Salk Scientists Develop Diet Pill, Fexaramine: Safe and Effective Treatment for Obesity and Diabetes

A new fat burning compound can lead to weight loss without causing side effects. The pill, fexaramine, remains in the intestine rather than dissolve in the blood stream like other appetite suppressants or caffeine-based diet drugs. Researchers are confident that fexaramine can be an effective treatment for obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

Fexaramine works by making the body think that it has consumed calories which causes it to burn fat. In trials, researchers who developed the drug at the Salk Institute found that they effectively stopped weight gain, lowered cholesterol, controlled blood sugar and minimized inflammation.

Initially they used fexaramine in obese and diabetic mice, the researchers note that in five weeks of daily intake, the mice stopped gaining weight, lost fat and had lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels than untreated mice. In addition, the mice had a rise in body temperature--which signals metabolism ramping up--and some deposits of white fat in their bodies converted into a healthier, energy-burning beige form of the tissue.

The effects of the drug in mice led the scientists to believe that fexaramine can be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity in humans.

Rate Of Obesity and Diabetes Linked To Ownership of Devices in Low to Med Income Countries

An international study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal show that in low and medium income countries, ownership of devices such as televisions, computers, and even cars are now being associated with an increased rate of obesity and diabetes. They note that the rate of obesity increased from 3.4% for no devices owned to 14.5% for 3 devices owned.

For high income countries, there was no relationship between household devices ownership and obesity or diabetes. The researchers explain that this is so because the negative impact of the devices on health have already occurred and are already reflected in the high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes in these countries.

Ownership of these type of devices open up opportunities for sedentary entertainment like television, computers and video games. Because of this, physical activity diminishes. Recent research indicates that recommended levels of physical activity - at least 35-60 minutes per day - increases bone strength specially for children.

Portable Ultrasound Treatment Developed To Accelerate Healing and Tissue Repair

Researchers have developed a new non-invasive therapy to accelerate healing and treat wounds such as venous ulcers using a battery operated ultrasound patch.

When the body has difficulty returning blood from the feet back to the heart, it causes complications such as venous ulcers. Venous ulcers are caused when blood backflows in the vein and blood starts to pool in the leg causing pressure which results in inflammation and formation of an ulcer.

Current treatments for venous ulcers takes months and even years to heal. The most popular treatment is compression therapy. In compression therapy, the patient wears elastic socks which squeezes the leg to prevent the blood from flowing backwards.

Researchers have discovered in human clinical trials, that by using an ultrasound patch combined with compression therapy, healing of the ulcers is accelerated. Initial studies show that 24 hours after undergoing a 15 minute ultrasound therapy, cell fibroblast metabolism increased by 32% and its proliferation went up by 40%. Fibroblasts are cells that are active in wound healing.

The portable ultrasound patch just weighs around 100 grams and is powered by two rechargeable lithium ion batteries. They have noted that the most efficient dose for the therapy is a 20khz frequency for 15 minutes.

Socioeconomic Factors and Food Industry Practices Major Influence to Prevalence of Obesity

A video released by Academic Earth (embedded below) focuses on the economic cost of obesity. James Hill, director of the Center of Human Nutrition at Colorado Health Sciences University, believes that socioeconomic class a more accurate predictor for obesity than biological and genetic factors. Policies such as food subsidies, have had a direct role in driving the obesity crisis.

A study by Eric Finkelstein, Ph.D., associate research professor in the Duke Global Health Institute and Deputy Director in the Health Services Research Program at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore, shows that by 2030, 42% of the U.S. population could be obese by 2030 and would translate to around $550 billion in medical spending over the next twenty years.

Obesity

Obesity is a disorder where a person has too much body fat. It is a medical condition that can lead to a reduction in the quality of life and more serious disorders such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity starts when the regular calorie intake of a person is more than what the body burns. The unused calories are stored as fat by the body.

Video Games Are Now Tools In Fighting Childhood Obesity

Video games that require physical activity may prove to be useful in fighting childhood obesity due to their engaging game play and physical energy expenditure.

Current video games have transitioned from using a control pad to actual physical movements. Consoles like the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Kinect detects the players movements and interpret them into the game.

