New research shows obese people are more likely to have heart disease because their excess weight affects the way the heart works.

Researchers followed 950 normal weight, overweight, or obese people.

They found the left ventricle of the obese people heart’s didn’t work as well, so oxygen-rich blood coming from the lungs wasn’t being pumped effectively to the rest of the body.

Scientists say that could be why obese people are at higher risk of heart failure.

Obesity Affects How Heart Works – WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin News

Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. have suspended an obesity trial to investigate laboratory concerns stemming from a previous study.

The U.S.-based Amylin and Japan-based Takeda are mid-stage in a clinical trial studying the effects of pramlintide acetate, a supplement for the treatment of diabetes, and metreleptin, a recombinant form of human leptin, which is a hormone secreted by fat cells.

The companies stopped the study, which was in its second of three phases necessary for U.S. regulatory approval, after findings from two patients who had taken metreleptin in another obesity trial showed it loses effectiveness.

Amylin, Takeda Put The Brakes On Obesity Trial | ThirdAge

Calorie counts on chain restaurant menus were devised to help the health-conscious consumer — you know, the type who already cares about eating right —make more informed choices when eating out.

The information was not meant, or realistically expected, to rescue America from the jaws of an overgrown obesity epidemic.

So recent studies showing the nutritional labels are having minimal impact on certain populations should be greeted with a gaping yawn. The demographics studied — namely low-income kids and adults — historically indulge in eating habits that have proven particularly resistant to change.

In fact, the only surprising thing about such studies is that anyone would find their results surprising.

Nicole Brochu: Calorie counts on menus were not meant to solve Americas obesity crisis – latimes.com