Study Identifies Protein That Produces 'Good' Fat: Finding May Lead To Ways To Treat, Prevent Obesity Aug 21, 2008
21, 2008) A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity ... "Obesity is occurring at epidemic rates in the U.S. and worldwide and that impacts the risk and prognosis of many diseases," said Yu-Hua Tseng, Ph ... D. an Assistant Investigator in the Joslin Section on Obesity and... (Science Daily)
False Memories Affect Behavior Aug 21, 2008
The results might also influence obesity treatments and dieting choices. The authors suggest that it may be possible for people to learn to avoid certain foods by believing they had negative experiences with the food as a child. (Science Daily)
TV food ads, fitness clash Aug 21, 2008
America is known around the world for its problems with obesity, especially in children. Fast food isn t solely to blame, but it certainly contributes to the epidemic. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
More than 5,000 turn up for lifestyle programme Aug 21, 2008
The campaign, supported by the Health Ministry, was aimed at inspiring Malaysians to make healthier lifestyle choices to minimise the risk of developing non-communicable diseases like diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. Mission accomplished: Participants streaming back after the run. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Some prefer bike commute Aug 21, 2008
"With the world facing skyrocketing obesity rates, escalating traffic congestion and the concerns of global climate change, the bicycle is an underutilized solution," according to 1 World 2 Wheels, a movement supporting the bicycle as a vehicle for positive change ... In 1964, 50 percent of kids rode to school and the obesity rate was 12 percent ... In 2004, 3 percent rode to school, and the obesity rate was 45 percent. (The Clarion-Ledger)
SJ Officials Nix Proposed Anti-Fast Food Law Aug 21, 2008
The School/City Collaborative and the city's Healthy Neighborhoods Venture fund have been directed to look more broadly at childhood obesity and how it can be resolved through fast-food zones or other steps. The ordinances are in response to a rapidly increasing obesity rate in the United States, according to the committee ... The , Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Services reports that children are among those most affected by obesity, with one in three children and one in four teens at rise or... (NBC 11, CA)
Legal, health-care leaders co-chair AHA's Aug 21, 2008
In response to America's obesity crisis, lack of physical activity and rising health-care costs, the American Heart Association created Start. a national campaign that calls on Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and wellness in order to live longer, heart-healthy lives. (NJ.com -- Times)
Report: Tennessee ranks sixth in obesity Aug 21, 2008
Obesity among adults has increased in 37 states, including Tennessee, according to a report issued Tuesday by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ... Tennessee ranked sixth nationally in terms of obesity ... Colorado was "the leanest state" in the report and the only one with an obesity rate below 20 percent. (Memphis Business Journal, TN)
Using fat to fight obesity? Aug 21, 2008
Using fat to fight obesity ... Scientists have found two genetic triggers for producing healthful "good" fat in mice, pointing the way to a new treatment for obesity, according to a pair of studies published on Thursday ... White fat is composed of molecules that hoard calories, and has contributed to a worldwide crescendo of obesity with consequences ranging from diabetes to heart disease. (iAfrica.com)
Overweight 'higher asthma risk' Aug 21, 2008
Overweight 'higher asthma risk ... People who are overweight have a 50% higher risk of developing asthma, scientists have said ... The study, by a joint team from the US National Jewish Medical and Research Center and University of Colorado, classed normal weight as someone with a body mass index below 25, overweight over 25 but below 30, and obese as 30 and above. (Yahoo News -- Allergies and Asthma)
Healthful Hints: Research shows gastric bypass surgery can help save lives Aug 21, 2008
It was a learning experience to give respect for what obesity can impair. It is pointless to recount the obesity epidemic the world is undergoing for some reason ... The word bariatrics (Greek: baros, weight and iatreia, medical treatment) is that branch of medicine or surgery concerned with the management of obesity and allied diseases. (Winona Daily News, MN)
Review: 'Rocker' Aug 21, 2008
