Childhood Obesity
News Articles on the Web

Obesity news courtesy of Science Daily News

New diet: Top off breakfast with -- chocolate cake? ... read more
February 7, 2012
In a study of nearly 200 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, a researcher found that a 600-calorie breakfast that includes dessert as well as proteins and carbohydrates can help dieters lose weight and keep it off over the long term. Her research indicates that such a morning meal staves off cravings and defuses psychological addictions to sweet foods.

New non-invasive fat removal technologies offer alternative to liposuction for removing stubborn fat ... read more
February 7, 2012
Dermatologists are finding that the introduction of non-invasive fat removal technologies is opening the door for more people who are not candidates for liposuction to remove stubborn fat, safely and effectively.

Rapid bone loss as possible side effect of anti-obesity drug ... read more
February 7, 2012
An endocrine hormone used in clinical trials as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetes drug causes significant and rapid bone loss in mice, raising concerns about its safe use, researchers have shown.

Positive parenting during early childhood may prevent obesity ... read more
February 6, 2012
Programs that support parents during their child’s early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study.

Regular use of vitamin and mineral supplements could reduce the risk of colon cancer, study suggests ... read more
February 3, 2012
Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and protect against carcinogens? A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk of developing colon cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens.

Preference for fatty foods may have genetic roots ... read more
February 3, 2012
A preference for fatty foods has a genetic basis, according to researchers, who discovered that people with certain forms of the CD36 gene may like high-fat foods more than those who have other forms of this gene.

Are diet soft drinks bad for you? ... read more
January 31, 2012
A new study finds a potential link between daily consumption of diet soft drinks and the risk of vascular events.

Most people fudge numbers on weight and height surveys ... read more
January 27, 2012
When people in the U.S. are asked to provide their weight for research surveys, they underestimate their weight and overestimate their height, despite numerous public reports about increasing rates of obesity. Whites are more likely to do so than Blacks or Hispanics, finds a new study.

Multiple births lead to weight gain, other problems for mouse moms and offspring ... read more
January 26, 2012
Study in model that mimics human effects of multiparity (giving birth more than once) finds mouse moms who gave birth 4 times accrued significantly more fat vs. primiparous females (those giving birth once) of similar age. Multiparous moms also had more liver inflammation.

Obesity and pain linked, study of one million Americans shows ... read more
January 26, 2012
A clear association between obesity and pain -- with higher rates of pain identified in the heaviest individuals -- was found in a study of more than one million Americans.

Physician’s weight may influence obesity diagnosis and care ... read more
January 26, 2012
New research suggests obesity practices and beliefs differ by physician body mass index.

High animal fat diet increases gestational diabetes risk, study finds ... read more
January 25, 2012
Women who consumed a diet high in animal fat and cholesterol before pregnancy were at higher risk for gestational diabetes than women whose diets were lower in animal fat and cholesterol, according to researchers.

Appetite accomplice: Ghrelin receptor alters dopamine signaling ... read more
January 25, 2012
New research reveals a fascinating and unexpected molecular partnership within the brain neurons that regulate appetite. The study resolves a paradox regarding a receptor without its hormone and may lead to more specific therapeutic interventions for obesity and disorders of dopamine signaling.

Food fried in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease, Spanish study finds ... read more
January 24, 2012
Eating food fried in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death, a new study finds. The authors stress, however, that their study took place in Spain, a Mediterranean country where olive or sunflower oil is used for frying and their results would probably not be the same in another country where solid and re-used oils were used for frying.

School obesity programs may promote worrisome eating behaviors and physical activity in kids ... read more
January 24, 2012
A new report examines the possible association between school-based childhood obesity prevention programs and an increase in eating disorders among young children and adolescents. In a new poll, 30% of parents report at least one worrisome behavior in their children that could be associated with the development of eating disorders.

High levels of fructose consumption by adolescents may put them at cardiovascular risk, evidence suggests ... read more
January 24, 2012
Evidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk is present in the blood of adolescents who consume a lot of fructose, a scenario that worsens in the face of excess belly fat, researchers report.

