ScienceDaily: Diet and Weight Loss News

Research of essential molecule reveals important targets in diabetes and obesity

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:10:10 EDT

Medical researchers have made breakthrough advancements on a molecule that may provide more answers in understanding the precise molecular mechanisms by which insulin regulates glucose uptake in fat and muscle cells.

Herbal extract boosts fruit fly lifespan by nearly 25 percent

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:51 EDT

The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant long used for stress relief was found to increase the lifespan of fruit fly populations by an average of 24 percent, according to researchers.

Timing of calcium and vitamin D supplementation may affect how bone adapts to exercise

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Taking calcium and vitamin D before exercise may influence how bones adapt to exercise, according to a new study.

Beliefs about causes of obesity may impact weight, eating behavior

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:38:38 EDT

Whether a person believes obesity is caused by overeating or by a lack of exercise predicts his or her actual body mass, according to new research.

IQ link to baby's weight gain in first month

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:11:11 EDT

New research shows that weight gain and increased head size in the first month of a baby's life is linked to a higher IQ at early school age.

Diet may affect Alzheimer's disease risk

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

The lipidation states (or modifications) in certain proteins in the brain that are related to the development of Alzheimer disease appear to differ depending on genotype and cognitive diseases, and levels of these protein and peptides appear to be influenced by diet, according to a new report.

Obesity leads to brain inflammation, and low testosterone makes it worse

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

Low testosterone worsens the harmful effects of obesity in the nervous system, a new study in mice finds.

Improving overall employee wellness could yield multiple benefits

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

Controlling health care costs is crucial for manufacturers to remain competitive. That's why researchers are working with manufacturers to determine if employee wellness programs will cut costs and improve productivity.

Obesity associated with hearing loss in adolescents

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

Obese adolescents are more likely than their normal-weight counterparts to have hearing loss, according to results of a new study. Findings showed that obese adolescents had increased hearing loss across all frequencies and were almost twice as likely to have unilateral (one-sided) low-frequency hearing loss.

High-fat diet during pregnancy contributes to offspring's increased weight

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Exposure to a high-fat diet in the womb and after birth can permanently change the cells in the brain that control food intake, predisposing monkeys to overeating and an increased preference for fatty and sugary foods, a new study finds.

Eating behaviors of preschoolers may be related to future risk of heart disease

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:23 EDT

Eating behaviors of preschoolers may be associated with risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, suggests a new study.

Prenatal exposure to BPA affects fat tissues in sheep

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:21:21 EDT

New research suggests that fetal exposure to the common environmental chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, causes increased inflammation in fat tissues after birth, which can lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Bariatric surgery restores nerve cell properties altered by diet

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:13:13 EDT

Understanding how gastric bypass surgery changes the properties of nerve cells that help regulate the digestive system could lead to new treatments that produce the same results without surgery, according to scientists who have shown how surgery restores some properties of nerve cells that tell people their stomachs are full.

Vitamin D deficiency may raise allergy and asthma risk in obese children, teens

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:11:11 EDT

One reason why obese children and teenagers are more likely to have hard-to-control asthma and allergies may be vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds.

Estrogen replacement therapy helps reduce anxiety in anorexia nervosa

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Estrogen replacement therapy is associated with a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among girls with anorexia nervosa, a new clinical trial finds.

Weight loss improves memory and alters brain activity in overweight women

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Memory improves in older, overweight women after they lose weight by dieting, and their brain activity actually changes in the regions of the brain that are important for memory tasks, a new study finds.

Too little sleep may trigger the 'munchies' by raising levels of an appetite-controlling molecule

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Insufficient sleep may contribute to weight gain and obesity by raising levels of a substance in the body that is a natural appetite stimulant, a new study finds.

Drugs used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure may help decrease obesity

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:09:09 EDT

A type of drug normally used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure helped prevent weight gain and other complications related to a high-fat diet in an animal study.

Excessive salt consumption appears to be bad for your bones

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:09:09 EDT

A high-salt diet raises a woman’s risk of breaking a bone after menopause, no matter what her bone density is, according to a new study.

Adolescents' high-fat diet impairs memory and learning

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:08:08 EDT

A high-fat diet in adolescence appears to have long-lasting effects on learning and memory during adulthood, a new study in mice finds.

Short-term antidepressant use, stress, high-fat diet linked to long-term weight gain

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:08:08 EDT

Short-term use of antidepressants, combined with stress and a high-fat diet, is associated with long-term increases in body weight, a new animal study finds.

Obese male mice father offspring with higher levels of body fat

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:52:52 EDT

Male mice who were fed a high-fat diet and became obese were more likely to father offspring who also had higher levels of body fat, a new study finds. The effect was observed primarily in male offspring, despite their consumption of a low-fat diet, scientists reported.

