Using a mouse model of obesity, researchers have discovered a gene is essential to gaining excessive fat tissue. Without the gene, mice did not become obese, despite a high-fat diet. Researchers have discovered that deleting a specific gene in mice prevents them from becoming obese even on a high fat diet, a finding they believe… [Continue Reading]
Fast-Food Advertising Linked to Obesity Risk
May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Children who are exposed to fast food advertising are more likely to become overweight, a new research report indicates. Familiarity with the ads was associated with unhealthy body weights, although frequency of eating at the advertised restaurants was not. The work suggests that exposure to the advertising has complex effects on eating behavior. There is… [Continue Reading]
Structure of Fat-Sensing Protein Receptor Discovered
April 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The hormone leptin regulates appetite and fat deposition in the human body. Scientists have now determined the structure of its receptor, the protein that leptin binds to signal to cells that there is sufficient fat in the body. The work could allow research to develop ways to modify the signaling pathway to treat eating disorders… [Continue Reading]
Being Overweight or Underweight Brings Risks for Pregnant Women
April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Having an abnormally high or low body weight brings a number of risks for a woman’s health during pregnancy, new research underlines. While obesity is linked to conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and premature labor, being abnormally thin increases the risk of having an underweight baby and having insufficient amniotic fluid. Obese women… [Continue Reading]
Gene Variants Discovered That Are Linked to Childhood Obesity
April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
An international consortium of researchers has discovered two key genetic differences that are linked to childhood obesity. The two genes have never before been linked to the condition, and suggests that children carrying the variants are at greater risk. Genetics researchers have identified at least two new gene variants that increase the risk of common… [Continue Reading]
Differences in Brain Function in Obese Individuals Revealed by Imaging
April 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Some people have major problems controlling their intake of sweet or fatty foods, which can lead to obesity, and new research is helping to explain why. Researchers have studied brain activity while people make food choices, anticipate a sweet or fatty food item, or consume a treat. The results of the work indicate that the… [Continue Reading]
DNA Structural Changes in Babies May Change with Maternal Diet During Early Pregnancy
April 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Animal models suggest that dieting during early pregnancy- even around the time of conception- may have long-lasting effects on baby’s health. The work has found that changes in diet cause distinct changes in the structure in DNA that help regulate the function of genes related to glucose metabolism. If you’re expecting, this might make you… [Continue Reading]
Mutant Protein Underlies Abnormal Fat Metabolism and Obesity
February 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Genetic studies have revealed a protein that has a critical role in the processing of fat in the diet. Mutations in the gene encoding the protein are linked to the incidence of obesity, and work in mouse models has shown that the protein acts as a receptor to sense the levels of fat in the… [Continue Reading]
High Fat, High Cholesterol Diet Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer in Mice
December 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
An unhealthy diet has been linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other severe health conditions. A new study reveals that a diet high in fat and cholesterol is also linked to more aggressive prostate cancers. Scientists have shown that mice fed food that reflects a typical high-fat American diet tend to have larger tumors, with… [Continue Reading]
Vitamin D Deficient Kids Gain Weight More Rapidly
November 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Kids who are deficient in vitamin D accumulated fat around the waist and gained weight more rapidly than kids who got enough vitamin D, a new study suggests. Vitamin D, which is primarily provided to the body by the sun, has been a hot topic in the U.S. lately. The federal standards for vitamin D… [Continue Reading]