obesity

January 16, 2025 5:20 PM

Study links maternal exposure to air pollution before pregnancy with childhood obesity risk

Maternal exposure to air pollution — specifically particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) — during the three months prior to conception may increase the risk of childhood obesity up to two years after birth, according to a study published on Thursday. Previous research has connected air pollution exposure during pregnancy to a range of health issues in children, such as respiratory problems and an elevated risk of chronic diseases like obesity and heart conditions. Howev...

January 15, 2025 5:42 PM

Beyond BMI: global commission proposes new way to diagnose obesity

Doctors worldwide should diagnose obesity differently, relying on broader criteria and taking into account when the condition causes ill-health, according to a new framework drawn up by experts and endorsed by 76 medical organizations internationally. At the moment, clinicians use BMI or body mass index to diagnose obesity, a calculation based on a person’s weight and height. But this tool is not precise enough and they should also take other measurements, such as waist circumference, to av...

November 26, 2024 11:40 AM

Study explains why obesity increases risk of diabetes

The US scientists have decoded why obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by targeting the fat cells. The study, published in Cell Reports, may advance new treatments for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases that work by helping fat stem cells differentiate and make new, smaller fat cells. In a first, the team from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that obesity can make it difficult for the body to produce key cellular building blocks called ribosomal factors....