Obesity

A study claims to have identified white matter brain damage in obese teenagers. The research suggests the structural changes correlate with inflammatory markers, and were not seen in non-obese subjects, implying obesity may be the causal factor.

Scientists at the University of Utah are looking at how bears and other mammals hibernate in an effort to find genetic clues for combating disease. They hope to identify similar regions in the human genome – especially those related to obesity.

A thought-provoking new study, led by researchers from the University of Cambridge, has uncovered distinct differences in brain structure in obese children compared to those of normal weight.

A novel study has for the first time detected significant accumulations of fatty tissue in airway walls of obese and overweight people suggesting these accumulations may explain why overweight individuals are at higher risk of respiratory disease.

A team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has published a paper detailing a mechanism that appears to regulate fat formation in mammals.

New research demonstrates how a high-fat diet can disrupt levels of an intestinal immune cell known to help regulate microbial populations in the gut. The study shows how low-levels of this molecule result in increased growth of harmful gut bacteria, leading to inflammation and insulin resistance.

A new study has discovered a mechanism explaining how obesity and high-fat diets can disrupt the appetite-suppressing signals from the brain and lead to overeating. The fascinating research revealed a hormone in the gut, triggered by high-fat meals, actually induces the body to keep eating.

A new slow-release hormone treatment is being touted as an alternative to gastric bypass surgery in obese patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. The novel therapy delivers three appetite-regulating hormones via a subcutaneous pump, resulting in weight loss and improved blood glucose levels.

Scientists from Taiwan are suggesting not all exercise is equal when it comes to those with a genetic propensity for obesity trying to lose weight. The study concluded jogging was better for weight loss than either swimming or cycling in those subjects with a genetic predisposition for obesity.

A new study has described how an impaired immune system can alter the composition of the gut microbiome resulting in metabolic disease and obesity. Demonstrated in mouse experiments the research suggests certain species of gut bacteria can prevent the gut from absorbing fat.

Does weight loss inherently result in the slowing down of a person’s metabolism? New research suggests we have evolved an anti-starvation mechanism that slows our metabolism and ironically is triggered by modern weight loss methods.

​Although coffee consumption does potentially pose some health risks, studies have also suggested that it may lower incidences of maladies such as prostate cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and heart disease. Now, scientists believe that it could also help fight obesity.