Obesity News

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

A large advertising campaign to encourage families, and particularly children, to eat more healthily and be more active was launched last week by the English government as part of a three year programme that aims to achieve a “lifestyle revolution” to halt the growing epidemic of obesity.

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts is expected to announce an anti-obesity campaign that will include required calorie labeling on restaurant menus. The initiative will also call for public schools to measure heights and weights of students to determine if overweight. The initiative will be voted on next Fall by the Public Health Council, a board of doctors, consumer advocates, and medical leaders.

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

Leptin, the hormone made by fat cells that was discovered in 1995 but as yet has not proven to have significant clinical uses, appears to induce mice to lose weight. Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Boston report that leptin may be useful if used alongside other drugs that sensitize the brain to leptin’s effects.