BMI

No more BMI, diets or ‘bad’ foods: why changing how we teach kids about weight and nutrition is long overdue

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Or perhaps we remember references to calories and diets in the classroom.

Key Points: 
  • Or perhaps we remember references to calories and diets in the classroom.
  • Given what we know about the links between weight stigma and the development of eating disorders, they’re long overdue.

Weight stigma starts early

  • Weight stigma and diet culture are rife in our society.
  • On the flip side, the latest diets and other weight loss techniques are regularly hot topics of conversation among friends and colleagues.
  • Peer teasing for size, weight and shape is common and increases the risk of a child or young person developing an eating disorder.

Fostering positive body image

  • For eating disorders specifically, positive role modelling by adults around how we talk about our own and others’ bodies is crucial.
  • Research shows learning about body acceptance and appreciation is important for both males and females in developing a positive body image.
  • Teachers have an important role in educating our children about body respect and having a healthy relationship with their bodies and eating.

How to talk about food with kids

  • We need to talk about food for its function in our bodies (such as carbohydrates for energy and fats for our brain).
  • We should talk about foods we eat to help us concentrate and fuel our bodies as well as making us strong and helping us feel well.
  • Here's why

    Food should also be presented as an enjoyable and a social activity (for example, sharing food with others).

Everyone has a role

  • As adults we have to work really hard to be better role models.
  • While teachers play a crucial role, children also need other adults to go to who make them feel understood and accepted.


Dr Vivienne Lewis works for the University of Canberra and runs her own Clinical Psychology practice.

How much weight do you actually need to lose? It might be a lot less than you think

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

But type “setting a weight loss goal” into any online search engine and you’ll likely be left with more questions than answers.

Key Points: 
  • But type “setting a weight loss goal” into any online search engine and you’ll likely be left with more questions than answers.
  • They’ll typically use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to confirm a “healthy” weight and provide a goal weight based on this range.
  • Most sales pitches will suggest you need to lose substantial amounts of weight to be healthy – making weight loss seem an impossible task.

Using BMI to define our target weight is flawed

  • So it’s no surprise we use measurements and equations to score our weight.
  • BMI classifies bodies as underweight, normal (healthy) weight, overweight or obese and can be a useful tool for weight and health screening.


fails to consider two critical factors related to body weight and health – body fat percentage and distribution
does not account for significant differences in body composition based on gender, ethnicity and age.

How does losing weight benefit our health?

  • Losing just 5–10% of our body weight – between 6 and 12kg for someone weighing 120kg – can significantly improve our health in four key ways.
  • But research shows improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels are evident with just 5% weight loss.
  • Excess weight is linked to high blood pressure in several ways, including changing how our sympathetic nervous system, blood vessels and hormones regulate our blood pressure.
  • A meta-analysis of 25 trials on the influence of weight reduction on blood pressure also found every kilo of weight loss improved blood pressure by one point.
  • Research shows just 7% weight loss reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.
  • In one study each kilogram of weight loss resulted in a fourfold decrease in the load exerted on the knee in each step taken during daily activities.

Focus on long-term habits

  • An analysis of 29 long-term weight-loss studies found participants regained more than half of the weight lost within two years.
  • When we lose weight, we take our body out of its comfort zone and trigger its survival response.
  • Read more:
    What's the 'weight set point', and why does it make it so hard to keep weight off?


losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain, specifically periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight
making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.
Setting a goal to reach a healthy weight can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be a pre-defined weight according to a “healthy” BMI range. Losing 5–10% of our body weight will result in immediate health benefits. At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register here to express your interest.
Dr Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.

Minerals Technologies Reports Fourth Quarter 2023 Earnings Per Share of $1.22, or $1.28 Excluding Special Items, a Record for Current Quarter

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE: MTX) (“MTI” or “the Company”) today reported diluted earnings per share of $1.28 for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023, excluding special items. Reported diluted earnings per share were $1.22.

Key Points: 
  • For the full year 2023, The Company reported earnings per share of $5.21, excluding special items, compared with $4.88 in the prior year.
  • “Our team delivered a record year of sales, operating income, and earnings per share in 2023.
  • The realignment of our business segments with our key markets and core technologies highlights our balanced portfolio of consumer and industrial businesses.
  • Operating margin excluding special items was 15.0 percent of sales, up 30 basis points over prior year.

Gray Announces Proposed Refinancing of Senior Credit Facilities, Updates Guidance for Fourth Quarter 2023, and Announces Anticipated Proceeds from Sale of BMI

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

We have not yet completed our normal financial closing and review process; therefore, these estimates are subject to change upon finalization.

