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Overweight & Obesity news

Genetics

Study implicates another gene in the brain that causes weight gain

Mutations in a gene called OTP cause obesity by controlling the output of another gene already targeted by an anti-obesity drug, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings, reported in Science ...

Overweight & Obesity

Comprehensive blood analysis offers insight into biology and risk factors of childhood obesity

A cutting-edge molecular approach provides a detailed picture of the biological pathways associated with childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction, and identifies environmental risk factors during early life. The study, ...

Oncology & Cancer

The link between obesity and cancer risk

Obesity, recognized as a complex and growing health issue, is associated with an increased risk of various cancers. A comprehensive review appearing in Frontiers of Medicine provides insights into the mechanisms linking obesity ...

Overweight & Obesity

Special gut bacterium could help cut sugar cravings

Researchers have identified a gut bacterium that may be associated with reduced dietary sugar intake. The findings, which are based on analyses of humans and mice, could aid the development of therapies to manage obesity ...

Medications

What to do if you miss a dose of GLP-1

Most people have missed a dose of prescription medication at some point. But if you are taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 drug—better known as GLP-1—for weight loss, the protocol for getting back on track may be different ...

Overweight & Obesity

A vaccine to prevent weight gain? It's on the horizon

This time of year, millions of people turn to diets, exercise and medication to help them get their weight in check. New University of Colorado Boulder research suggests another surprising tool could help them achieve their ...

Overweight & Obesity

New regulator of eating behavior identified

The rapidly escalating prevalence of overweight and obesity poses a significant medical challenge worldwide. In addition to people's changing lifestyles, genetic factors also play a key role in the development of obesity.

Overweight & Obesity

New drug candidate reverses obesity in mice

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet may have found a new way to treat obesity and related disorders by targeting the cells' mitochondria. A study published in Nature Metabolism shows that a specific class of drugs that block ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

Does obesity really increase your risk of dementia?

Many dementia charities advise people to maintain a healthy weight to reduce their risk of dementia. But some studies have suggested that obesity might actually protect against dementia. What does the science say?

Overweight & Obesity

Rio de Janeiro tests new recipe against childhood obesity

Chicken with potatoes, carrot-and-cabbage salad: it looks like a detox meal, but it's the menu at a school cafeteria in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is seeking new ways to fight childhood obesity.

Overweight & Obesity

Researchers from Denmark and Germany find brown fat's 'off-switch'

Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue (BAT), is a type of fat in our bodies that's different from the white fat around our belly and thighs that we are more familiar with. Brown fat has a special job—it helps to ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Intriguing food reflex discovered with a smartphone

Psychologist Hilmar Zech found that overweight people are actually more attracted to food pictures after eating than before. He did so using an old research method that he revamped for use on smartphones. Zech will defend ...

Overweight & Obesity

Abdominal obesity might predict risk of fecal incontinence

Fecal incontinence (FI), or involuntary loss of bowel control, significantly impacts quality of life and mental health for millions of adults in the U.S. Obesity is thought to affect bowel function, but the relationship between ...