Most of these games are sports themed which is even more useful when used as physical therapy. The games immersive experience keeps the child's attention while at the same time promoting physical activity that previous video games did not.

Childhood obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years. In 2008, 20% of children in the U.S. aged 6 to 11 are obese compared to 7% in 1980. 1980 statistics show that 5% of adolescents 12 to 19 years old, in 2008, this figure increased to 18%.

Obesity is caused by consuming too much calories while not burning enough of it. Unused calories are stored in the body as fat. Lack of regular physical activity, improper dietary habits, and an unhealthy lifestyle are some of its contributing factors.

Intensive Weight Loss Programs Increases Chance of Remission of Type 2 Diabetes

Studies have shown that intensive weight loss programs among patients with type 2 diabetes have a modest chance of having the disease in remission.

Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot properly moderate its blood sugar (glucose) levels. Glucose is used as a source of energy by the cells. It is transported there through the hormone, insulin.

In diabetes, the body has a problem with its insulin and with that, glucose is not properly transferred to the cells. Glucose remains in the bloodstream and builds up to high levels. High glucose levels leads to hardening of the blood vessels and other complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and other organ malfunctions.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is when the immune system starts attacking insulin producing cells. This type is usually hereditary and manifests itself during childhood. It was previously referred to as juvenile diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is when the cells start rejecting the body's produced insulin or that the body does not produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and can be acquired through risk factors such as obesity, physical inactivity and also can be hereditary.

Fat Accumulation Can Be Blocked By Activating Androgen Receptors In The Body

New research show that the relationship between androgen receptors and glucocorticoids have an active role in the accumulation of fat which may result in obesity.

Nuclear receptors are proteins found inside cells that sense steroid and thyroid hormones and certain other molecules. Androgen receptors (AR) are nuclear receptors that sense and act on androgen, a hormone vital to male sexual development such as puberty. Androgen receptors respond to androgen hormones by binding to them which in turn attaches to the person's DNA.

Its role is to regulate the activity of androgen-responsive genes by activating or deactivating them. This helps the AR to regulate and direct the development of male sexual characteristics as well as functions in both males and females such as hair growth and sex drive.

Glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids (GC) are natural occurring steroids that regulate the metabolism of glucose and its synthesis in the adrenal cortex.

GCs are used by the immune system to slow down or turn down immune system activity such as inflammation. These steroids also have the ability to control, regulate, and sometimes interfere with the internal mechanisms of cancer cells.

Because of these properties, glucocorticoids are used heavily in medical treatments that range from cancer therapy to autoimmune diseases. Despite the positive benefits GC properties have, it also has many other effects that may prove harmful when used without proper medical supervision.

A side effect on the use of glucocorticoids is that it can increase weight gain by encouraging fat buildup and appetite stimulation.

Manipulating hormone receptors may help in the fight against obesity

In the body's ongoing effort to maintain a healthy weight, an arsenal of cellular proteins called androgen receptors is critical for blocking fat accumulation. Now researchers reporting in the September issue of the Cell Press Journal Chemistry & Biology have discovered that naturally occurring steroids called glucocorticoids can thwart the receptors' activity, ultimately encouraging fat buildup.

"This has implications in this era of an obesity epidemic," says senior author Dr. Michael Mancini, from Baylor College of Medicine. "If you can reduce glucocorticoids, you might be able to upregulate, or increase, androgen receptor activity and regulate fat storage."

Excess Amount of Visceral Fat Increases Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Obesity is a disorder where there is the body has an excessive amount of fat. This results from an uneven balance of calories where there is more calories taken in than burned.

Obesity is a serious condition as it may lead to more serious disorders such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Visceral fat is the fat that is located between organs. Acids released by these type of fat is metabolized by the liver and can cause insulin resistance which leads to Type 2 diabetes.

Visceral fat as compared to subcutaneous fat (fat located underneath the skin) is easier to lose. Cardiovascular exercise, weight training, and proper diet greatly helps in the reduction, control and maintenance of visceral fat.

The benefits of reducing the amount of visceral fat are low blood pressure, low cholesterol levels, healthier cardiovascular system, and overall feeling of well being.