Key Points: 
  • We have not yet completed our normal financial closing and review process; therefore, these estimates are subject to change upon finalization.
  • As a result, our actual results may be different and such differences could be material.
  • Gray’s equity ownership in BMI began decades ago and has increased through various acquisitions of other broadcast stations and companies over the years.
  • We intend to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of debt.

NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Clearance of IND for a Phase 1 Clinical Trial of DA-1726 for the Treatment of Obesity

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: NRBO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on transforming cardiometabolic diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for DA-1726, a novel, dual oxyntomodulin (OXM) analog agonist that functions as a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) and glucagon receptor (GCGR). The company plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial, for the treatment of obesity, in the first half of this year.

Key Points: 
  • The company plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial, for the treatment of obesity, in the first half of this year.
  • "Clearance of the IND for DA-1726 allows us to proceed with the Phase 1 program for this novel GLP-1 and glucagon dual receptor, a potential new treatment to address the significant obesity market," stated Hyung Heon Kim, President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroBo.
  • Secondary endpoints include the PK of DA-1726, assessed via serum concentrations over time and metabolite profiling at the highest doses of DA-1726.
  • Exploratory endpoints will include the effect of DA-1726 on metabolic parameters, cardiac parameters, fasting lipid levels, body weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI), among others.

Genomics plc publishes clinical trial results demonstrating successful integration and clinical utility of integrated risk scores combining polygenic and clinical risk of cardiovascular disease in NHS primary care

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

The HEART Study is the world's first clinical trial investigating the use of genomic 'polygenic risk score (PRS) testing' to support the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in National Health Service (NHS) clinical practice.

Key Points: 
  • The HEART Study is the world's first clinical trial investigating the use of genomic 'polygenic risk score (PRS) testing' to support the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in National Health Service (NHS) clinical practice.
  • It was designed to evaluate an integrated risk tool (IRT) that combines genetic risk in the form of a polygenic risk score or PRS, with QRISK, a prediction algorithm for CVD.
  • For people aged 45-64, genetics accounts for 40% as much risk as all the non-genetic risk factors combined in QRISK.
  • We hope that it will also encourage similar studies incorporating genetics into clinical risk prediction for other common diseases."

Leading Journal Unveils Groundbreaking Efficacy of Novel Treatment for Obesity, Diabetes, and Liver Disease

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 18, 2024

The study, authored by an international team of prominent researchers, appeared in Gut, which is the leading international journal in the field of gastroenterology.

Key Points: 
  • The study, authored by an international team of prominent researchers, appeared in Gut, which is the leading international journal in the field of gastroenterology.
  • Substantial improvements in how the body handles insulin and reduces glucose in the liver compared to controls.
  • Markedly improved response to insulin, enhanced overall body’s use of glucose, and beneficial changes in metabolic health-related gut bacteria.
  • Should the upcoming trials, as anticipated, confirm the safety and efficacy demonstrated in animal studies, this device is poised to transform the treatment of severe and morbid obesity in the years ahead.

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings and Assigns National Scale Rating to Bao Minh Insurance Corporation

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 25, 2024

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of Bao Minh Insurance Corporation (BMI).

Key Points: 
  • AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of Bao Minh Insurance Corporation (BMI).
  • Additionally, AM Best has assigned the Vietnam National Scale Rating (NSR) of aaa.VN (Exceptional) to BMI.
  • For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings .
  • AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry.

World first : Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Treats First Patients with Allurion Balloon for Pre-Surgical Weight Loss

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

It is proven to help patients lose an average of 10-15% of their body weight after approximately four months2.

Key Points: 
  • It is proven to help patients lose an average of 10-15% of their body weight after approximately four months2.
  • Studies show that on average, 96% of weight loss can be sustained 1 year after the balloon passes3.
  • The first two patients to receive the treatment were treated at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s (FT) Musgrove Park Hospital in November, under the care of Professor Richard Welbourn, consultant bariatric surgeon at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.
  • “People with severe obesity are prone to diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, which can be reversed with weight loss.

Multiple New Analyses Reinforce the Role of BAVENCIO® (avelumab) First-Line Maintenance as a Standard of Care in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 22, 2024

Data include real-world studies that confirm median overall survival (OS) of approximately 30 months in patients without progression after first-line chemotherapy.

Key Points: 
  • Data include real-world studies that confirm median overall survival (OS) of approximately 30 months in patients without progression after first-line chemotherapy.
  • These and other analyses will be presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, January 25-27, in San Francisco.
  • “Avelumab in the first-line maintenance setting is a standard of care for patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer, with a well-established efficacy and safety profile and supported by years of real-world experience.
  • READY CUP Italy Real-World Study: The prospective, noninterventional compassionate use program (CUP) provided Italian patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC early access to BAVENCIO first-line maintenance before reimbursement.