Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center

Research reveals how hormone accelerates fat burning and promotes weight loss in obese mice

An experiment conducted at the State University of Campinas showed that FGF19, produced in the intestine, acts on specific regions of the brain, causing the body to burn energy to produce heat; the discovery paves the way for new drugs.

Jabuticaba peel improves nutritional characteristics of bread

Consumption of bread supplemented with jabuticaba peel flour, which is rich in fiber and antioxidants, lowers glycemic peaks and prolongs satiety.

Study published in Nature reveals new factor involved in controlling calorie expenditure

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the State University of Campinas have discovered a neuropeptide that acts on the peripheral nervous system, outside the brain, to speed up metabolism. The finding opens the way to more efficient and cheaper treatments for obesity.

Scientists call for urgent action to tackle nutritional crisis devastating the Yanomami

In an article published in Nature Medicine, a group at the State University of Campinas stresses that Yanomami children are suffering the most severe nutritional deficit of any Indigenous community in the Americas and warns of long-term consequences for health.

Study reveals new factor associated with the risk of severe COVID-19 in people with obesity

By analyzing samples from obese non-diabetics, researchers from the State University of Campinas found that high blood levels of saturated fatty acids cause pre-activation of innate immune cells that, when infected with SARS-CoV-2, produce elevated levels of inflammatory molecules. Results were presented during FAPESP Week China.

Fight against obesity goes far beyond individual struggle to change lifestyle, scientists say

In an article published in Nature Metabolism, researchers based in Brazil and Mexico analyze the Latin American obesity epidemic from a broad perspective that includes socioeconomic, cultural and epigenetic factors. For the authors, solutions must focus on collective action rather than individualization of the problem.

An important molecular pathway for control of aging is discovered

Through experiments in roundworms of the species C. elegans, scientists at a FAPESP-supported research center showed that lifespan is reduced when RNA transfer between cells in different tissues is dysregulated.

Long COVID is linked to persistent damage to mitochondria, the ‘powerhouses’ of our cells

Infection by SARS-CoV-2 can suppress the expression of mitochondrial genes involved in production of ATP cell fuel in many vital organs. The discovery paves the way to a search for strategies to restore mitochondrial function.

Food supplementation with coconut oil can cause obesity, study shows

In experiments with mice, researchers at the State University of Campinas observed alterations in feed consumption, weight gain, anxious behavior and an increase in central nervous system, adipose tissue and liver inflammation.

Infection of visceral fat cells may contribute to severe COVID-19, study suggests

Brazilian researchers infected fat cells from subcutaneous and visceral tissue with SARS-CoV-2. Fat cells from organs in the abdominal cavity had a higher viral load and produced more pro-inflammatory molecules after contact with the virus.