Where body fat is stored may determine the likelihood of obese persons developing Type 2 diabetes

Obese individuals with excess visceral fat (abdominal fat that surrounds the body’s internal organs) have an increased risk for the development of Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. By contrast, persons with excess abdominal subcutaneous fat (fat underneath the skin) were not at higher risk for the onset of diabetes.

Healthy Adequate Sleep Contribute To Weight Loss Programs

A very important process for the human body is sleep. During sleep, the body builds up its organs and tissues. It also prioritizes the growth and rejuvenation of the internal systems such as the immune system, nervous system, skeletal system, and the muscular system.

It is analogous to having the body shut down for maintenance and overhaul.

The body follows an internal clock to know when the appropriate time for the body to go to sleep. This is called the Circadian Rhythm. This internal schedule covers all regular biological process covered in a 24 hour cycle. Eating, sleeping, and other process follow this rhythm. As such, a disruption in the circadian rhythm is an important factor in some disorders such as stress, obesity, and overall well being of the body.

Research has shown that healthy dream sleep relieves stress, lowers confusion and delay cognitive disturbances. A new study shows that healthy dream sleep can contribute to weight loss as well.

Adequate sleep helps weight loss

Adequate sleep is an important part of a weight loss plan and should be added to the recommended mix of diet and exercise, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Although calorie restriction and increased physical activity are recommended for weight loss, there is significant evidence that inadequate sleep is contributing to obesity. Lack of sleep increases the stimulus to consume more food and increases appetite-regulating hormones.

Countryside Folk More Likely To Be More Obese Than City Dwellers

Obesity is a condition where the person has too much body fat. It is usually associated with the weight of the person but certain factors such as a high bone density, extra muscle mass or water in the system may contribute to the weight gain.

Using the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a general way to gauge obesity. It is calculated by dividing the person's kilogram weight by the square of the meter height (kg/m²). A BMI of 25 to below 30 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 and above is obese, a BMI of 40 or higher is qualified as morbid obesity.

Obesity is caused when the person regularly takes in more calories from food than the body needs. Unused calories is converted into fat by the body for later use as energy. Factors such as lack of physical activity, lifestyle, or overeating may lead to continuous calorie intake that results in obesity.

The main treatment for obesity is daily exercise and proper diet. A proper diet addresses the calorie intake and while exercise regulates the burning of calories. Other treatments for obesity are gastric surgery and medicine that reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption.

Obesity more common among rural residents than urban counterparts, study finds

A new study finds that Americans living in rural areas are more likely to be obese than city dwellers. Published in the National Rural Health Association's Fall 2012 Journal of Rural Health, the study indicates that residential location may play an important role in the obesity epidemic.

Led by researchers at the University of Kansas, the study analyzed data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics and is the first in more than three decades to use measured heights and weights. Previous studies have relied on self-reported data, which typically underestimate the prevalence of obesity.

Christie Befort, Ph.D., assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Kansas Medical Center, believes there may be two significant reasons why rural residents are more likely to be overweight: cultural diet and physical isolation.

Bariatric Surgery Addressing Obesity Improves Overall Quality Of Life

Gastric Banding

Bariatric surgery is performed to treat obesity. Bariatric surgery is also known as weight-loss surgery.

The most popular types of weight loss surgery are gastric banding and gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass surgery is done when the small intestine are shortened or re-routed to a smaller stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).

Gastric banding is done by implanting a medical device in the stomach to reduce the amount of food consumed.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends bariatric surgery for obese people with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40.

Obesity is a condition where person has too much body fat

When the calorie intake is more than what the body burns, the unused calories are stored as fat by the body. If this goes unabated, fat keeps accumulating which causes obesity.

Being overweight is different from being obese. Being overweight, which is also unhealthy for anyone, does not necessarily mean that the person has too much fat. An overweight person may be so because of extra muscles, heavier bones, or extra water in the body's system.

Psychology is not a major factor in obesity. People who are obese do not consciously choose to be obese. More significant factors that affect obesity are changes in the environment where food is readily available and reduced physical activities.

