Fast food + nearby schools = fat kids
Youth who study just a short walk from a fast-food outlet eat fewer fruit and vegetables, drink more soda and are more likely to be obese than students at other schools, according to research published Tuesday. The study, which involved more than 500,000 adolescents at middle schools and high schools in California, lends new fuel to a growing backlash against the fast-food industry as studies suggest... Read more
Obesity risk might turn teens off smoking
Telling teenage would-be smokers that lighting up may make them fat down the road may be a more effective deterrent than harping on the risks of heart disease and cancer from smoking, hints research published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Public Health. In a study, Finnish researchers found that smoking during adolescence strongly predicted the development of abdominal obesity in adulthood,... Read more
Study finds Genetic Variants linked to Obesity
Certain people just may be destined to be obese, based on the discovery of six additional genetic variants tied to people with higher body mass index, a new study says. The study by an international consortium, published online Dec. 14 in Nature Genetics, adds to previous research that linked two other genetic variants to obesity. “One of the interesting things is that the genes near these variants... Read more
Fast Heart Rate Warns of Obesity, Diabetes
A too-fast heartbeat in early adulthood is a warning sign for increased risk of cardiovascular problems decades later on, a Japanese study suggests. The study of 614 residents of a rural farming community in southwestern Japan found that a heart rate greater than 80 beats a minute during a first examination in 1979 predicted the development of obesity and diabetes, which contribute to heart problems. The... Read more
Family lifestyle equals genes in obesity risk
Obesity can run in families, but family lifestyle has just as much to do with teenagers’ weight as their genes do, new research shows. “What we do as a family — our family lifestyles — matters for weight. Lifestyles aren’t just about individual behaviors,” study author Dr. Molly A. Martin, Pennsylvania State University in University Park said. The study is the first... Read more
Obesity may raise headache risk
Being overweight or obese may increase the likelihood of having severe headaches and migraines, new study findings suggest. An increased prevalence of headache may be associated with being underweight as well. In analyses of 7,601 adult men and women, Dr. Earl S. Ford and colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, report that being overweight or obese increased the... Read more
Weight loss easier when you get paid for it
Losing weight is easier when there is money on the line, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. They said weight-loss programs that reward people with money — and remind them of the cash they stand to lose if they fail — provided a powerful incentive to lose weight compared with more conventional approaches. Dr. Kevin Volpp of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine was looking for... Read more
Intestinal ‘Sleeve’ Mimics Effects of Gastric Bypass
Lining the upper small intestine with an impermeable sleeve may be as effective as invasive gastric bypass surgery to help people lose weight and avoid diabetes, a new report says. The procedure, tested on rats by the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center and Gastrointestinal Unit, led to reduced appetite, weight loss and a return to a normal glucose levels. “This is a clear proof of principle... Read more
Exercise Eases Obesity and Anger in Kids
Overweight kids may be able to work out their anger with exercise, a new report finds. A study of sedentary but otherwise healthy 7- to 11-year-olds found they reduced both their weight and anger issues by taking part in a 10- to 15-week after-school aerobic exercise program. The finding applied to children across lines such as race, gender and socioeconomic status, as well as regardless of how fit... Read more
Obese children risk thyroid damage
Obese children may be damaging their thyroids, creating a vicious cycle of metabolism and overweight, Italian researchers reported on Wednesday. Obesity may cause inflammation that damages the thyroid, which secretes hormones to regulate metabolism and other important functions, Dr. Giorgio Radetti of the Regional Hospital of Bolzano in Italy and colleagues said. They evaluated 186 overweight and obese... Read more