Body Mass Index

BMI is a measurement of the relative percentages of fat and muscle mass in the human body, in which mass in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared and the result used as an index of obesity.

Gastric banding obesity surgery cures type 2 diabetes

A new study gives the strongest evidence yet that obesity surgery can cure diabetes. Gastric banding is a medical procedure where a band is placed around a patient’s stomach to reduce appetite and food intake. – A new world-first study by Monash University researchers has found gastric banding surgery has a profound impact on one of society’s biggest health issues – diabetes. Obese patients with Type 2 diabetes who underwent gastric banding were five times more likely to have their diabetes go into long term remission, compared with patients who engaged in conventional weight loss therapies, such as a controlled calorie diet and exercise.

Exercise reduces menopausal anxiety, stress and depression

Brisk walking routine can reduce a variety of psychological symptoms such as anxiety, stress and depression in menopause women. – With more menopausal women seeking natural therapies to ease symptoms, a new study has found that simply adding a brisk walking routine can reduce a variety of psychological symptoms such as anxiety, stress and depression.

Thyroid treatment no quick fix for weight loss in children

Most experts agree thyroid function tests are generally unnecessary in an overweight child if he/she has normal linear growth and no other symptoms of hypothyroidism. The results of this study support this. – Children treated for hypothyroidism aren’t likely to drop pounds with treatment for the condition says a new study in the Journal of Pediatrics. The study is the first to examine the link between hypothyroidism treatment and weight loss in pediatric patients.

Obese pregnant women give birth to heavier babies

New study suggests that maternal body composition at or near conception has important implications for offspring?s obesity, and obesity during conception phase may set the stage for offspring?s obesity risk. – The number of overweight and obese Americans continues to grow rapidly. Today, 50 percent of adults are overweight and up to 20 percent are obese. While the number of overweight/obese children is at an all time high, the steady increase of overweight infants ? individuals under 11 months old ? is alarming.

Obesity linked to decreased seatbelt use

Vanderbilt University psychologist reveals that obese people are less likely to use their seatbelts than the rest of the population, adding to the public health risks associated with this rapidly growing problem. – Obese people are less likely to use their seatbelts than the rest of the population, adding to the public health risks associated with this rapidly growing problem.

Restless legs syndrome doubles risk of stroke and heart disease

Restless legs syndrome doubles risk of stroke and heart disease

Restless legs syndrome increases risk of stroke and heart diseases in patients because of increased blood pressure and heart rate due to periodic legs movements. – People with restless legs syndrome (RLS) are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart disease compared to people without RLS, and the risk is greatest in those with the most frequent and severe symptoms.

Sleep disordered breathing affects obese children

Sleep disordered breathing affects obese and overweight children. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can pose serious health threats.
– As the obesity epidemic grows in the U.S., doctors are discovering more and more far reaching health concerns for overweight children. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which can include various sleep behaviors ranging in severity from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), disproportionately affects children who are overweight and African- American, according to a new study published in the December 2007 edition of Otolaryngology ? Head and Neck Surgery.

Right diet and lifestyle may help infertile women

Right dietary choices and the right amount of physical activity in daily life may increase probability of becoming fertile if one is experiencing problems with ovulation and infertility. – Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to a paper published in the November 1, 2007, issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.