High Metabolic Rate Tied to Early Mortality

Dieters worldwide envy those with quick metabolisms, but new research from The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism indicates that a high resting metabolic rate (RMR) may have unexpected consequences. During a 15-year study including 652 non-diabetic healthy Pima Indian volunteers, metabolism increased alongside mortality.

"For each 100-kcal/24 hour increase in EE (energy expenditure), the risk of natural mortality increased by 1.29%," says the study. The results reinforce the idea that low-calorie diets are good for longevity, in addition to helping researchers better understand the process of human aging.

CDC Funds Lifestyle Program for Overweight and Obese Children

Combine potato chips and soda with video games and television, and you'll have a recipe for a lifetime of health problems. Searching for ways to redirect youth towards more fruitful behavior, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently backed a program born in Portland, Maine, called Let's Go! to help it spread across the country. 

The extent of the CDC's support comes out to $257 million according to the Wall Street Journal -- quite an accomplishment for a program of simple beginnings. Local pediatricians and community groups created Let's Go! in 2004. The coalition called themselves the Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative (MYOC), and together they devised 4 simple steps for healthy children.

Drospirenone Contraceptives Increase Blood Clot Risk

Each woman reacts to a contraceptive formula differently, but sometimes the effects are serious. Two case-controlled studies in the British Medical Journal found the synthetic hormone drospirenone to nearly triple the risk of non-fatal venous thromboembolism when compared to consumers of levonorgestrel pills. 

The first study found that during 100,000 woman years, 30.8 blood clots occurred while taking drospirenone, compared with 12.5 on levonorgestrel. A U.S. company called PharMetrics provided the numbers. In the second study, the crude incidence rate was 23 for every 100,000 woman years on drospirenone and 9.1 on levonorgestrel, according to the UK General Practice Research Database. 

First Peek at Fresh Science

The journals Endocrinology, Molecular Endocrinology, and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism released a sneak peek this week of some exciting new research that will be published in upcoming journal editions. Links to the abstracts are available above, and members can read the full text right now by downloading the pdf versions of the studies. Some of the topics covered include reproduction/ development, thyroid issues, diabetes, obesity, growth factors, cancer, and neuroendocrinology.

Will Whole-Genome Testing Go Clinical?

The story of one woman reignited conversation today about whole-genome sequencing as a diagnostic tool. The woman, a case study subject discussed in The Journal of the American Medical Association, was undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. By having her genome mapped, researchers were able to recommend a more effective therapy based on specific mutations present in her genes. 

Pregnancy Diet May Cause Child Obesity

Pregnant women should avoid a low-carbohydrate diet, cautions a new study from the journal Diabetes. The researchers claim that insufficient carbs during pregnancy increases the risk of obesity and related diseases in offspring by epigenetically altering DNA.

The study followed 300 children from birth to childhood and found that the amount of epigenetic chemical change that occurred in umbilical cord tissue correctly predicted adiposity at 6 or 9 years of age. 

Immune System Issue Contributes to Type 2 Diabetes

Most patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) struggle with their weight, but not all obese patients have diabetes. A new study from the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggests that the state of a patient's immune system may be one cause of this disparity. 

Certain antibodies appear in T2DM patients that are absent in those without the disease.