Brown fat burns calories in adult humans ... read more
January 24, 2012
Brown fat burns calories to generate body heat in rodents and newborn humans. Recently, adult humans have also been found to possess brown fat, leading to the suggestion that increasing the amount of brown fat a person has will make them slimmer. However, it has never been shown definitively that adult human brown fat burns energy. But now, researchers in Canada have provided this evidence.

Chemical in personal care products (phthalates) may contribute to child obesity ... read more
January 20, 2012
Researchers have found an association between exposure to the chemical group known as phthalates and obesity in young children – including increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

Junk food in schools doesn’t cause weight gain among children, study suggests ... read more
January 17, 2012
While the percentage of obese children in the United States tripled between the early 1970s and the late 2000s, a new study suggests that -- at least for middle school students -- weight gain has nothing to do with the candy, soda, chips, and other junk food they can purchase at school.

Obese nurses more stressed, less active ... read more
January 13, 2012
Job stress and shift work have a lot more to do with obesity among nurses than previously thought, according to a new study.

Blame your taste buds for liking fat: Receptor for tasting fat identified in humans ... read more
January 12, 2012
Why do we like fatty foods so much? We can blame our taste buds. In the first study to identify a human receptor that can taste fat, researchers report that our tongues recognize and have an affinity for fat and that variations in a gene can make people more or less sensitive to the taste of fat in foods.

Diet rich in slowly digested carbs reduces markers of inflammation in overweight and obese adults ... read more
January 11, 2012
Among overweight and obese adults, a diet rich in slowly digested carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes and other high-fiber foods, significantly reduces markers of inflammation associated with chronic disease, according to a new study. Such a "low-glycemic-load" diet, which does not cause blood-glucose levels to spike, also increases a hormone that helps regulate the metabolism of fat and sugar.

Boost for health? Researchers isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits ... read more
January 11, 2012
Scientists have isolated a natural hormone from muscle cells that triggers some of the key health benefits of exercise. The hormone, named irisin, switches on genes that convert white fat into "good" brown fat. The researchers call irisin a highly promising candidate for development as a novel treatment for diabetes, obesity and perhaps other disorders, including cancer.

Increase dietary fiber, decrease disease ... read more
January 11, 2012
We should all be eating more dietary fiber to improve our health -- that's the message from a health review by scientists in India. Researchers suggest fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods, such as muesli and porridge, beans and pulses, as readily available foods rich in dietary fiber.

Young women unknowingly pack on the pounds ... read more
January 10, 2012
Researchers found that a significant number of women evaluated at six-month intervals did not recognize recent gains in weight. Self-perception of weight gain appears to be significantly influenced by race, ethnicity and contraceptive methods.

Inflammation may link obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes ... read more
January 10, 2012
A number of different immunological mechanisms ensure the successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Imbalance in these mechanisms is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Researchers have now examined the impact of maternal obesity on the inflammatory responses in tissues of both the mother and the child.

Would you stop eating out to lose weight? ... read more
January 10, 2012
Going out to eat has become a major part of our culture. Frequently eating out and consuming high-calorie foods in large portions at restaurants can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain. A new study demonstrates that people can eat out and still lose weight.

Penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages keeps the doctor away and saves money, study finds ... read more
January 9, 2012
Over the past 10 years, Americans drank more sugar-sweetened beverages than ever making these drinks the single largest dietary factor in the current obesity epidemic. In a new study, researchers estimated that if a higher, penny-per-ounce tax were imposed on sugar-sweetened beverages, it would result in an approximately 15 percent reduction in consumption and reduce the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity and cancer screening: Does race and gender also play a role? ... read more
January 9, 2012
Researchers recently found that obesity was linked to higher rates of prostate cancer screening across all races/ethnic differences and lower rates of cervical cancer screening, most notably in white women.

