

Obesity worsens asthma in preschool children
Findings from a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology have concluded that obesity can add five weeks of asthma symptoms in children ages 2 to 5. The researchers also found that untreated children who were overweight had more asthma attacks than untreated children of a healthy weight. The study also found that the effectiveness of steroid inhalers is not reduced in...Read More

Obesity not quite associated with improved survival
A controversial body of research has suggested that obesity may be associated with an improved rate of survival in patients with cardiovascular disease. It has been suggested in the past that because obese individuals have an extra catabolic reserve, and many diseases result in the wasting away at the end of life, they could prolong survival. However, a new study from the New York University...Read More

Differing ethnic risks of obesity explained
For many years it has been believed that black individuals have a higher risk of developing diabetes, and the reason for this was unexplained. However, a new study published in JAMA has concluded that rates of obesity are what drives the differences in diabetes incidence between black and white individuals. Data from 4,251 individuals enrolled in a separate study was used for this research,...Read More

Binge eating as a weight loss obstacle
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania has found that those who binge eat whilst they are trying to lose weight, drop around half as much as those who do not, these findings have been published in Obesity. In order to assess the role of binge eating, and how addictive behaviours affect treatment for a variety of populations, the researchers used data from over 5,000 overweight and...Read More

Food adverts during family TV shows encourage junk food consumption
A new report that contains research conducted at the University of Liverpool has found that six in ten food adverts shown during family programmes push junk food, including fast food, takeaways and sweets. Normally, these adverts would be banned from children’s TV under UK regulations which prohibit the advertising of food high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) during programmes that are...Read More

Obesity during pregnancy directly results in foetal overgrowth
A recent study published in JAMA Paediatrics has suggested that being obese during pregnancy increases the risk of giving birth to an atypically large infant, this is independent of other health effects such as diabetes that may also be present. A large foetus – macrosomia – can present a variety of problems during pregnancy and labour. Macrosomia itself can increase the chances of the foetus...Read More
