Body mass index

Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 19, 2024
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During the appointment they measure your waist.

Key Points: 
  • During the appointment they measure your waist.
  • GPs and health professionals commonly measure waist circumference as a vital sign for health.
  • Men are at greatly increased risk of health issues if their waist circumference is greater than 102 centimetres.
  • More than two-thirds of Australian adults have waist measurements that put them at an increased risk of disease.

How much is too much?

  • A ratio of 0.6 or more places a person at the highest risk of disease.
  • This can kick off a discussion about their risk of chronic diseases and how they might address this.
  • For women, hormone levels begin changing in mid-life and this also stimulates increased fat levels particularly around the abdomen.
  • Finally, your family history and genetics can make you predisposed to gaining more abdominal fat.

Why the waist?

  • Visceral fat surrounds and infiltrates major organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines, releasing a variety of chemicals (hormones, inflammatory signals, and fatty acids).
  • These affect inflammation, lipid metabolism, cholesterol levels and insulin resistance, contributing to the development of chronic illnesses.
  • In addition to the direct effects of hormone changes, declining levels of oestrogen change brain function, mood and motivation.
  • These psychological alterations can result in reduced physical activity and increased eating – often of comfort foods high in sugar and fat.
  • And importantly, the waist circumference (and ratio to height) is just one measure of human health.

Muscle matters

  • On current evidence, it is equally or more important for health and longevity to have higher muscle mass and better cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness than waist circumference within the healthy range.
  • So, if a person does have an excessive waist circumference, but they are also sedentary and have less muscle mass and aerobic fitness, then the recommendation would be to focus on an appropriate exercise program.
  • Conversely, a person with low visceral fat levels is not necessarily fit and healthy and may have quite poor aerobic fitness, muscle mass, and strength.

Getting moving is important advice

  • Exercise can counter a lot of the negative behavioural and physiological changes that are occurring during midlife including for people going through menopause.
  • And regular exercise reduces the tendency to use food and drink to help manage what can be a quite difficult time in life.
  • Measuring your waist circumference and monitoring your weight remains important.


Rob Newton receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund, Cancer Council Western Australia, Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and the World Cancer Research Fund. Rob Newton is a board member of The Healthy Male.

Esperion Presents Important New Data from CLEAR Outcomes at ACC.24 Highlighting Value of NEXLETOL® (bempedoic acid) Tablets in Diverse Populations Including Women, Hispanics/Latinx and Patients with Obesity

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Uric acid, Urinary tract infection, Anaphylaxis, Myocardial infarction, Common, Bronchitis, Patient, Atherosclerosis, FAHA, Cleveland Clinic, Bempedoic acid, Ezetimibe, Therapy, Anemia, Pain, MACE, Sinusitis, ACC, FOMA, FNLA, FACC, Obesity, Cardiovascular disease, Esperion Therapeutics, Abdominal pain, Risk, Gout, Spasm, Woman, American College, Body mass index, ESPR, Back pain, Outcome, ATP, Safety, Fatigue, Arthralgia, ANN, Angioedema, Kidney, Journal, Constipation, University, Adverse event, Pregnancy, CLEAR, Rash, MPH, Rupture, FDA, Molina Healthcare, JACC, Hypersensitivity, Health, Circulatory system, Tablet, CVD, Incidence, Diarrhea, Fetus, Gallstone, Diet, Excipient, Upper respiratory tract infection, Dietary supplement

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esperion (Nasdaq: ESPR) today announced the presentation of results from three pre-specified subgroups from CLEAR Outcomes at the 2024 American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.24): women, Hispanic/Latinx, and patients with obesity. These results align with the American College of Cardiology’s robust diversity, equity and inclusion programs to drive cultural change across the profession and ensure that the cardiovascular care team is as diverse as the patients they care for and that all patients are represented in cardiovascular research. The data also reinforce the mission of the ACC: transforming cardiovascular care for all.

Key Points: 
  • “Bempedoic acid is the only FDA approved non-statin LDL lowering therapy to demonstrate reductions in MACE in both primary prevention and secondary prevention patient populations.
  • The Hispanic population is the largest ethnic minority in the U.S., yet is a population historically underrepresented in clinical trials.
  • At Esperion, we discover, develop, and commercialize innovative medicines to help improve outcomes for patients with or at risk for cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases.
  • CLEAR Outcomes is part of the CLEAR clinical research program for NEXLETOL® (bempedoic acid) Tablet and NEXLIZET® (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) Tablet.