How poor maternal diet can increase risk of diabetes: New mechanism discovered ... read more
January 6, 2012
Researchers have shown one way in which poor nutrition in the womb can put a person at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other age-related diseases in later life. This finding could lead to new ways of identifying people who are at a higher risk of developing these diseases and might open up targets for treatment.

Fish oil during pregnancy does not protect against excessive adipose tissue development, study suggests ... read more
January 4, 2012
Is obesity in infants "programmed" in the womb? Previously, researchers assumed that consumption of "bad" fats during pregnancy contribute to excessive infant adipose tissue growth and that "good" omega-3 fatty acids prevent expansive adipose tissue development. A new study showed no evidence to support this "perinatal programming" theory.

Bariatric surgery associated with reduction in cardiovascular events and death ... read more
January 3, 2012
Among obese individuals, having bariatric surgery was associated with a reduced long-term incidence of cardiovascular deaths and events such as heart attack and stroke, according to a new study.

When overeating, calories -- not protein -- contribute to increase in body fat, study finds ... read more
January 3, 2012
In a study conducted among 25 healthy individuals living in a controlled setting who were randomized to overconsumption of different levels of protein diets, those consuming the low-protein diet had less weight gain compared to those consuming normal and high protein diets, and calories alone, and not protein appeared to contribute to an increase in body fat, according to a new study.

Alzheimer's: Diet patterns may keep brain from shrinking ... read more
December 29, 2011
People with diets high in several vitamins or in omega 3 fatty acids are less likely to have the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease than people whose diets are not high in those nutrients, according to a new study.

Women with celiac disease suffer from depression, disordered eating, study finds ... read more
December 27, 2011
Women with celiac disease -- an autoimmune disorder associated with a negative reaction to eating gluten -- are more likely than the general population to report symptoms of depression and disordered eating, even when they adhere to a gluten-free diet, according to researchers.

Quality of mother-toddler relationship linked to teen obesity ... read more
December 26, 2011
The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child's emotional security and the mother's sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis.

Supersized market economy, supersized belly: Wealthier nations have more fast food and more obesity ... read more
December 21, 2011
New research suggests obesity can be seen as one of the unintended side effects of free market policies. A study of 26 wealthy nations shows that countries with a higher density of fast food restaurants per capita had much higher obesity rates compared to countries with a lower density of fast food restaurants per capita.

Myths and truths of obesity and pregnancy ... read more
December 21, 2011
Ironically, despite excessive caloric intake, many obese women are deficient in vitamins vital to a healthy pregnancy. This and other startling statistics abound when obesity and pregnancy collide. Together, they present a unique set of challenges that women and their doctors must tackle in order to achieve the best possible outcome for mom and baby.

New evidence that bacteria in large intestine have a role in obesity ... read more
December 21, 2011
Bacteria living in people's large intestine may slow down the activity of the "good" kind of fat tissue, a special fat that quickly burns calories and may help prevent obesity, scientists are reporting in a new study. The discovery could shed light on ways to prevent obesity and promote weight loss, including possible microbial and pharmaceutical approaches, the authors said.

Mediterranean diet gives longer life, Swedish study suggests ... read more
December 20, 2011
A Mediterranean diet with large amounts of vegetables and fish gives a longer life, according to Swedish research. A number of studies since the 1950s have shown that a Mediterranean diet, based on a high consumption of fish and vegetables and a low consumption of animal-based products such as meat and milk, leads to better health.

Breastfeeding promotes healthy growth ... read more
December 20, 2011
Breastfed children follow a different growth pattern than non-breastfed children, new research shows. Breastfeeding lowers the levels of the growth hormones IGF-I and insulin in the blood, which means that growth is slightly slower. This is believed to reduce the risk of overweight and diabetes later in life.

Starving orangutans might help to better understand obesity and eating disorders in humans ... read more
December 13, 2011
New research examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans – considered a close relative to humans -- survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans.