Josh Gad is Fish's overweight and underloved nephew, and Christina Applegate, despite getting second billing, only shows up from time to time to make us wonder if an unlikely romance with Fish may be in the offing. There are funny cameos from Arnett, Jane Krakowski as Fish's ex-girlfriend and Dr. Johnny Fever, a.k.a. Howard Hesseman, as a grizzled and vaguely sleazy bus driver. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Weight-loss surgery saves lives, studies find Aug 21, 2008
In the first study, Dr. Lars Sjostrom of Gothenburg University in Sweden studied 2,010 obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 2,037 patients who received conventional medical treatment for their obesity. One-third underwent gastric bypass, while the rest had a form of banding. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
Gene 'controls body fat levels' Aug 21, 2008
Obesity may be at least partly in the genes ... If the same effect could be achieved in humans, which also carry the gene, it is hoped it could lead to new ways to fight obesity and diabetes ... Lead researcher Dr Jonathan Graff said: "From worms to mammals, this gene controls fat formation. "It could explain why so many people struggle to lose weight, and suggests an entirely new direction for developing medical treatments that address the current epidemic of diabetes and obesity. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
Obesity 'affects prostate risk' Aug 21, 2008
Obesity 'affects prostate risk ... Researchers found the cancer was much less likely to develop in people who are insulin resistant - a pre-diabetes condition linked to obesity ... Dr Greg Martin, of the World Cancer Research Fund, which funded the study, said the findings demonstrated just how closely obesity was related to cancer. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
It's all in your head: Opening wide can do more than help your teeth Aug 21, 2008
For example, he said, body mass index (the measure of obesity) is linked to a greater risk of apnea as is a neck size exceeding 17 inches in a man or 15 in a woman. Aside from snoring, another sign is constant daytime fatigue, the feeling, he said, that one is never really refreshed by a night s sleep. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Good News About the Safety of Low-Calorie Sweeteners Aug 21, 2008
Growing concerns about the obesity epidemic, however, have piqued our interest in finding our favorite foods with fewer calories. One way we are reducing caloric intake is by purchasing foods and beverages that are made with low-calorie sweeteners. (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Angioplasty Through Wrist May Be Safer Aug 21, 2008
Still, the heart association's Smith said training isn't difficult, and the need may be growing: Obesity can limit traditional access, plus more patients today have disease-damaged leg arteries. "The procedure is not one that would be recommended for everybody," Smith cautioned. (Click2Houston, TX)
Preeclampsia — A Glimpse into the Future? Aug 21, 2008
1 Although several risk factors for this condition are well recognized, including nulliparity, extremes of maternal age, obesity, and preexisting diabetes or hypertension, the causes of preeclampsia remain uncertain; recent studies have suggested that circulating angiogenic factors, alterations in the renin angiotensin system, and insulin resistance may be involved in pathogenesis. 1 Despite several trials examining various interventions,1 no strategy has proved effective in the prevention or... (New England Journal of Medicine)
Preeclampsia Raises Kidney Failure Risk Aug 21, 2008
Obesity by itself can increase the risk of both preeclampsia and kidney failure. In a commentary, Drs. (Newsmax)
Report: Florida is 34th fattest state Aug 21, 2008
So said a report issued Tuesday by the and the 's Health, adding that adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the last year ... Florida's obesity rate rose 1 ... The report, now in its fifth year, is titled "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing In America, 2008" and castigates federal, state and local governments for poor or patchwork policies aimed at curbing obesity. (Orlando Business Journal)
Lebanon woman visits China Aug 21, 2008
Weatherly said she saw two, maybe three, overweight Chinese during the trip. Most of them ride bikes or walk, and they eat different, she said. (Lebanon Express, OR)
Tired teens risking their hearts Aug 20, 2008
A group of Australian health specialists told the Herald in February that sleep should be a national health priority on par with alcohol abuse and obesity. Problems with sleep underlie up to 70 per cent of GP visits and cost the economy more than $10 billion a year. (The Age)
Thinking weight loss? Eat mushrooms! Aug 20, 2008
Eating mushrooms in large quantities can help prevent or treat obesity, says a new study. According to the study, which was led by Dr. Cheskin, suggests that increasing intake of low-energy density foods, specifically mushrooms, in place of high-energy-density foods, like lean ground beef, is a strategy for preventing or treating obesity. (India Times, India)