Wholesale Weight Loss: Sesame Unveils Specialized Care for Weight Loss with Pricing Exclusively for Costco Members

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Exercise, Costco, Partnership, Patient, Weight loss, Insurance, Diet, Body mass index, Practitioner, Health insurance

NEW YORK CITY, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sesame , the company building a radically new healthcare system for uninsured Americans and those with high-deductible plans,  today unveiled an expansion of its partnership with Costco to offer specialized health care for weight loss with pricing exclusively for Costco Members.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK CITY, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sesame , the company building a radically new healthcare system for uninsured Americans and those with high-deductible plans,  today unveiled an expansion of its partnership with Costco to offer specialized health care for weight loss with pricing exclusively for Costco Members.
  • “We are witnessing important innovations in medically-supervised weight loss,” said David Goldhill, Sesame‘s co-founder and CEO, and a serial author on American healthcare reform.
  • “Sesame’s unique model allows us not only to make high-quality specialty care like weight loss much more accessible and affordable, but also to empower clinicians to create care plans that are specific to — and appropriate for — each individual patient.”
    How does Sesame’s weight loss service work?
  • This weight loss  program represents an expansion of the partnership, which thus far has garnered a Net Promoter Score of 82 – considered a “world class” score – from Costco Members utilizing Sesame.

Tackling social isolation could be more effective than healthy eating for obesity

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Research, Eating, Depression, Obesity, COVID, Social, Exercise, Trust, Risk, Weight gain, Perception, Bullying, Mortality, Social isolation, Anxiety, Food, Death, Poverty, Woman, Body mass index, Blame, Chocolate, Loneliness, Meat

For instance, research has found that there are significant social determinants of obesity, such as poverty, stigma and loneliness.

Key Points: 
  • For instance, research has found that there are significant social determinants of obesity, such as poverty, stigma and loneliness.
  • We also know obesity leads to a higher risk of social isolation, which in turn has mental and physical health implications.
  • So it’s not surprising that reducing social isolation amongst among people who are obese would reduce the risk of mortality.
  • It means that tackling social isolation could make a bigger difference to those with obesity than other contributing factors.

Relationship between social isolation and obesity

  • There is a two-way relationship between obesity and social isolation.
  • On the other hand, obesity can lead to social isolation and loneliness, as people experience stigmatisation, rejection, discrimination, bullying, self-blame and reduced self-esteem.
  • The most recent study demonstrates the significant damage that social isolation can have on those with obesity.
  • To reduce the mortality risk of obesity, social isolation must be taken into account alongside healthy eating and physical activities.


Andrea Wigfield does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

World Obesity Drugs and Delivery Platforms Research Report 2023: Pipeline Analysis, Drug Delivery Innovations, Outlook, Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Funding - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
General Health, Biometrics, Health, Fitness & Nutrition, Pharmaceutical, Obesity, Probiotic, Risk, Mineral, Prognosis, Bariatric surgery, Weight loss, BMI, Vitamin, Body mass index, Clinical trial, Mortality, Nutrient, Developed country, Overalls, Fast food

The "Growth Opportunities in Obesity Drugs and Delivery Platforms" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "Growth Opportunities in Obesity Drugs and Delivery Platforms" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • In this study, the emerging and recently approved obesity treatment pipelines and associated advances in drug delivery technologies are analyzed.
  • The study also provides insights into funding, the collaborative landscape of obesity treatments and delivery platforms, the clinical trial landscape for obesity management, and the mechanism of action of promising anti-obesity drug candidates.
  • GLP-1-based obesity treatments are fast emerging as potent treatment options for obesity and have a favorable safety profile.

Phenomix Sciences Launches Three-in-One Obesity Phenotyping Test, Adding Emotional Hunger and Personalized Lifestyle Guidance

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Depression, Gene, Human, Obesity, Learning, Intelligence, Naltrexone/bupropion, Patient, Mayo Clinic, Research, Anxiety, Medicine, Diet, Body mass index, Phenotype, Machine learning

MENLO PARK, Calif., April 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Phenomix Sciences (Phenomix), a precision medicine biotechnology company that brings data intelligence to the treatment of obesity, announces today the launch of a new MyPhenomeTM test that now allows patients to test for all three identified phenotypes - Emotional Hunger, Hungry Gut and Hungry Brain - in one simple test. For the first time, the new test gives deeper insights into the presence of one or more phenotypes, how that influences an individual's obesity, and an in-depth MyPhenome test report personalized to the patient.

Key Points: 
  • Obesity phenotypes are the combination of genes and other biometric data that cause obesity, first discovered by Phenomix's co-founders and Mayo Clinic physicians, Andres Acosta, M.D.
  • Phenomix co-founders previously identified that patients can exhibit multiple phenotypes , with a primary (leading) phenotype and one or more underlying phenotypes.
  • The new MyPhenome test and report will outline a patients' identified phenotype(s) and personalized context behind the cause of their obesity.
  • Backed by powerful machine learning and groundbreaking research, this is just the beginning of unlocking the potential of obesity precision medicine."