Some factors that can contribute to obesity are:

• Historical eating and dietary behavior since childhood
• Easy accessibility to food combined with minimal physical activity
• Unhealthy or unplanned diet
• Less physical jobs at work
• Lack of time to exercise

Weight-loss surgery results in positive changes in social life, medical conditions

New research shows that people who have bariatric surgery to treat obesity report an overall improvement in quality of life issues after surgery, from their relationships to their medical conditions. Arizona State University researchers will present their findings at the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association.

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States with more than one-third of adults over age 20 classified as obese. Bariatric surgery is an increasingly common procedure that individuals are turning to that typically results in dramatic weight loss—sometimes of 100 pounds or more. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, about 220,000 people underwent bariatric surgery in 2009 in the United States, up from about 13,300 procedures in 1998.

The paper, "Social and Health Changes Following Bariatric Surgery," examines how patients who had the surgery fared afterward. The researchers collected data from 213 patients ranging in age from 26 to 73 years old, with an average age of 50, through a self-selected sample of participants in an online support group.

"We thought there would be more negative reactions to the surgery, but the response was very positive," said study co-author Jennie Jacobs Kronenfeld, an ASU School of Social and Family Dynamics professor. "Most people had improvements in chronic health problems."

New Vaccines Based on Stomatostatin To Promote Weight Loss

Somatostatin is a 14-amino acid peptide that inhibits pituitary growth hormone release. It is also called somatotropin release-inhibiting factor (SRIF).

Peptide hormones are a class of peptides (short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds) that are secreted into the blood stream and have endocrine functions in living animals.

Somatostatin is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, the gut, and other organs. SRIF can also inhibit the release of thyroid stimutalting hormones, prolactin, insulin, and glucagon. It also acts as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator.

Somatostatin was used to test the therapeutic effects of novel vaccines for reducing weight gain and increasing weight loss in diet induced obesity (DIO) model.

New vaccines promote weight loss

A new study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal, Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, assesses the effectiveness of two somatostatin vaccinations, JH17 and JH18, in reducing weight gain and increasing weight loss in mice.

Obesity and obesity-related disease is a growing health issue worldwide. Somatostatin, a peptide hormone, inhibits the action of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), both of which increase metabolism and result in weight loss. Vaccination with modified somatostatin causes the body to generate antibodies to somatostatin, effectively removing this inhibition without directly interfering with the growth hormones and subsequently increasing energy expenditure and weight loss.

Obesity Crisis Made Worse By Food Industry Policies and Practices

Obesity is a condition where person has too much body fat.

This happens when the calorie intake is more than what the body burns. The unused calories is stored as fat by the body.

Obesity is not a psychological problem as many think. People do not consciously choose to be obese. Changes in the environment where food is readily available and physical activities are diminished contribute to the prevalence of obesity.

This is not to be confused with being overweight. Being overweight, which is also unhealthy for anyone, does not necessarily mean that the person has too much fat. An overweight person may be so because of extra muscles, heavier bones, or extra water in the body's system.

Some factors that can contribute to obesity are:

• Historical eating and dietary behavior since childhood
• Easy accessibility to food combined with minimal physical activity
• Unhealthy or unplanned diet
• Less physical jobs at work
• Lack of time to exercise

The food industry should be regulated

"The obesity crisis is made worse by the way industry formulates and markets its products and so must be regulated to prevent excesses and to protect the public good," writes a leading food expert in this week's PLoS Medicine.

Kelly Brownell from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University argues that like all industries, the food industry plays by certain rules: "It must defend its core practices against all threats, produce short-term earnings, and in do doing, sell more food. If it distorts science, creates front groups to do its bidding, compromises scientists, professional organizations, and community groups with contributions, blocks needed public health policies in the service of their goals, or engages in other tactics in ''the corporate playbook,'' this is what is takes to protect business as usual."

SFRP5 Molecule Identified As A Factor In Accumulating Fat In The Body

Adipocytes are the cells that primarily comprise the adipose tissue. They are also known as lipocytes and fat cells.

Adipose tissue is used by the body to store energy as fat. There are two kinds of adipose tissue, White Adipose Tissue (WAT) and Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT). They are more commonly known as white fat and brown fat.