Leaving the Folds Aug 20, 2008
Bariatric surgery -- the stomach-shrinking operation performed to treat obesity -- works, and it is becoming safer all the time. But there's a catch often not understood by those who undergo the procedure: Once they lose the weight the surgery helps them lose, there may be more surgery to come -- surgery that is costlier and riskier and that requires a longer recovery time than the original operation. (Yahoo News -- Cosmetic Treatments and Surgery)
New Report: Adult Obesity Rates Rise in 37 States, Obesity Rates Now Exceed 25 Percent in More Than Half of States Aug 20, 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the fifth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008 report () from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ... In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent ... The F as in Fat report finds that rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, grew in 26 states last year. (PR Newswire)
Want to boost kids grades? Get 'em moving Aug 20, 2008
At a time when many schools have reduced or eliminated gym classes and recess, experts say the worry goes beyond the childhood obesity epidemic. Its not only Johnnys getting fat, and heart disease down the road all thats true. (MSNBC -- Health)
Obese horse numbers 'increasing' Aug 20, 2008
The charity, which weighed 230 horses in the UK, found 81% were overweight. It says many people feed their horses too much and exercise them too little. (BBC News -- UK)
THE MENU-MANDATE FLIM-FLAM Aug 20, 2008
Even if menu regulations don't make any difference on balance, Yale obesity researcher Kelly Brownell recently told the L.A. Times, "there's still the issue of the consumer's right to know." What about the consumer's right not to know. The same research that supporters of menu mandates like to cite indicates that most consumers prefer to avoid calorie counts, enjoying their food in blissful ignorance. (New York Post -- Opinions)
The Honeymoon's Over, Now Lose the Weight Together Aug 20, 2008
Several recent studies have shown that people who live together, particularly spouses, tend to have similar Body Mass Indexes (BMIs), and if that shared environment is conducive to weight gain, there is also an increased risk of obesity. That's what happened to Bob and Cindy Mossey. (Pekin Times, IL)
Watertown delegation helps override more vetoes (Beacon Hill Roll Call) Aug 20, 2008
The services include incorporating tobacco prevention and cessation activities, nutrition and wellness programs and obesity prevention programs into school curriculum. Override supporters said that these services also fund placement of trained nurses in many public and private schools across the state and noted that these nurses are very important to many students who do not see a doctor regularly. (Watertown TAB & Press, MA)
Obesity to fuel Alzheimer's rise Aug 20, 2008
Rising rates of obesity will lead to dramatic increases in the number of people with Alzheimer's disease, experts have predicted ... 5m people in the UK could have dementia unless steps are taken to stem the obesity epidemic, the Alzheimer's Society warned ... Obesity, smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol all increase the risk of dementia because they can lead to damage of the blood vessels in the brain, which in turn leads to the death of brain cells. (Yahoo News -- Alzheimer's Disease)
Pot belly linked to heart disease Aug 20, 2008
June Davison, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of developing heart disease. "The risks are even higher when fat is mainly concentrated around the abdomen. "What's important is that people consider their body shape as well as their weight. "Controlling both by eating less and being more active is an effective way to reduce your risk of heart and circulatory disease. (Yahoo News -- Heart Disease & Cardiovascular Disorders)
Poor Sleep Linked to High Blood Pressure in Teens Aug 20, 2008
While it's too early to tell where poor sleep ranks among the risk factors for high blood pressure, Redline said, "In our study, it was stronger than being overweight.". The Case Western researchers will continue to follow the teenagers "to see how their blood pressure is developing over time," she said. (U.S. News & World Report)
See a database: Michigan ranked 10th fattest in nation Aug 20, 2008
7% of state residents are obese, and 36% are overweight ... Those with BMIs of 30 or higher are considered obese, and those with BMIs between 25 and 30 are considered overweight ... Because the information is self-reported it's likely that the number of overweight and obese Michiganders is higher, said Trust for America's Health spokeswoman Liz Richardson. (Detroit Free Press)
