*Note – this is an early press release from the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May. Please credit the congress when using this research*

In new research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) and published in The Journal of Nutrition, a 42-year old theory as to why children’s body mass index (BMI) decreases post-infancy before then rising continuously from age six years –‘the adiposity rebound’ is refuted using new analyses – rather than decreasing body fat, the real reason is proposed as increasing muscle mass. The study is by Professor Andrew Agbaje, physician and associate professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

MIT chemists have found that changing the composition of the cell membrane can alter the function of EGFR, a cell receptor that promotes proliferation and is often overactive in cancer cells.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has presented the prestigious IOF President’s Award to Dr Thierry Chevalley, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. The IOF President’s Award recognises individuals who have made a significant and longstanding contribution to advancing the work of the Foundation and its mission to improve bone, muscle and joint health worldwide.

According to a study from MIT, NDMA, a carcinogen that has been found in some drugs and drinking water contaminated by chemical plants, may have a much more severe impact on children than adults. 

People who take gabapentinoids, a medication prescribed increasingly frequently worldwide, particularly for chronic pain, face a much greater risk of drug poisoning if they are also taking another medication, finds a new study by University College London (UCL) researchers.