Brown fat has been tagged as the "good" fat since it burns calories more than WAT. This type of fat is abundant in newborns and in hibernating mammals. Its primary function is to generate body heat in animals or newborns that do not shiver.

White adipose tissue is critical for the deposition of excessive fatty acids. This is where excess fat from food is stored, later to be released as energy. Excessive eating causes more fat to be stored and ultimately leads to obesity.

Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect Identified

As the world fights obesity at the human level, scientists at the University of Michigan and their colleagues have made a surprising finding at the microscopic level that could help fuel that fight.

Their work helps explain why fat-storing cells get fatter, and burn fat slower, as obesity sets in. If their findings from mice can be shown to apply to humans, they may provide a new target for obesity-fighting drugs.

By studying the tiny signals that fat-storing cells send to one another, the team has shown a crucial and previously unknown role for a molecule called Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5) .

The results, which appear online today and will be in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, surprised them.

Ursolic Acid In Apple Peels Reduces Obesity And Associated Health Problems

Apple peels contain ursolic acid. It is also present in basil, bilberries, cranberries, elder flower, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, and prunes. But apple peels contain largest quantities of this compound.

Ursolic acid is known as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties. It is used in ointments that treat burns. It also inhibits TPA-induced initiation and promotion of tumor growth.

Cosmetic preparations use ursolic acid for its anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antimicrobial properties.

Apple peel compound boosts calorie burning, reduces obesity in mice

Ursolic acid -- a waxy substance found in apple peel -- increases muscle and brown fat in mice on a high-fat diet: These mice burn more calories and have reduced obesity, pre-diabetes and fatty liver disease than mice not receiving the supplement

Obesity and its associated problems such as diabetes and fatty liver disease are increasingly common global health concerns. A new study by University of Iowa researchers shows that a natural substance found in apple peel can partially protect mice from obesity and some of its harmful effects.

The findings suggest that the substance known as ursolic acid reduces obesity and its associated health problems by increasing the amount of muscle and brown fat, two tissues recognized for their calorie-burning properties.

Milk Ingredient, Nicotinamide Riboside, Protects Against Obesity

Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is a nutrient found in milk. It is one of three substances known to provide a source for the production of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+).

The two other sources of NAD+ are Nicotinic Acid (Na) and Nicotinamide (Nam). But NAD+ derived from milk's nicotinamide riboside appears to be the most promising for raising NAD+ in the brain.

NAD+ is a coenzyme found in all living cells. It is essential for life in all organisms, both as a coenzyme for oxidoreductases (an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from one molecule to another) and as a source of ADPribosyl groups used in various reactions, including those that retard aging in experimental systems.

Milk ingredient does a waistline good

A natural ingredient found in milk can protect against obesity even as mice continue to enjoy diets that are high in fat. The researchers who report their findings in the June Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, liken this milk ingredient to a new kind of vitamin.

"This is present in what we've all been eating since day one," says Johan Auwerx of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

The researchers identified this ingredient, known as nicotinamide riboside, as they were searching for alternative ways to boost the well-known gene SIRT1, which comes with benefits for both metabolism and longevity. One way to do that is to target SIRT1 directly, as the red wine ingredient resveratrol appears to do, at least at some doses.

Study On Ephedrine And Weight Loss May Lead To Wearable Diet Vest That Burns Fat

Ephedrine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It is used to treat breathing problems (as a bronchodilator), nasal congestion (as a decongestant), low blood pressure problems (orthostatic hypotension), or myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular disorder).

It is an alkaloid derived from various plants in the genus Ephedra (family Ephedraceae). It works mainly by increasing the activity of noradrenaline on adrenergic receptors. It is most usually marketed in the hydrochloride and sulfate forms.

Ephedrine can be naturally found as a fine, white, odorless crystal or powder. It darkens on exposure to light and is freely soluble in water and sparingly soluble in alcohol.

It was a popular weight loss ingredient. In 2004, the FDA created a ban on ephedrine alkaloids that are marketed for reasons other than asthma, colds, allergies, other disease, or traditional Asian use. In 2006, FDA finally declared all dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids adulterated, and illegal for marketing in the United States.