Parents answer to child obesity Aug 20, 2008
The growing problem of childhood obesity is a serious one - more serious than many realize ... Ultimately, only parents, who make the time to provide healthy meals and exercise opportunities for their children, will solve the problem of childhood obesity. (Suffolk News Herald, VA)
Urban air pollution 'more dangerous than Chernobyl' Aug 20, 2008
He compared them with the more familiar risks of air pollution, obesity, and passive and active smoking ... Dr Smith also calculated long-term mortality rates among survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and compared them with obesity and active smoking ... "The immediate effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs led to approximately 210,000 deaths in the two cities. However, radiation exposures experienced by the most exposed group of survivors led to an average loss of life... (Yahoo News -- Pollution)
LETTERS: NCT, Aug. 19, 2008 Aug 20, 2008
Dr. Nick Yphantides, as many in our community may know, struggled with the problem of obesity. I can attest to this because I was one of those people. (North County Times)
Hawaii goes lean Aug 20, 2008
A report released Monday said Hawaii has the second-lowest obesity rate in the country. The and the Trust for America s Health said adult obesity rates increased in the past year in 37 states, in spite of policies to promote physical activity and good nutrition ... But Hawaii ranked 50th with an obesity rate of 20. (Pacific Business News, HI)
Poor Teen Sleep Habits May Raise Blood Pressure, Lead To CVD Aug 20, 2008
(June 12, 2008) Short sleep time is associated with overweight in children and adolescents, a core aspect of which may be attributed to reduced REM. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Many US Public Schools In 'Air Pollution Danger Zone' Aug 20, 2008
(May 4, 1998) Researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health found that a school-based behavioral intervention program reduced obesity in girls, compared with girls from control schools that did not. (Aug. (Science Daily)
Making us lose Aug 20, 2008
Oregon, you may be surprised to learn, has an Obesity Task Force ... A few days ago a new study came out that obesity is not necessarily tied to illness. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Side-effects complicate outlook for class of diabetes drug Aug 20, 2008
So-called GLP-1 drugs like Byetta, and similar products being developed by companies including Novo Nordisk and Roche, are seen as a promising new way to fight the growing problem of diabetes, which is linked to obesity. Byetta was introduced in 2005 for treating type II diabetes and had worldwide sales of $195 million in the second quarter, up 25 percent on a year earlier, helped in part by its ability to help patients shed weight. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Miss. tops list as obesity grows across nation Aug 20, 2008
tops list as obesity grows across nation ... A new report says Mississippi again is Americas fattest state, and adult obesity rates across the nation are on a steady climb ... Nationally, adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the past year. (The Clarion-Ledger)
Sleeping-pill users face kitchen chaos as they binge eat in sleep Aug 20, 2008
The problems of overweight Americans are usually ascribed to poor diet and a lack of exercise. But new research suggests another possible culprit: the country's addiction to sleeping pills, the most popular of which may cause some people to binge eat in their sleep. (Yahoo News -- Sleep and Sleep Disorders)
Fat settles around the South, but Oregon makes Top 30 Aug 20, 2008
org/reports/obesity2008/) ... Colorado, the least fat state, had an obesity rate of 18 ... The obesity epidemic is at its worst across the South, with 9 of the 10 most obese states and all 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Access to parks or Aug 20, 2008
Those who lived in developments with rows of houses but not much within walking distance were more likely to be overweight or obese. So were those who lived near fast food eateries. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Numbers add up for a longer life if you heed science and medicine Aug 20, 2008
Exercise: If you are overweight, lose 22 pounds and your systolic blood pressure will decline by five to 20 points. Regular exercise, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes most days, can drop your systolic blood pressure by four to nine points. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Grant WahlSI IN BEIJING: SOCCER Aug 20, 2008
Overweight and undermotivated, Ronaldinho refuses to make any of the explosive runs that used to unhinge opposing defenses. Instead he just sort of hangs out on the left side, tries a few moves in tight space and sprays some harmless passes to his teammates. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Watchdog blasts 'X-treme Eating' Aug 20, 2008
