Obesity

Obesity traditionally has been defined as a weight at least 20% above the weight corresponding to the lowest death rate for individuals of a specific height, gender, and age (ideal weight). Twenty to forty percent over ideal weight is considered mildly obese; 40–100% over ideal weight is considered moderately obese; and 100% over ideal weight is considered severely, or morbidly, obese.

Obesity - most related articles:

- Taranabant for obesity discontinued by Merck - 3.4
- Obesity increased in USA, obesity policies are failing - 2.7
- Obesity epidemic taking root in Africa - 2.6
- Poor coordination in childhood linked to obesity in later life - 2.5
- Race and short sleep increase obesity risk - 2.5
- Strong genetic influence on childhood obesity - 2.5
- Obesity threshold lowered for Indians - 2.5
- Physical activity can reduce genetic predisposition to obesity - 2.4
- Weight during pregnancy affects daughter's risk of being obese - 2.4
- Overweight pregnant women may have fatter children - 2.4

Obesity articles

Eat out at restaurants and still lose weight
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. However, a study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior demonstrates that individuals can eat out and still lose weight.

Bariatric surgery reduces heart attack and stroke in obese
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, revealed by researchers.

Mother toddler relationship quality linked to teen obesity
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.

Low calorie diet improves heart function in diabetic obese patients
A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these effects are long term.

Exercise helps to eat a healthy diet and nutrition
A healthy diet and the right amount of exercise are key players in treating and preventing obesity but we still know little about the relationship both factors have with each other. A new study now reveals that an increase in physical activity is linked to an improvement in diet quality.

People with early Alzheimer's disease may have lower BMI
People in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease are more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI). A new study examined 506 people with advanced brain imaging techniques and analyses of cerebrospinal fluid to look for biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, which can be present years before the first symptoms begin.

Thin underweight people with lower BMI may have higher post surgical risk
Body Mass Index (BMI) 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.

Sugar sweetened drinks may increase heart risk in women
Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman's waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes. In a new study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day, such as carbonated sodas or flavored waters with added sugar, to women who drank one or less daily.

Sugar sweetened beverages ban in schools not reducing consumption among adolescents
Banning all sugar-sweetened beverages in US schools is not associated with a reduction in overall consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, revealed by researchers in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Overweight or obese kids at greater risk of high blood pressure
Overweight or obese children are at three times greater risk for high blood pressure than children of normal weight, according to researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine.

Microwaved purple potatoes may reduce BP in obese
A couple servings of spuds a day reduces blood pressure almost as much as oatmeal without causing weight gain, revealed by researchers.

65 million more obese in US and 11 million more in UK by 2030
The rising prevalence of obesity around the globe places an increasing burden on the health of populations, on healthcare systems and on overall economies. A major challenge for researchers is to quantify the effect of these burdens to inform public policies.

Marriage and divorce linked to weight gain
Both marriage and divorce can act as "weight shocks," leading people to add a few extra pounds-especially among those over age 30-according to new research to be presented at the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. But when it comes to large weight gains, the effects of marital transitions are quite different for men than they are for women.

Weight loss increases libido in obese
Modest weight loss and diet of high nutritional quality improves erectile function, sexual desire and lowers urinary tract symptoms in obese men with type 2 diabetes. This is evidenced in a new study.

U.S. hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding
Breastfeeding protects against childhood obesity, yet less than 4 percent of U.S. hospitals provide the full range of support mothers need to be able to breastfeed, according to the most recent Vital Signs report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Obesity counseling should focus on neurobehavioral processes
Current approaches to dietary counseling for obesity are heavily rooted in the notion of personal choice and will power – the ability to choose healthy foods and portion sizes consistent with weight loss while foregoing sweets and comfort foods. According to preventive medicine and behavioral experts at Rush University Medical Center, research supports a new counseling approach that views obesity as a result of neurobehavioral processes - ways in which the brain controls eating behavior in response to cues in the environment.

Increasing muscle mass may lower diabetes risk
The greater an individual's total muscle mass, the lower the person's risk of having insulin resistance, the major precursor of type 2 diabetes, revealed by researchers in a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Fast food customers cut calories after US food labeling system
Around a sixth of fast food customers used calorie information and, on average, bought food with lower calories since the introduction of a labelling system in the US, says a new study published.

