Diabetes/Obesity

Low dose steroids linked to diabetes
Based on the results, Dr Petersons said doctors should rethink prescribing anti-inflammatory steroids in conditions requiring low doses over a prolonged period.

"Knowing how steroids affect insulin sensitivity in the body means we can find the right kind of treatment to target the underlying cause of the diabetes, but it also means we need to be more vigilant in screening patients so we don't miss people who have steroid-induced diabetes. MedicalXpress

Even moderate weight loss can prevent and cure obstructive sleep apnoea
Even a moderate weight reduction can prevent the progression of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and even cure it, according to a 4-year Finish follow-up study published recently in Sleep Medicine. The study focused on the effects of weight loss on OSA and demonstrated, for the first time, that a sustained weight loss of just 5% was enough to prevent the disease from worsening and even cure it in a long-term follow-up. Eurekalert!

Slim pickings for 2 weight-loss drugs?
Many medications for weight loss have been proposed or are under development. The Federal Drug Administration has approved few drugs for long-term weight loss, and some are no longer marketed because of safety issues, the researchers said. In 2012, though, the FDA approved two drugs for long-term weight loss, lorcaserin hydrochloride (Belviq; Eisai Inc) and phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia; Vivus Inc). But Dartmouth researchers question how safe these two drugs are based on the FDA approval after one-year trials?  Dartmouth

Excess weight linked to brain changes that may relate to memory, emotions, and appetite
Being overweight appears related to reduced levels of a molecule (N-acetyl-aspartate) that reflects brain cell health in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory, learning, and emotions, and likely also involved in appetite control, according to a study performed by researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and other institutions. The results of the study were published in Neuroimage: Clinical. Eurekalert!