See this week’s news report to find out why so many people fail to uphold their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. And learn more about an appetite compound that’s natural in humans and is chemically similar to a certain recreational drug. Plus, get more on a new two-year program designed to help 120 families lose weight, and discover a new device that could replace gastric bypass surgery.
Get the latest details on new research, treatments, legislation and social trends related to obesity and check out WLS News now!
Organizations mentioned in this episode:
- EndoBarrier
- George Washington University Medical Center
- American Council on Exercise
- Uppsala University
- Sanofi-Aventis
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health
- National Institutes of Health
- Bariatric Girl
- Yvonne’s Link of the Week: Fit and Funny
- Washington University School of Medicine
Fitness Success Requires Gradual Changes
Could staying away from the gym help you stick to your weight loss goals this year? One study shows it might.
Researchers at George Washington University Medical Center surveyed more than 1,500 obese men and women. The survey showed that the heaviest respondents had the lowest estimation of their own health, but the reason they chose not to hit the gym, according to survey results, had more to do with emotions. Click on the video player above to learn how they feel.
No Health for Obese Men
Many pro-fat advocacy groups insist that being fat is a social stigma, not a health risk. But a new study shows that’s not the case.
A study out of Uppsala University that followed 1,800 Swedish men for 30 years lead scientists to believe that it is not possible to be overweight or obese without exhibiting signs of metabolic syndrome. This syndrome that includes at least three health risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a big waistline or high cholesterol. Click on the video player above to learn more.
Doctors Study Endocannabinoids
Academic researchers from Pennsylvania and Japan have teamed up to examine a compound in humans that’s very close to something found in… marijuana. And learning more about it may show doctors how to prevent us from getting the munchies. Click on the video player above to learn what the research has uncovered.
COMPASS Program Tackles Family Obesity
A two-year program in St. Louis, Missouri is recruiting 120 families that have been affected by obesity in hopes of helping them make improvements.
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are embarking on a study called COMPASS, which stands for “Comprehensive Maintenance Program to Achieve Sustained Success.” The study will involve 120 families with at least one parent – and at least one child between ages 7 and 11 – who are more than 20 percent heavier than their ideal weight. The COMPASS study will include fitness and nutritional mandates, plus weight management therapy. The program is designed to influence the parent to take action against a weight problem, which, in turn, sets a powerful example for the child. COMPASS will attempt to produce four months of weight loss, followed by eight months of weight maintenance. Then, the researchers will follow up with the families for another year to measure their health status. This two-year study, which will be free for the families who qualify to participate, is made possible by a $4.6 million grant from two national institutes. Click the player above to get more details.