Advances in genetic sequencing diagnose Paralympic hopeful's rare condition

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:52:52 EDT

National Paracycling Champion Tom Staniford has an extremely rare condition which, until now, has puzzled his doctors. He is unable to store fat under his skin -- yet has type 2 diabetes -- and suffered hearing loss as a child. Now, thanks to advances in genome sequencing, an international research team has identified Tom's condition and pinpointed the single genetic mutation that causes it.

Overweight and obese patients less likely to achieve remission in early rheumatoid arthritis

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:26:26 EDT

Overweight and obese patients are less likely to achieve successful remission in early rheumatoid arthritis compared to those of normal weight.

Deep brain stimulation trial in treatment-resistant obesity links weight loss trend to metabolism increase programmed in metabolic chamber

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:20:20 EDT

A deep brain stimulation trial in treatment-resistant obesity linked a weight loss trend to a metabolism increase programmed in a metabolic chamber, according to a pilot study.

BPA linked to obesity risk in puberty-age girls

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:33:33 EDT

Girls between nine and 12 years of age with higher-than-average levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) in their urine had double the risk of being obese than girls with lower levels of BPA, according to a new study.

Lab experiments question effectiveness of green coffee bean weight-loss supplements

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

A major ingredient in those green coffee bean dietary supplements -- often touted as "miracle" weight-loss products -- doesn't prevent weight gain in obese laboratory mice fed a high-fat diet when given at higher doses. A new study also linked the ingredient to an unhealthy build-up of fat in the liver.

Cocoa may help fight obesity-related inflammation

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

A few cups of hot cocoa may not only fight off the chill of a winter's day, but they could also help obese people better control inflammation-related diseases, such as diabetes, according to new research.

Low birth weight could be a risk factor for age-related vision loss

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:30:30 EDT

Medical researchers show that rats with restricted growth in the womb, causing low birth weights when born, were most susceptible to developing age-related vision loss, compared to their normal weight counterparts.

Obstructive sleep apnea raises risk of sudden cardiac death

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:26:26 EDT

People who have obstructive sleep apnea -- when a person stops breathing for periods during sleep -- have a greater risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a new study.

Parents' activity unlikely to influence teen fitness

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:16:16 EDT

Teens don’t necessarily follow in their parents’ footsteps when it comes to physical activity, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Hearing loss clue uncovered

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:38:38 EDT

Researchers have discovered how hearing loss in humans is caused by a certain genetic mutation.

Hot flashes before menopause? It can happen

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:38:38 EDT

More than half of middle-aged women who still have regular cycles have hot flashes.

Obesity increases risk of preterm delivery

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:19:19 EDT

The risk of preterm delivery increases with maternal overweight and obesity, according to a new Swedish study. Women with the highest Body Mass Index (BMI) also had the highest statistical risk of giving preterm birth – and especially extremely preterm birth.

Obesity can be predicted from infancy, researchers find

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:17:17 EDT

Infants as young as two months old already exhibit growth patterns that can predict the child's weight by age 5, according to researchers.

Men with prostate cancer should eat healthy vegetable fats, study suggests

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:29:29 EDT

Men with prostate cancer may significantly improve their survival chances with a simple change in their diet, a new study has found.

Brain circuits link obsessive-compulsive behavior and obesity

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:20:20 EDT

A new study suggests that the brain circuits that control obsessive-compulsive behavior are intertwined with circuits that control food intake and body weight.

Reduced brain volume in kids with low birth-weight tied to academic struggles

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:35:35 EDT

An analysis of recent data from magnetic resonance imaging of 97 adolescents who were part of study begun with very low birth weight babies born in 1982-1986 in a Cleveland neonatal intensive care unit has tied smaller brain volumes to poor academic achievement.

Vegetable oil is good for you, experts say

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:28:28 EDT

Since the 1970s, researchers have known that lineolic acid (LA) helps reduce blood cholesterol levels, and for decades, scientists have known that consuming LA can help lower the risk of heart disease. However, some experts have been claiming recently that Americans might be getting too much of a good thing. A new study contradicts that claim.

Small lifestyle changes may have big impact on reducing stroke risk

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:57:57 EDT

Making small lifestyle changes could reduce your risk of having a stroke, according to a new study.

Parents with heavy TV viewing more likely to feed children junk food

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

If your preschooler thinks a cheeseburger is healthy, you may want to reconsider how you watch TV. A recent study found commercial TV viewing, as opposed to commercial-free digitally recorded TV or other media without food advertising, in the home was related to greater junk food consumption.

Nutrition during first 1,000 days of life crucial for childhood and economic development

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:07:07 EDT

New research on maternal and childhood nutrition finds that over 3 million children die every year of malnutrition -— accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under 5. Along with state-of-the-art global estimates on the long-term burden of malnutrition, the series presents a new framework for prevention and treatment that considers underlying factors, such as food security, social conditions, resources, and governance.

Nontoxic cancer therapy proves effective against metastatic cancer

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:01:01 EDT

A combination of dietary and hyperbaric oxygen therapies effectively increased survival time in a mouse model of aggressive metastatic cancer, a new research team found. The study demonstrates the potential of these cost-effective, nontoxic therapies to positively contribute to current cancer treatment regimens.

