A study presented here may shed some light on why children of obese parents are at a high risk of obesity and metabolic disorders themselves. Researchers, led by Kristen Boyle, PhD, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, looked … Read more

Abstract The goal of this study was to examine cross-sectional relationships between plasma vitamin D and cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults. Data were collected from interviews, physical examinations and biomarker measurements. Total plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured using … Read more

Abstract The current obesity epidemic is attributed to complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. However, a limited number of cases, especially those with early-onset severe obesity, are linked to single gene defects. Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation and … Read more

Abstract Previous studies demonstrate associations of low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations with low bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures, motivating widespread use of vitamin D supplements for bone health. However, previous studies have been limited to predominantly White populations despite … Read more

Abstract The lean body weight phenotype of hepatic lipase (HL)-deficient mice (hl(-/-)) suggests that HL is required for normal weight gain, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. HL plays a unique role in lipoprotein metabolism performing bridging as well as … Read more

A team including NIDDK (and Boston NORC) researchers discovered a neural circuit that controls appetite in the brains of mice. Using a wide array of multidisciplinary techniques, the team found that neurons interacting with a specific receptor in a part … Read more

Abstract Food intake and body weight regulation depend on a group of hypothalamic neurons that release satiety-induced neuropeptides known as melanocortins. Central melanocortins are encoded by the proopiomelanocortin gene (Pomc), and mice and humans carrying deleterious mutations in the Pomc … Read more

One of the most common causes of infertility in women may be cured with exercise or a healthy diet. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center are testing whether walking on a treadmill and eating better work as a treatment … Read more

Abstract We previously reported that murine norovirus (MNV), a virus prevalent in United States research institutions, increased atherosclerotic lesion size in Ldlr(-/-) mice when the mice were infected 8 wk after feeding an atherogenic diet. To determine whether the timing … Read more

Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge is always working on some way to improve your diet. Their latest is known as the ‘STARCH Study’. The goal of the clinical trial is to determine the effect of slowly digesting starch … Read more