Mothers' weight before and during pregnancy affects baby's weight ... read more
December 13, 2011
Both pre-pregnant weight (body mass index) and weight gain in pregnancy are important predictors of babies' birthweight. This is important since high birthweight may also predict adult overweight.

Immunity against the cold ... read more
December 13, 2011
Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs of the future.

Decades-old treatment guidelines for anorexia challenged ... read more
December 9, 2011
Adolescents hospitalized with anorexia nervosa who receive treatment based on current recommendations for refeeding fail to gain significant weight during their first week in the hospital, according to a new study.

Intermittent, low-carbohydrate diets more successful than standard dieting, study finds ... read more
December 8, 2011
An intermittent, low-carbohydrate diet was superior to a standard, daily calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and lowering blood levels of insulin, a cancer-promoting hormone, according to recent findings.

Breakthrough in regulating fat metabolism ... read more
December 8, 2011
Scientists have made an important discovery about the mechanism controlling the body's 'fat switch', shedding new light on our understanding of how proteins regulate appetite control and insulin secretion.

New approach to management of overeating in children ... read more
December 7, 2011
Overeating, whether in children or adults, often takes place even in the absence of hunger, resulting in weight gain and obesity. Current methods to treat such overeating in youth focus on therapies that restrict what kids may eat, requiring them to track their food intake and engage in intensive exercise. Psychiatrists are now developing new ways to treat overeating in children and adults.

Stress reduction and mindful eating curb weight gain among overweight women ... read more
December 7, 2011
Mastering simple mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques helped prevent weight gain even without dieting in overweight women.

Is obesity a ciliopathy, triggered by malfunctioning primary cilia? ... read more
December 6, 2011
Is obesity a ciliopathy, a disorder such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which is triggered by a defect in the microscopic hair-like cilia that protrude from virtually every cell of humans and other vertebrates? Researchers report that mutations in primary cilia may scramble signaling pathways in the hypothalamus, the appetite-regulating region of the brain, and trigger chronic obesity.

Few parents recall being told by doctors that their child is overweight ... read more
December 5, 2011
A new study finds that among parents of overweight children, less than 25 percent recall ever being told by a doctor or other health care provider that their child is overweight.

Physical fitness trumps body weight in reducing death risks, study finds ... read more
December 5, 2011
Maintaining or improving physical fitness is linked to lower death risks even after controlling for BMI change, according to a new study. Becoming less fit is associated with higher death risks, regardless of BMI changes. BMI change was not associated with death risks.

Nervous system activity may predict successful weight loss ... read more
December 5, 2011
A recent study of obese volunteers participating in a 12-week dietary weight-loss program found that successful weight losers had significantly higher resting nerve activity compared to weight-loss resistant individuals.

Low vitamin D levels may contribute to development of Type 2 diabetes ... read more
December 5, 2011
A recent study of obese and non-obese children found that low vitamin D levels are significantly more prevalent in obese children and are associated with risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.

Growth hormone increases bone formation in obese women ... read more
November 29, 2011
In a new study, growth hormone replacement for six months was found to increase bone formation in abdominally obese women.

Mid-morning snacking may sabotage weight-loss efforts ... read more
November 28, 2011
Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a new study.

Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes ... read more
November 28, 2011
A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers surprised to find fatty liver disease poses no excess risk for death ... read more
November 23, 2011
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common condition associated with obesity and heart disease long thought to undermine health and longevity. But a new study suggests the condition does not affect survival.

Scientists uncover new role for gene in maintaining steady weight ... read more
November 23, 2011
Against the backdrop of the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States, scientists have made an important new discovery regarding a specific gene that plays an important role in keeping a steady balance between our food intake and energy expenditure. The study may help scientists better understand the keys to fighting obesity and related disorders such as diabetes.

Body mass index associated with short-term mortality rates following surgery ... read more
November 21, 2011
Body Mass Index appears to be associated with 30-day mortality risk following surgical procedures, and patients with a BMI of less than 23.1 appear to be at highest risk of death, according to a new study.