Strength in numbers when resisting forbidden fruit

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:01:01 EDT

A new study from the University of British Columbia helps explain how people become obsessed with forbidden pleasures.

Obese mums may pass health risks on to grandchildren

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:44:44 EDT

Health problems linked to obesity -- like heart disease and diabetes -- could skip an entire generation, a new study suggests.

Obese patients trust diet advice from overweight physicians more than normal weight physicians

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

New study indicates overweight and obese patients trust weight-related counseling from overweight physicians more than normal weight physicians and patients seeing an obese primary care physician were more likely to perceive weight-related stigma.

Vegetarian diets associated with lower risk of death

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:41:41 EDT

Vegetarian diets are associated with reduced death rates in a study of more than 70,000 Seventh-day Adventists with more favorable results for men than women, according to a new report.

Early-life risk factors account for racial and ethnic disparities in childhood obesity

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:37:37 EDT

A new prospective study finds that the increased prevalence of obesity and overweight among black and Hispanic children can largely be explained by early-life risk factors such as rapid infant weight gain, early introduction of solid foods and a lack of exclusive breast feeding.

Salt gets under your skin

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:53:53 EDT

It's time to expand the models for blood pressure regulation, according to clinical pharmacologist. Scientists have identified a new cast of cells and molecules that function in the skin to control sodium balance and blood pressure.

Four lifestyle changes will protect your heart and significantly reduce your risk of death

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:05:05 EDT

A large, multi-center study has found a significant link between lifestyle factors and heart health, adding even more evidence in support of regular exercise, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, keeping a normal weight and, most importantly, not smoking.

Good kidney health begins before birth

Thu, 30 May 2013 19:24:24 EDT

Researchers have found that conditions in the womb can affect kidney development and have serious health implications for the child not only immediately after birth, but decades later.

Epigenetic biomarkers may predict if a specific diet and exercise regimen will work

Thu, 30 May 2013 09:49:49 EDT

Would you try a diet and exercise regimen knowing in advance it would actually help you lose weight? New research shows that this could become reality. Scientists have identified five epigenetic biomarkers in adolescents associated with better weight loss at the beginning of a weight loss program. This could help predict an individual's response to weight loss intervention, and offer targets for enhancing a weight loss program's effects.

Temporary blood clot filters may do more harm than good for bariatric surgery patients

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:07:07 EDT

The temporary placement of umbrella-like, metal mesh filters in abdominal veins to stop potentially lethal blood clots from traveling to the lungs during and after weight loss surgery may actually increase the risk of death in morbidly obese patients, according to new research.

People lie about their health related behaviors: Truth in barcodes

Wed, 29 May 2013 12:10:10 EDT

People lie about their health related behaviors. It’s a problem that has long bedeviled health research on issues ranging from diet to exercise to smoking. And it’s not just that we have faulty memories. Many of us stretch the truth to make ourselves seem more virtuous in the eyes of the person in the white coat. That makes drawing conclusions about behaviors that affect health from self-reported records tricky.

Childhood abuse linked with food addiction in adult women

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

Women who experienced severe physical or sexual abuse during childhood are much more likely to have a food addiction as adults than women who did not experience such abuse, according to a new study. The study's findings provide valuable new information regarding potential causes and treatments for food addiction and obesity.

Nordic diet lowers cholesterol, study finds

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A healthy Nordic diet lowers cholesterol levels, and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease, a pan-Nordic study has found. There was also decreased inflammation associated with pre-diabetes. The subjects who ate a Nordic diet had lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and higher levels of “good" HDL cholesterol.

Soda and illegal drugs cause similar damage to teeth: Acids erode enamel

Tue, 28 May 2013 12:25:25 EDT

Addicted to soda? You may be shocked to learn that drinking large quantities of your favorite carbonated soda could be as damaging to your teeth as methamphetamine and crack cocaine use. The consumption of illegal drugs and abusive intake of soda can cause similar damage to your mouth through the process of tooth erosion, according to a case study.

Sea anemone venom-derived compound effective in anti-obesity studies

Mon, 27 May 2013 15:36:36 EDT

A synthetic compound ShK-186, originally derived from a sea anemone toxin, has been found to enhance metabolic activity and shows potential as a treatment for obesity and insulin resistance.

Future doctors unaware of their obesity bias

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:37:37 EDT

Two out of five medical students have an unconscious bias against obese people, according to a new study.

Heart healthy lifestyle may cut kidney disease patients' risk of kidney failure

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:13:13 EDT

Compared with kidney disease patients who had zero or one heart healthy lifestyle component in the ideal range, those with two, three, and four ideal factors had progressively lower risks for kidney failure over four years. No kidney disease patients with five to seven ideal factors developed kidney failure. Patients' risk of dying during the study followed a similar trend.