed significant associations among built-environment factors and the prevalence of overweight/obesity and various forms of physical activity in middle-aged and older adults. These findings suggest the need for public health and city planning officials to consider how modifiable neighborhood-level, built-environment characteristics can create more livable residential communities and promote active, healthy lifestyles.
Childhood Dairy Intake May Improve Adolescent Bone Health ... read more
August 13, 2008
Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the many aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content and bone area. A new study soon to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health.
Overweight Hispanic Children At Significant Risk For Pre-diabetes, According To New Study ... read more
August 13, 2008
Overweight Hispanic children are at significant risk for pre-diabetes, a condition marked by higher than normal blood glucose levels that are not yet high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. The persistence of pre-diabetes during growth is associated with progression in risk towards future diabetes, according to the study.
Poor Coordination In Childhood Linked To Obesity In Later Life ... read more
August 13, 2008
Poor physical control and coordination in childhood are linked to an increased risk of obesity in later life, suggests a new study.
Parents Shape Whether Their Children Learn To Eat Fruits And Vegetables ... read more
August 13, 2008
To combat the increasing problem of childhood obesity, researchers are studying how to get preschoolers to eat more fruits and vegetables. One way is early home interventions -- teaching parents how to create an environment where children reach for a banana instead of potato chips.
Losing Weight Soon After Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Doubles Positive Outcomes ... read more
August 13, 2008
A four-year study looked at 2,574 adults and found that people who lost weight in the 18 months after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis were up to twice as likely to have better control of their blood pressure and blood sugar, and were more likely to maintain that control even if they later regained their weight.
Some Obese Individuals Appear 'Metabolically Healthy,' Without Increased Cardiovascular Risk ... read more
August 12, 2008
Some obese individuals do not appear to have an increased risk for heart disease, while some normal-weight individuals experience a cluster of heart risks, according to two reports in the August 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Another Piece Of The Weight-control Puzzle Identified ... read more
August 11, 2008
As scientists investigate the brain's intricate neurocircuitry, they are forming a clearer picture of the myriad events that lead to weight loss and weight gain.
Human Obesity Genes Revealed Based On Fly Experiments ... read more
August 11, 2008
A study of 228 women has revealed genetic variants responsible for body shape. Based on work in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, new research identifies natural variation in the human LAMA5 gene as a key determinant of weight.