Obesity News and Research

RSS

Overweight and obesity are defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to an individuals health.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer and while it was once an issue only in high income countries, overweight and obesity has now dramatically risen in low- and middle-income countries.Such countries are now facing a "double burden" of disease, for while they continue to deal with the problems of infectious disease and under-nutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in chronic disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in urban settings.

Breakthrough Study Reveals Genetic Variants with Significant Impact on Obesity Risk

A study led by Medical Research Council (MRC) researchers has identified genetic variants in two genes that have some of the largest impacts on obesity risk discovered to date.

5 Apr 2024

Strategies to Counter Postnatal Growth Retardation in Piglets

The metabolic basis of postnatal growth retardation (PGR) in piglets is not yet clear, but it is characterized by poor production performance, low feed conversion rate, and a high mortality rate.

4 Mar 2024

Gut Microbial Metabolite Linked to Increased Thrombosis Risk in COVID-19 Patients

A gut microbial metabolite called 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine (2MBC) plays a role in exacerbating thrombosis -- the formation of blood clots – researchers report February 23rd in the journal Cell Metabolism.

26 Feb 2024

Genetic Clusters Linked to Type 2 Diabetes and Complications

The relationship between genetic variations and disease in order to create novel medications and therapies.

20 Feb 2024

Study Shows How Obesity Causes Mitochondrial Fragmentation in Fat Cells

The number of people with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, resulting in a worldwide epidemic.

30 Jan 2024

A New Tool for Monitoring Neuronal Inhibition

By tracking when distinct subsets of brain cells activate, researchers have understood the complex activity patterns found in both human and animal brains for many years. Knowing how long those neurons stay active and when they turn off again is crucial to understanding the brain and its associated disorders.

24 Jan 2024

High-Resolution Map Exposes Cellular Pathways to Fertility

An interdisciplinary team mapped the gene expression that takes place in mice during follicle maturation and ovulation using a state-of-the-art method of RNA tagging.

24 Jan 2024

New Insights Into How Genetic Variation Affects Gene Expression

Chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding are determined by genetic variation, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland.

23 Jan 2024

New Technology Enables Minimally-Invasive, High-Resolution Recording of Brain Activity

Sensors built with a new manufacturing approach are capable of recording activity deep within the brain from large populations of individual neurons–with a resolution of as few as one or two neurons–in humans as well as a range of animal models, according to a study published in the Jan. 17, 2024 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

18 Jan 2024

Breakthrough 3D Vascular Sheet Mimics Atherosclerosis for High-Throughput Drug Screening

A groundbreaking 3D, three-layer nanomatrix vascular sheet that possesses multiple features of atherosclerosis has been applied for developing a high-throughput functional assay of drug candidates to treat this disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers report in the journal Biomaterials.

16 Jan 2024

mEnrich-seq: A High-Specificity Bacterial Enrichment Technique for Microbiome Research

In a landmark study recently published in the journal Nature Methods, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have unveiled mEnrich-seq-;an innovative method designed to substantially enhance the specificity and efficiency of research into microbiomes, the complex communities of microorganisms that inhabit the human body.

5 Jan 2024

Gut Mitochondria Hold the Key to Balanced Fat Metabolism

The maintenance of a balanced lipid homeostasis is critical for our health. While consumption of excessive amounts of fatty foods contributes to metabolic diseases such as obesity and atherosclerosis, fat is an indispensable component of our diet.

22 Dec 2023

How 3D DNA Architecture Shapes Cell Fate in Early Embryos

The intricate process of duplicating genetic information, referred to as DNA replication, lies at the heart of the transmission of life from one cell to another and from one organism to the next. This happens by not just simply copying the genetic information; a well-orchestrated sequence of molecular events has to happen at the right time.

21 Dec 2023

Intermittent Energy Restriction Diet Alters Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis

Worldwide, more than one billion people are obese. Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

21 Dec 2023

CRISPR Takes Probiotics to the Next Level

Humans can benefit significantly from symbiotic relationships with probiotics-;live bacteria and microorganisms that influence the gut microbiota.

14 Dec 2023

Novel Biosensors Uncover Brain Activity

Researchers have employed novel biosensors to uncover neuropeptide activity in the brain, introducing innovative tools for examining the release, function, and regulation of these vital signaling molecules in vivo.

17 Nov 2023

New Drug-Like Molecule Enhances Mitophagy, Protects Against Neurodegeneration

Having healthy mitochondria, the organelles that produce energy in all our cells, usually portends a long healthy life whether in humans or in C. elegans, a tiny, short-lived nematode worm often used to study the aging process.

14 Nov 2023

Obesity Susceptibility may be Written Into Molecular Processes of Human Cells

A susceptibility to gain weight may be written into molecular processes of human cells, a Washington State University study indicates.

2 Nov 2023

The Global Biopharma Community is Now Actively Partnering for BIO-Europe® 2023

The 29th annual BIO-Europe, the premier partnering conference for the global biopharmaceutical industry, is set to take place November 6–8, 2023, in the vibrant city of Munich, Germany.

27 Oct 2023

How Plant-Derived Nutrients can Affect the Gut and Brain

Can plant-derived nutrients alter gut bacteria to affect brain function? Scientists from the University of Leipzig Medical Center, the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research investigated this question in a study of overweight adults.

11 Oct 2023