Obesity leads to cognitive impairment by activating microglial cells, which consume otherwise functional synapses in the hippocampus, according to a study of male mice. The research suggests that microglia may be a potential therapeutic target for one of the lesser known effects of this global health epidemic on the brain.
Shifting to a healthy diet is not only good for us, but it also saves a lot of fresh water, according to a new study. Compared to existing diets, the water required to produce our food could be reduced by up to 55 percent for healthy pescetarian and vegetarian diets.
New research shows that if a woman gains either too much or too little weight during pregnancy, there are adverse effects in children at 7 years of age.
Obesity and its related ailments like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease pose a major global health burden, but researchers report that blocking an RNA-silencing protein in the livers of mice keeps the animals from getting fat-related and diabetic conditions.
Men and women with high blood pressure reduced the need for antihypertensive medications by making lifestyle changes. A 16-week program, focused on the DASH diet, weight management and exercise, resulted in the most dramatic declines in blood pressure.
Scientists found that mice lacking the biological clocks thought to be necessary for a healthy metabolism could still be protected against obesity and metabolic diseases by having their daily access to food restricted to a 10-hour window.
Researchers have found that toddlers who had poor self-regulation skills -- the ability to control their behaviors and emotions -- went on to have lower BMIs as preschoolers if their mothers engaged with them during playtime and then helped direct them during clean up.
One night of sleep loss has a tissue-specific impact on the regulation of gene expression and metabolism in humans, according to researchers. This may explain how shift work and chronic sleep loss impairs our metabolism and adversely affects our body composition.
New research, in mice, indicates that a natural sugar called trehalose blocks glucose from the liver and activates a gene that boosts insulin sensitivity, reducing the chance of developing diabetes. The findings suggest new possibilities for treating metabolic syndrome, a cluster of related conditions that includes obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Eating white button mushrooms can create subtle shifts in the microbial community in the gut, which could improve the regulation of glucose in the liver, according to a team of researchers. They also suggest that better understanding this connection between mushrooms and gut microbes in mice could one day pave the way for new diabetes treatments and prevention strategies for people.
A new peer-reviewed study of weight-loss and sports/energy supplements containing higenamine finds unpredictable and inaccurately labeled dosages of the potentially harmful cardiovascular stimulant.
A recent study found that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) had the highest frequency of rapid weight gain during the first six months of life, which may put them at increased risk for childhood obesity.
Almost one in three adults suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver. For the affected people this increases the risk of complications such as liver cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke.
An extract of camu camu -- a fruit native to the Amazon -- prevents obesity in mice fed a diet rich in sugar and fat, say researchers. The discovery suggests that camu camu phytochemicals could play a leading role in the fight against obesity and metabolic disease.
