Fat near hips may impede diabetes

Subcutaneous fat that accumulates around the hips and buttocks may offer some protection against diabetes, U.S. researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Cell Metabolism.

They said the fat, which collects immediately under the skin, helped to improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar. In contrast, visceral fat, which accumulates in the abdomen, is known to exacerbate the effects of diabetes.

Weight-loss drug stunts mice brains

A drug from a new class of weight-loss treatments disrupted wiring needed for brain development in young mice, U.S. researchers said Wednesday in the journal Neuron, raising concerns about using such medications in children.

Researchers at MIT studied the effects of a laboratory analog of the weight-loss drug rimonabant, which suppresses appetite by blocking cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

The animals' brains were unable to adapt and rewire themselves through learning experiences after receiving the drug. Rimonabant has been approved for use in adults in Europe but not in the U.S.

From Times Staff and Wire Reports