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
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
Can eating a big breakfast help you lose weight?
Research suggests that having a big breakfast with carbohydrates and lean protein, and even a piece of chocolate, will help keep your appetite in check all day and help you lose weight. The study compared sedentary, obese women eating a big breakfast containing carbs with sedentary, obese women eating a low-carbohydrate breakfast. Results showed that at the end of the eight-month trial, women eating... Read more
FDA advisers weigh risks of asthma drugs
Government health officials Wednesday publicly aired deep differences over the safety of long-acting asthma drugs and called on outside medical and scientific advisers to help settle the issue. Experts from the Food and Drug Administration’s safety office are recommending that medications like Advair and Symbicort no longer be used to treat children with asthma because of the risk of serious... 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
Fat-Sensing Hormones Might Fight Obesity
As you push your chair back from the Thanksgiving table this year, a molecule produced in the small intestine will be swarming through your bloodstream, ready to register on your brain the impact of the fat you’ve just consumed. For now, the signal might keep you feeling full for a while. But, researchers are hoping that one day variations of this family of hormones — known as N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines,... Read more