US children eating more and more frequently outside home
As childhood obesity rises and the American diet shifts towards increasing consumption of foods eaten or prepared outside of the home, concerns about the nutritional quality and the total consumption of such foods are also increasing.

Lower calorie foods purchased in restaurants contain more calories than listed
Disclosing the calories in restaurant foods to customers holds promise as a strategy to lower the nation's obesity rate. However, a new study of food items from national chain restaurants found that while stated calories on restaurant menus and websites were accurate on average, 19% of individual samples differed from laboratory measurements by more than 100 calories and lower calorie foods tended to contain more than listed.

Healthy eating, physical activity and good sleep needed to curb obesity
Limiting television and other media use, encouraging infants and young children in preschool and child care to spend more time in physically active play, and requiring child care providers to promote healthy sleeping practices are some of the actions needed to curb high rates of obesity among America's youngest children.

Fat substitutes may lead to weight gain
Eating food which is naturally low in fat and calories may be a better route than relying on fat substitutes or artificial sweeteners. Synthetic fat substitutes used in low-calorie potato chips and other foods could backfire and contribute to weight gain and obesity, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.

Obese children vomit to lose weight
Children as young as ten are making themselves vomit in order to lose weight and the problem is more common in boys than girls, according to a study of nearly 16,000 school pupils published by the Journal of Clinical Nursing. Self-induced vomiting is an early sign that children could develop eating disorders and serious psychological problems, such as binge eating and anorexia.

Workplace physical activity linked to obesity epidemic
The decrease in workplace physical activity over the past fifty years is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. Changes in caloric intake cannot solely account for observed trends in weight gain increases for men and women in the United States.

Obese men face higher risk of prostate cancer progression
Even when treated with hormone therapy to suppress tumor growth, obese men face an elevated risk of their prostate cancer worsening, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found.

Master switch gene for obesity and diabetes discovered
A team of researchers, led by King's College London and the University of Oxford, have found that a gene linked to type 2 diabetes and cholesterol levels is in fact a 'master regulator' gene, which controls the behaviour of other genes found within fat in the body.

Prolonged bottle feeding increases obesity risk
Experts agree that obesity prevention should begin before children enter school. But due to a lack of conclusive data, health care providers often have trouble advising parents about which interventions are the most beneficial.

Turning bad fat into good - A future treatment for obesity
By knocking down the expression of a protein in rat brains known to stimulate eating, Johns Hopkins researchers say they not only reduced the animals' calorie intake and weight, but also transformed their fat into a type that burns off more energy. The finding could lead to better obesity treatments for humans, the scientists report.

Most obese adolescents lacking vitamin D
A new study from Hasbro Children's Hospital has found that most obese adolescents are lacking in vitamin D. The researchers call for increased surveillance of vitamin D levels in this population and for further studies to determine if normalizing vitamin D levels will help to lower the health risks associated with obesity.

Vitamin E or metformin not effective in liver disease in children teens
In contrast to previous preliminary data, use of vitamin E or the diabetes drug metformin was not superior to placebo on a measured outcome for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents.

Obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens
According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study, which has been released in the Journal of Adolescent Health, did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

Weight loss may improve memory and concentration
John Gunstad, an associate professor in Kent State University's Department of Psychology, and a team of researchers have discovered a link between weight loss and improved memory and concentration. The study shows that bariatric surgery patients exhibited improved memory function 12 weeks after their operations.

Blueberries may inhibit development of fat cells in obese
Using blueberry polyphenols, researcers were able to inhibit obesity at a molecular stage. The study was performed in tissue cultures taken from mice. The polyphenols showed a dose-dependent suppression of adipocyte differentiation.

QNEXA for Weight Loss in obesity - CONQUER study
VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) announced that detailed results from the 56-week CONQUER study were published in The Lancet evaluating the efficacy and safety of investigational drug QNEXA in 2,487 patients across 93 sites in the US.