Joslin researchers find 'good fat' activated by cold, not ephedrine

Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that while a type of "good" fat found in the body can be activated by cold temperatures, it is not able to be activated by the drug ephedrine.

The finding, published in today's issue of PNAS USA Early Edition, may lead to drugs or other methods aimed at activating the good fat, known as brown fat. When activated, brown fat burns calories and can help in the battle against obesity.

Research Into Better Treatments For Obesity Induced Diabetes

Obesity is a disease that can be defined as an excess of body fat that is enough to impair health, welfare and quality of life.

Being obese means a person has too much body fat. This occurs when a person takes in more calories than the body can burn. The unused calories are then stored by the body as fat.

Obesity is not to be confused with being overweight. Being overweight, which is also unhealthy for anyone, does not necessarily mean that the person has too much fat. An overweight person may be so because of extra muscles, heavier bones, or extra water in his system.

Obesity-induced insulin resistance is a major factor in the etiology of type 2 diabetes, and the prevalence of these disorders is rising globally at epidemic rates. In recent years, chronic low-grade inflammation has emerged as an important contributor to the development of insulin resistance.

Improving obesity-induced insulin sensitivity

In recent years, a growing body of evidence has linked inflammation to the development of insulin resistance. In insulin resistance, the hormone insulin is less effective in promoting glucose uptake from the bloodstream into other tissues. Obesity is a major factor that contributes to insulin resistance, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have shown that proinflammatory molecules found in fat tissue decreases sensitivity of tissues to insulin.

Eating Schedule and Biological Clock Important Factor In Obesity

The human body follows a daily schedule when it comes to its regular internal functions. This biological clock is based on a 24 hour time period and is heavily influenced by light.

This schedule is also known as the circadian rhythm. It covers any biological process which displays an endogenous, entrainable oscillation of one day or about 24 hours and is widely observed in living organisms like plants, animals and even in fungi and certain bacterium.

Circadian rhythms are internally scheduled but can be adjusted to the local environment. The most common and most important influencing adjusting factor is daylight.

Common processes influenced by the circadian rhythm are hunger, bowel movement, and sleeping and waking hours. Not all biological functions follow or are considered circadian in nature. For it to be circadian, the process should be repeated once every 24 hours, it should not be influenced by external factors (endogenous), the process is aligned to a schedule (entrainable), and that the process still holds true despite changing temperature conditions.

When you eat matters, not just what you eat

When it comes to weight gain, when you eat might be at least as important as what you eat. That's the conclusion of a study reported in the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism published early online on May 17th.

When mice on a high-fat diet are restricted to eating for eight hours per day, they eat just as much as those who can eat around the clock, yet they are protected against obesity and other metabolic ills, the new study shows. The discovery suggests that the health consequences of a poor diet might result in part from a mismatch between our body clocks and our eating schedules.

"Every organ has a clock," said lead author of the study Satchidananda Panda of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. That means there are times that our livers, intestines, muscles, and other organs will work at peak efficiency and other times when they are—more or less—sleeping.

Overweight or Obese Postmenopausal Women Who Lost Weight Reduce Risk of Cancer

A woman is declared to be in the menopausal stage once twelve months have gone by without a menstrual flow. She is then considered to be infertile and no longer needs to take into consideration the possibility of pregnancy.

Because of some confusion in terms, the term postmenopause is applied to women who have not experienced a menstrual period for a minimum of 12 months. A woman who still has her uterus (and who is neither pregnant nor lactating) can be declared to be in postmenopause once she has gone 12 full months with no flow at all.

Menopause is a stage in a woman's life when the primary functions of the ovary stops. These functions are

• Ripening and release of the ova
• Release of hormones that creates the uterine lining
• Shedding of uterine lining (during the menstrual period)

This stage signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life.

Symptoms usually experienced by postmenopausal are hot flashes (intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat), low sex drive, and weight gain.

Weight loss led to reduction in inflammation

Postmenopausal women who were overweight or obese and lost at least 5 percent of their body weight had a measurable reduction in markers of inflammation, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Both obesity and inflammation have been shown to be related to several types of cancer, and this study shows that if you reduce weight, you can reduce inflammation as well," said Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Prevention Center at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash.