Obesity
Cell signaling pathway linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes
A Purdue University study shows that Notch signaling, a key biological pathway tied to development and cell communication, also plays an important role in the onset of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, a discovery that offers new targets for treatment. A research team led by Shihuan Kuang, associate professor of animal sciences, found that blocking […]
Clues to curbing obesity found in neuronal ‘sweet spot’
Preventing weight gain, obesity, and ultimately diabetes could be as simple as keeping a nuclear receptor from being activated in a small part of the brain, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers. Published in the Aug. 1 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI), the study showed that when […]
Pesticide DDT linked to slow metabolism, obesity and diabetes, mouse study finds
Exposure of pregnant mice to the pesticide DDT is linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and related conditions in female offspring later in life, according to a study led by the University of California, Davis. The study, published online July 30 in the journal PLOS ONE, is the first to show […]
New brain pathways for understanding type 2 diabetes and obesity uncovered
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified neural pathways that increase understanding of how the brain regulates body weight, energy expenditure, and blood glucose levels — a discovery that can lead to new therapies for treating Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, found that melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4Rs) expressed […]
Obesity alone does not cause arthritis in animals
The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight. A Duke University study has found that the absence of the appetite hormone leptin can determine whether obese mice experience arthritis, no matter how heavy they are. “We were completely surprised to find […]
Extreme obesity may shorten life expectancy up to 14 years
Adults with extreme obesity have increased risks of dying at a young age from cancer and many other causes including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney and liver diseases, according to results of an analysis of data pooled from 20 large studies of people from three countries. The study, led by researchers from the National […]
Explaining ‘healthy’ obesity
Up to one-quarter of individuals currently labeled as obese are actually metabolically healthy and do not have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Though obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, the two conditions aren’t always linked. A study published by Cell Press July 3rd in the journal Cell sheds light on […]
Obesity before pregnancy linked to earliest preterm births, study finds
Women who are obese before they become pregnant face an increased risk of delivering a very premature baby, according to a new study of nearly 1 million California births. The findings from the Stanford University School of Medicine provide important clues as to what triggers extremely preterm births, specifically those that occur prior to 28 […]
Activating immune system could treat obesity, diabetes
Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that is causing alarming rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but currently there is a lack of effective drug treatments. Two unrelated studies published by Cell Press June 5th in the journal Cell reveal an important role for immune pathways in activating good types body fat, called brown and beige […]
Increase in number of total knee replacement surgeries, especially in younger adults, linked to obesity
The number of total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries more than tripled between 1993 and 2009, while the number of total hip replacements (THR) doubled during the same time period. A study appearing in the June Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) found that an increase in the prevalence of ovrweight and obesity in the […]