Ketogenic Diet Shows Promise in Treating Serious Mental Illness in Stanford Medicine Study

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
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SAN MATEO, Calif., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The field of psychiatry may have a new ally in the form of a medical ketogenic diet, according to the findings of a pioneering pilot study published in Psychiatry Research and announced today by Stanford Medicine. The study, supported by funding from Baszucki Group and others, is the first U.S.-based clinical trial to examine the therapeutic impact of a ketogenic dietary intervention for serious mental illness since 1965. 

Key Points: 
  • The study, supported by funding from Baszucki Group and others, is the first U.S.-based clinical trial to examine the therapeutic impact of a ketogenic dietary intervention for serious mental illness since 1965.
  • The results offer compelling evidence of the potential benefits of ketogenic dietary therapy in this population.
  • Key findings of the single-arm pilot trial include:
    100% of participants who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome were in remission by the end of the study.
  • Dr. Sethi shared: "These results are encouraging and suggest that a ketogenic diet intervention could serve as a valuable adjunctive treatment for individuals living with serious mental illness.

CVS Health® invests more than $3M in organizations improving health outcomes in Phoenix

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
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This announcement was made during a Project Health event in Phoenix and included CVS Health leaders, community organizations and local officials.

Key Points: 
  • This announcement was made during a Project Health event in Phoenix and included CVS Health leaders, community organizations and local officials.
  • "No two communities are the same," said Sheryl Burke, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer at CVS Health.
  • With 65% of South Phoenix residents overweight or obese and knowing that 80% of health care costs are primarily due to preventable chronic diseases, CVS Health saw an opportunity to tailor its Health Zones initiative in Phoenix to address the high levels of diabetes and hypertension.
  • In addition to these new grants, CVS Health will offer free health screenings to the Phoenix community through its Project Health program, starting in March.

An apple cider vinegar drink a day? New study shows it might help weight loss

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
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An experimental study, released today, looks into whether apple cider vinegar could be effective for weight loss, reduce blood glucose levels and reduce blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides).

Key Points: 
  • An experimental study, released today, looks into whether apple cider vinegar could be effective for weight loss, reduce blood glucose levels and reduce blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides).
  • The results suggest it could reduce all three – but it might not be as simple as downing an apple cider vinegar drink a day.

What did they do?

  • A control group consumed an inactive drink (a placebo) made (from lactic acid added to water) to look and taste the same.
  • The study was also double-blinded, which means neither the participants or the scientists involved with collecting the data knew who was in which group.

So, what did they find?

  • After a period of three months apple cider vinegar consumption was linked with significant falls in body weight and body mass index (BMI).
  • On average, those who drank apple cider vinegar during that period lost 6–8kg in weight and reduced their BMI by 2.7–3 points, depending on the dose.
  • The authors also report significant decreases in levels of blood glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol in the apple cider groups.

Is this good news?

  • Firstly, study participants were aged from 12 to 25, so we can’t say whether the results could apply to everyone.
  • And while the researchers kept records of the participants’ diet and exercise during the study, these were not published in the paper.
  • This could be important and influence results if people who did not lose weight quit due to lack of motivation.


Read more:
Turns out the viral 'Sleepy Girl Mocktail' is backed by science. Should you try it?

Any other concerns?


Apple cider vinegar is acidic and there are concerns it may erode tooth enamel. This can be a problem with any acidic beverages, including fizzy drinks, lemon water and orange juice. To minimise the risk of acid erosion some dentists recommend the following after drinking acidic drinks:

Read more:
Apple cider vinegar: is drinking this popular home remedy bad for your teeth? A dentist explains

Down the hatch?

  • This study provides us with some evidence of a link between apple cider vinegar and weight loss.
  • This would provide more robust evidence that apple cider vinegar could be a useful aid for weight loss.


Evangeline Mantzioris is affiliated with Alliance for Research in Nutrition, Exercise and Activity (ARENA) at the University of South Australia. Evangeline Mantzioris has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, and has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council Dietary Guideline Expert Committee.

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals Reports Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results and Business Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024
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-- Acquired global rights to oral MC4R agonist LB54640 from LG Chem --

Key Points: 
  • ET --
    BOSTON, Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RYTM), a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the lives of patients and their families living with rare neuroendocrine diseases, today reported financial results and provided a business update for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.
  • Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results:
    Cash Position: As of December 31, 2023, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were approximately $275.8 million, as compared to $333.3 million as of December 31, 2022.
  • S,G&A Expenses: S,G&A expenses were $32.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 and $117.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $26.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and $92.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
  • ET today to review its fourth quarter and year end 2023 financial results and recent business activities.