Children from low-income families are at particular risk of developing obesity, because of generally poorer diets and less physical activity. A new study shows that kids from these families can effectively lose weight with the help of a referral to a structured weight-loss program. Overweight and obese children in low-income households can meet or exceed… [Continue Reading]
Structured Weight Management Programs Can Help Children Lose Weight
March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
BMI Not the Best Number For Determining Health Risks Due to Weight
November 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Body mass index, or BMI, is commonly used by physicians for determining whether someone is at risk for obesity-related health disorders, but some experts are arguing that this number may not be the best way to do it. A study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University suggests that body mass… [Continue Reading]
Physical Activity can Reduce Genetic Predisposition to Obesity by 40 Percent
September 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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. The research, carried out by Dr. Ruth Loos and colleagues suggests that the genetic predisposition to obesity can be reduced by an… [Continue Reading]
Distribution of Fat a Predictor for Health Risk
August 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Why is it that some people lose weight and body fat when they exercise and eat less and others don’t? Researchers say MRI and magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy can provide the answer – and help predict who will benefit from lifestyle changes. “You may have two individuals who weigh the same and have the same… [Continue Reading]
Waist Circumference Gives Better Prediction of Diabetes Risk than BMI
July 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Researcher Silke Feller and her colleagues have concluded that waist circumference gives a better prediction of diabetes risk than does BMI. Current guidelines recommend that the degree of risk of diabetes from overweight should be based on the determination of the body mass index (BMI). It is only recommended to measure the waist circumference when… [Continue Reading]
Study Links Obesity to Poorer Memory and Brain Function in Older Women
July 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
According to new research, the more an older woman weighs, the worse her memory. The effect is more pronounced in women who carry excess weight around their hips, known as pear shapes, than women who carry it around their waists, called apple shapes. The study of 8,745 cognitively normal, post-menopausal women ages 65 to 79… [Continue Reading]
Toolkit Helps Parents Recognize a Child’s Risk of Obesity
July 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Size of Tumors in Prostate Cancer Patients Directly Linked to Weight
June 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The size of tumors in prostate cancer patients is directly linked to their weight, according to a new six-year study. The research team, led by Nilesh Patil, found heavier patients, or those with the highest body mass index (BMI), also had the largest tumors. They discovered the connection after studying 3,327 patients who had undergone… [Continue Reading]
Adverse Consequences of Obesity Could Be Substantially Underestimated
December 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A study concludes that the link between obesity and cardiovascular mortality may be substantially underestimated, while some of the adverse consequences of being underweight may be overstated. This means that the adverse influence of higher BMI and obesity in a population is of greater magnitude than previously thought, say the authors. Numerous studies have already… [Continue Reading]