Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/fitness-obesity/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171504.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171504.php A study has found that, if left unchecked, 43 percent of Americans will be obese by 2018, costing the health care system $344 billion annually. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171516.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171516.php Toddlers and obese children suffer more than other youth when exposed to secondhand smoke, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. "Secondhand smoke in children is not just bad for respiratory issues, as has been previously described by other researchers," said John Anthony Bauer, Ph.D. Smoking / Quit Smoking Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171376.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171376.php Tufts University researchers have identified a gene-diet interaction that appears to influence body weight and have replicated their findings in three independent studies. Men and women carrying the CC genotype demonstrated higher body mass index (BMI) scores and a higher incidence of obesity, but only if they consumed a diet high in saturated fat. These associations were seen in the apolipoprotein A-II gene (APOA2) promoter. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171403.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171403.php If you feel like you're in a losing battle with a triple-chocolate cake, a "mental budget" can help, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "There are some behaviors that consumers try to limit but have trouble doing so," write authors Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy (University of Houston) and Sonja Prokopec (ESSEC Business School, France). Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171392.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171392.php A new report released based on research by Emory University Health Care Economist Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), shows increasing obesity rates in Pennsylvania and across the country will result in higher health care spending for states and individuals. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171305.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171305.php The dramatic increase in overweight and obesity in adult Americans over the past 20 years has undermined public health success at reducing risk for heart disease, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. In a new study, researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1988-2006, representing 8,264 adult men and women, 20 to 85 years old. Heart Disease Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171306.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171306.php German school students - especially those with low socioeconomic status (SES) - significantly improved their exercise capacity and body leanness after a year of daily physical activity classes, according to research presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. In a study of German school children with high SES and one with low SES students, researchers examined specific cardiac risk factors. Cardiovascular / Cardiology Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171300.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171300.php Some obese people misperceive that their body size is normal and think they don't need to lose weight, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. In the Dallas Heart Study of 5,893 people, researchers found that 8 percent of the 2,056 who were obese said they were satisfied with their body size or felt they could gain weight. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171175.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171175.php Active Wii sports™ video games and some Wii fit™ activities may increase adults' energy expenditure as much as moderately intense exercise, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. The study, funded by Nintendo™, demonstrated that about one-third of the virtual physical activities require an energy expenditure of 3.0 METs or above, considered moderate-intensity exercise. IT / Internet / E-mail Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171119.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171119.php One in four Australian adults has taken an action that puts their health at risk as a result of the global financial crisis (GFC), according to a new MBF Healthwatch poll. The results show that lack of job security was particularly hard on families, with almost one in five parents turning up to work ill and close to one in 10 parents sending sick children to school. Anxiety / Stress Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171025.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171025.php Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that fat collection in different body locations, such as around the heart and the aorta and within the liver, are associated with certain decreased heart functions. The study, which appears on-line in Obesity, also found that measuring a person's body mass index (BMI) does not reliably predict the amount of undesired fat in and around these vital organs. Heart Disease Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170967.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170967.php Childhood obesity is on the rise, and with it comes an increased risk for developing health problems such as type 2 diabetes. The best way to reduce the risk of serious weight-related health issues such as diabetes is to eat healthy and increase physical activity. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170931.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170931.php Low-carb…low-fat…high-protein…high-fiber…Americans are food-savvy, label-conscious, calorie-aware - and still gaining weight in spite of all their good intentions. Worse still, today's children run the risk of a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Thinking in Circles About Obesity by Tarek Hamid brings a healthy portion of critical thinking, spiced with humor and lively graphics, to the obesity debate. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170914.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170914.php Leading Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) nutrition and health researcher Walter Willett, M.D., Dr. P.H., has written a letter to the President-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) offering an alternative to the organization's decision, announced in October, to accept a six-figure grant from the Coca-Cola Company to develop web content on beverages and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition / Diet Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170885.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170885.php In a development that could have significant ramifications for the nation's health care system, Baby Boomers may well be entering their 60s suffering far more disabilities than their counterparts did in previous generations, according to a new UCLA study. The findings, researchers say, may be due in part to changing American demographics. Seniors / Aging Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170779.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170779.php GI Dynamics, a leader in non-surgical treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, today announced data which demonstrate that obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes using the EndoBarrier™ Gastrointestinal Liner achieved near normalization of glycemic control in just one week, as compared to a sham control group. In addition, patients treated with EndoBarrier achieved a mean reduction of 2.4% in HbA1c glucose levels versus 0.8% for the sham arm at 24 weeks. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170756.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170756.php College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. The study, of 234 male athletes at one university, found that those who used performance enhancers -- ranging from steroids to stimulants to weight-loss supplements -- were more likely to admit to heavy drinking and using drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170695.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170695.php US researchers who transplanted human intestinal microbes into germ-free mice and then switched their diet from a low-fat plant-based one to a more Westernized diet, high in fat and sugars, found that within one day obesity-linked microbes were thriving in the gut and the mice eventually became obese. The study was the work of Dr Jeffrey I Gordon and colleagues and was published on 11 November in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170622.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170622.php In collaboration with Eira Hospital in Helsinki, Global Health Partner (STO:GHP) has started up obesity treatment operations and the first bariatric surgery procedure has now been performed. Finland has the highest obesity prevalence in the Nordic countries. However, the number of bariatric surgery procedures has so far been very low. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170515.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170515.php For many people, diet and exercise help keep them looking and feeling healthy. But even those who work hard on staying in shape might have a hard time shaking stubborn love handles or lower belly fat, which can bulge through clothing like a neon sign. While the market for getting rid of unwanted fat has grown over the years to include stomach stapling and behavioral techniques, there is still a demand for procedures that can reduce areas of localized fat safely and effectively. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170462.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170462.php Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that intermittent access to foods rich in fat and sugar induces changes in the brain which are comparable to those observed in drug dependence. The findings, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may explain how abstinence from these foods contributes to relapse eating among dieters as well as related eating disorders. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170468.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170468.php Three Singapore biomedical institutions have launched a major, long-term study of pregnant mothers and their fetuses as well as infant children to determine just how profoundly environmental factors early in life influence the onset of diseases such as obesity and diabetes in later years. Pregnancy / Obstetrics Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170448.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170448.php Aside from aging itself, obesity appears to be the most powerful predictor of left atrial enlargement (LAE), upping one's risk of atrial fibrillation (the most common type of arrhythmia), stroke and death, according to findings published in the November 17, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170379.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170379.php Among other issues making news in the health care reform debate are people's weight, benefits for homosexual partners, the debate over interstate insurance and the timeline for implementing any changes. The New York Times on the weight issue. Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170345.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170345.php Teenage women who are obese may be more than twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults compared to female teens who are not obese, according to a study published in the November 10, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The research involved 238,371women from the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II who were 25 to 55 years old. Multiple Sclerosis