While most differences in body mass index (BMI) among siblings are determined by genetics, shared environmental factors contribute to about one-third of that variance, and can potentially be modified to reduce the risk of obesity, a recent study suggests. The effects of genetics and common environmental factors were greater…
Adolescents with an eating disorder who carry two obesity-related genetic mutations have high levels of the hunger-reducing hormone leptin in their blood, a Mexican study has found. Higher levels of leptin were also found in participants who reported more binge-eating episodes. The findings…
Continuous setmelanotide treatment prevented the development of obesity in mice with a form of POMC deficiency in the hypothalamus area of the brain, a study reports. The therapy was also found not to affect healthy mice fed a high-fat…
Adults who carry certain genetic variants that raise their risk of obesity are more susceptible to increases in waist circumference when eating a diet high in total fat and saturated fats, according to a study in Ghana. The study, “Interaction between Metabolic Genetic Risk Score and Dietary Fatty Acid…
Two gene variants normally associated with type 2 diabetes risk are also linked to obesity in an Egyptian population, a study has found. The study, “Evaluation of genetic susceptibility of six type II diabetes genome-wide association studies loci for obesity,” was published in the journal…
The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has launched a nationwide National Burden of Rare Disease Survey to measure the full implications, economic and social, of living with rare disease in the United States. People with rare diseases know that the impacts of such conditions extend beyond just medical…
Daily treatment with setmelanotide for one year significantly reduced body weight and hunger in Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) patients with severe obesity, a Phase 2/3 trial shows. The study, “Effect of Setmelanotide, an MC4R Agonist, on Obesity in Bardet-Biedl Syndrome,” was published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and…
A broad diagnostic approach that takes into account genetics, hormonal changes, cognitive impairments, and medication use may help identify the underlying cause of pediatric obesity in almost 20% of cases, a Dutch study says. Titled “Identifying underlying medical causes of pediatric obesity: Results of a systematic diagnostic…
Obesity is associated with brain structural abnormalities in healthy individuals, as well as in those with major depressive disorder (MDD), a study has found. The findings revealed that carrying a higher genetic risk for obesity is linked with reduced brain surface area. The study, “Brain Structural…
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals’ setmelanotide promotes weight loss not only in adults, but also in children and adolescents with POMC deficiency and LEPR deficiency, two rare genetic obesity disorders, according to updated data from two Phase 3 clinical trials. “We are encouraged to see therapeutic activity in children and adolescents,” Murray…
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