Good sleep and less stress better for weight loss
A new Kaiser Permanente study found that people trying to lose at least 10 pounds were more likely to reach that goal if they had lower stress levels and slept more than six hours but not more than eight hours a night.

Elevations in 5 amino acids metabolite may predict diabetes risk
Measuring the levels of small molecules in the blood may be able to identify individuals at elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes as much as a decade before symptoms of the disorder appear.

High fiber diet may lead to a healthy longer life
Dietary fiber may be associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, as well as a reduced risk of death from any cause over a nine-year period.

Walking 3000 steps every day reduces diabetes risk
Simply taking more steps every day not only helps ward off obesity but also reduces the risk of diabetes, finds a study published in BMJ UK.

Protein hydrolysate based infant formulas found better
New findings from the Monell Center reveal that weight gain of formula-fed infants is influenced by the type of formula the infant is consuming. Commonly available infant formulas are cow's milk-based, soy-based and protein hydrolysate-based.

Metabolic syndrome common in psoriasis patients
Individuals with psoriasis have a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, according to a report that will appear in the April_2011 print issue of Archives of Dermatology.

New gene sites linked to obesity and fat distribution
An international consortium has made significant inroads into uncovering the genetic basis of obesity by identifying 18 new gene sites associated with overall obesity and 13 that affect fat distribution.

Life expectancy in US falls behind other countries
America continues to lag behind other nations when it comes to gains in life expectancy, and commonly cited causes for our poor performance-obesity, smoking, traffic fatalities and homicide-are not to blame, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

Obesity in colon cancer patients increases mortality
Postmenopausal women diagnosed with colon cancer may be at increased risk of death if they fail to maintain a healthy body weight before cancer diagnosis, revealed by researchers.

Everyday stress may lead to over eating, weight gain, obesity
Stress can take a daily toll on us that has broad physical and psychological implications. Science has long documented the effect of extreme stress, such as war, injury or traumatic grief on humans. Typically, such situations cause victims to decrease their food intake and body weight. Recent studies, however, tend to suggest that social stress--public speaking, tests, job and relationship pressures--may have the opposite effect--over-eating and weight gain.

Physical activity can reduce genetic predisposition to obesity
Although the whole population can benefit from a physically active lifestyle, in part through reduced obesity risk, a new study shows that individuals with a genetic predisposition to obesity can benefit even more.

50% rise in oesophageal cancer rate in men
Oesophageal cancer rates in men have risen by 50 per cent over the last 25 years, according to new figures published by Cancer Research UK.

Obesity rates decline for many adolescents but disparities worsen
Obesity rates have started to decline and level off for many adolescents, but continue to increase for certain racial and ethnic minorities, according to a new UCSF-led study.

Weight gain in middle age increases diabetes risk
For individuals 65 years of age and older, obesity, excess body fat around the waist and gaining weight after the age of 50 are associated with an increased risk of diabetes, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

2 glasses milk a day tones muscles, keeps the fat away
Women who drink two large glasses of milk a day after their weight-lifting routine gained more muscle and lost more fat compared to women who drank sugar-based energy drinks, a McMaster study has found.

Weight loss drug orlistat may lead to liver injury
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised consumers and health care professionals about potential rare occurrences of severe liver injury in patients taking the weight-loss medication orlistat, marketed as Xenical and Alli.

Abdominal fat at middle age linked to dementia
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future.

Obesity remains an economic issue in US
Ensuring access to healthy, affordable foods is a top priority in tackling the obesity epidemic in the United States. Over the course of the last six months, the Institute of Medicine, United States Department of Agriculture, The White House and First Lady Michelle Obama have taken an interest in improving access to affordable and nutritious foods.

Weight loss surgery lowers pregnancy complications in obese
Obese women who undergo bariatric surgery before having a baby have a much lower risk of developing serious health problems during pregnancy, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

New form of insulin Afrezza can be inhaled
Scientists described a new ultra-rapid acting mealtime insulin (AFREZZA™) that is orally inhaled for absorption via the lung. Because the insulin is absorbed so rapidly, AFREZZA's profile closely mimics the normal early insulin response seen in healthy individuals.

Seaweed reduces fat uptake by 75%, can fight obesity
Seaweed could hold the key to tackling obesity after it was found it reduces fat uptake by more than 75 per cent. The research team at Newcastle University are adding seaweed fibre to bread to see if they can develop foods that help you lose weight while you eat them.

Extreme obesity affecting more children at 10 - 12 years of age
Extreme obesity is affecting more children at younger ages, with 12 percent of black teenage girls, 11.2 percent of Hispanic teenage boys, 7.3 percent of boys and 5.5 percent of girls now classified as extremely obese.

Women who drink moderately appear to gain less weight
Normal-weight women who drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol appear to gain less weight and have a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese than non-drinkers.

Review policies for childhood obesity, US
Before developing specific anti-obesity strategies, lawmakers and advocates should review the evidence on program effectiveness and costs in order to avoid policies that either won't work or will waste money.

Soluble fiber boosts immune system and immunity
Soluble fiber - found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system, revealed by researchers.

Obese kids show early warning signs for future heart disease
Obese children as young as 3 years old have elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that in adults is considered an early warning sign for possible future heart disease, revealed by researchers.

Women with gout at greater risk of heart attack
Women with gout are at greater risk of a heart attack than men with the disease, indicates research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Overweight older over 70 years live longer
Adults aged over 70 years who are classified as overweight are less likely to die over a ten year period than adults who are in the 'normal' weight range.

Counterfeit weight loss drug Alli containing sibutramine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is updating its warning to the public about a counterfeit version of Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill pack) being sold over the internet, particularly at online auction sites.

Catheter treatment works better than drugs for heart rhythm disorder
Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, according to a landmark study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Obesity enhances liver cancer risk
Epidemiological studies indicate that being overweight or obese is associated with increased cancer risk. The most dramatic effect of obesity on cancer risk has been noted for a common form of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC.

Rate of increase for obesity in US slowing
The prevalence of adults in the U.S. who are obese is still high, with about one-third of adults obese in 2007-2008, although new data suggest that the rate of increase for obesity in the U.S. in recent decades may be slowing.

Study provides insight into pathway linked to obesity
A new study involving the University of Iowa, Mayo Clinic and two other institutions provides insight on weight control, suggesting that a ATP-sensitive potassium channel critical to survival and stress adaptation can contribute to fat deposition and obesity.

Restaurant and packaged foods can have more calories than nutrition
In a study published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from Tufts University found that some commercially prepared foods contained more calories than indicated in nutritional labeling.

Food aromas may prevent overeating helping obese
A real possibility does exist for developing a new generation of foods that make people feel full by releasing anti-hunger aromas during chewing, scientists in the Netherlands are reporting after a review of research on that topic.

Obesity increases the risk for obstructive sleep apnea
Being overweight or obese increases the risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adolescents but not in younger children, revealed by researchers.

Obesity epidemic taking root in Africa
The urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa are the latest victims of the obesity epidemic, revealed by researchers in the journal BMC Public Health. Overweight and obesity are on the increase among this group.

Moderate weight loss improves heart function in obese
Obese patients who lost a moderate amount of weight by eating less and exercising more improved their cardiovascular health, revealed by researchers.

Drinking coffee or tea reduces diabetes risk
Drinking more coffee (regular or decaffeinated) or tea appears to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis of previous studies reported in the December 14/28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, JAMA.

Obesity in US population, more are overweight
If obesity trends continue, the negative effect on the health of the U.S. population will overtake the benefits gained from declining smoking rates, according to a study by U-M and Harvard researchers published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ecstasy use may lead to sleep apnea
Recreational users of the drug known as ecstasy may be at a higher risk for sleep apnea, revealed by researchers.

Successful weight control strategies for adolescent obesity
Adolescent obesity is a major public health problem that impacts one out of every three children, resulting in 4-5 million overweight youth in the United States.

Ghrelin can slow Parkinson's disease
Stomach hormone - Ghrelin - may be used to boost resistance to, or slow, the development of Parkinson's disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Diabetes spending will be triple in US
In the next 25 years, spending on diabetes will almost triple, rising from $113 billion to $336 billion, even with no increase in the prevalence of obesity.

Fat around the middle increases dementia risk in women
Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy.

Low fat diet improves mood in dieters
A low calorie, low fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters' mood than a low carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, revealed by researchers.

Teenage obesity increases multiple sclerosis risk in women
Teenage women who are obese may be more than twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults compared to female teens who are not obese, revealed by researchers.

New guidelines to improve the treatment of diabetes - IDF
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) releases important new guidelines to improve the treatment of diabetes worldwide. The guidelines address pregnancy, self-monitoring blood glucose and oral health.

Obesity in middle age may affect healthy life in women
A new BMJ study reveals that the more weight women gain from the age of 18 until middle age, the less likely they are to enjoy a long and healthy life, as compared with lean women.

ADHD patients have deficits in brain's reward system
The patients suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have lower-than-normal levels of certain proteins essential for experiencing reward and motivation, revealed by researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Obesity, alcohol use and smoking increase second breast cancer risk
Obesity, alcohol use and smoking significantly increase the risk of second breast cancer among breast cancer survivors, revealed by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Eating late night snack causes weight gain, obesity
Eating at irregular times - the equivalent of the middle of the night for humans, when the body wants to sleep - influences weight gain, revealed by researchers at the Northwestern University.

Action steps to cut childhood obesity rates
Local governments play a crucial role in the fight against childhood obesity by creating environments that make it either easy or hard for children to eat healthier diets and move more.

10 and 11 year olds like to have a perfect body
There is a direct association between body mass index (BMI) and satisfaction with the body shape in school children of 10-11 years of age, revealed by researchers.

Daylight may reduce obesity risk
Exciting research into Brown adipose tissue (BAT) - brown fat, which is found in abundance in hibernating animals and newborn babies - could lead to new ways of preventing obesity.

Sleep apnea increases risk of death
Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of death from any cause in middle-aged adults, especially men, revealed by researchers.

High fat diets are realy unhealthful
Short-term memory getting worse? Exercise getting harder? Examine your diet. Eating a high-fat diet may decrease ability to exercise and cause short-term memory loss.

Stress may lead to obesity and heart disease
Social stress could be an important precursor to heart disease by causing the body to deposit more fat in the abdominal cavity, speeding the harmful buildup of plaque in blood vessels, a stepping stone to the number one cause of death in the world.

Treating obesity with brown fat in the body
Researchers have shown that they can produce brown fat, a natural energy-burning type of fat that counteracts obesity. If such a strategy can be developed for use in people, it could open a novel approach to treating obesity and diabetes.

Allergy drug may reduce obesity and diabetes
Researchers have linked type 2 diabetes and obesity with immunology. These new research studies published in Nature Medicine, by Harvard Medical School researchers.

Orexigen's Contrave trials successful for obesity treatment
Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX) announced that all three remaining Phase 3 trials evaluating Contrave(R) (bupropion SR/naltrexone SR), its investigational drug for the treatment of obesity, met their co-primary endpoints.

Overweight youth likely to have overweight friends
Overweight youth were twice as likely to have overweight friends, revealed by researchers from the Institute of Prevention Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).

Obesity threshold lowered for Indians
Obesity is generally linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease conditions. Considering the facts, health experts lowered the threshold for being overweight or obese in India.

Obesity leads to rapid cartilage loss
Obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of rapid cartilage loss, revealed by researchers at Boston University. The study published in the August issue of Radiology.

Life stress linked to weight gain in US population
Stressing out can cause people to gain weight, revealed by researchers. The study looked at the relationship between weight gain and multiple types of stress in the U.S. population.

Link between obesity and diabetes discovered
A critical link between obesity and the onset of Type 2 diabetes is established by a Monash University study in Australia. The new findings could lead to the design of a drug to prevent the disease.

100 Obesity articles listed above.

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What is Obesity
Obesity traditionally has been defined as a weight at least 20% above the weight corresponding to the lowest death rate for individuals of a specific height, gender, and age (ideal weight). Twenty to forty percent over ideal weight is considered mildly obese; 40–100% over ideal weight is considered moderately obese; and 100% over ideal weight is considered severely, or morbidly, obese.

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