Some 60 million adults in the US are obese, according to the American Obesity Association, which says that obesity is not a simple matter of overeating ... "Now we see lasagne with meatballs on top; ice cream with cookies, brownies, and candy mixed in; bacon cheeseburger pizzas, buffalo-chicken-stuffed quesadillas, and other hybrid horribles that are seemingly designed to promote obesity, heart disease, and stroke." ... "The rate of obesity has not gone down - but has gone up since food... (Yahoo News -- Diet and Nutrition)
Atkins Fares Best in Study Of Four Weight-Loss Regimens Aug 20, 2008
A year-long, head-to-head study of four widely used diets found that overweight women who followed the very low-carbohydrate Atkins diet had no adverse health effects and lost slightly more weight than women on the other three ... The study tracked the effects of the diets on 311 overweight or obese women over one year ... The 311 overweight and obese women in the study were randomly assigned to one of the four groups. (Yahoo News -- Diet and Nutrition)
Good News About the Safety of Low-Calorie Sweeteners Aug 20, 2008
Growing concerns about the obesity epidemic, however, have piqued our interest in finding our favorite foods with fewer calories. One way we are reducing caloric intake is by purchasing foods and beverages that are made with low-calorie sweeteners. (Grants Cibola County Beacon, NM)
Ghanaians, Marriage and Jealousy: Learning to Survive the Pitfalls! Aug 20, 2008
Uncle Kwabena was a man of slight stature (I believe he is with the good Lord now), perhaps no taller than 5 feet 2 inches, whereas Auntie Yaa stood at approximately 5 feet 7 inches (the average Ghanaian woman stood at 5 feet 4 inches) and, while not overweight by any stretch of the imagination, was quite an imposing figure. Not atypical of a woman who feels betrayed by a wayward husband, Auntie Yaa shot out of her chair like a torpedo to go see for herself what exactly the man to whom she had... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Exercise Tips for Success Aug 20, 2008
"There is usually more than one reason why we exercise," Lerner says, "The number one reason is weight control. It could be to lose extra weight gained throughout the year or to address health problems that have a tendency to appear in overweight people.". Making changes in your environment can help keep motivation levels high. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
Solutions for the Back-to-School Breakfast Scramble Aug 20, 2008
"And several recent studies have even found a link between skipping breakfast and overweight or obesity in adolescents. So the importance of a good breakfast can't be overstated.". Here are four ideas for minimizing the stress of back-to-school breakfast-time, while ensuring kids get a healthful start to the day. (Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post, TX)
Back-to-School Snacking is a Whole New Bag Aug 20, 2008
Many snack companies are joining with parents, teachers and healthcare professionals to battle the rising tide of childhood obesity ... "We realize that one of the keys to combating obesity is portion control - the snack packs are a great way for parents to teach kids about portion control and also to help with their own.". (Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post, TX)
Oregonians' obesity weighs in right in the middle Aug 20, 2008
(AP) -- A new study on obesity in America puts Oregon in the middle -- 29th among the states in a measure of obesity ... Nationally, adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the past year ... But the Oregon rate for Type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, did not rise, although it did in 26 other states. (KGW Northwest NewsChannel 8, OR)
Overweight 'higher asthma risk' Aug 20, 2008
Overweight 'higher asthma risk ... People who are overweight have a 50% higher risk of developing asthma, scientists have said ... The study, by a joint team from the US National Jewish Medical and Research Center and University of Colorado, classed normal weight as someone with a body mass index below 25, overweight over 25 but below 30, and obese as 30 and above. (Yahoo News -- Allergies and Asthma)
Charge smokers more Aug 20, 2008
While it is evident that a sedentary lifestyle and obesity can contribute to poor health, we think the focus for now should be on smokers. The dangers of smoking are clear cut. (Herald Online, SC -- Opinion)
Shrink the bottle, save the planet Aug 20, 2008
It took skyrocketing oil prices and the prospect of an overheated planet to stem the tide, but finally those overweight wine bottles, the pretentious ones with glass so thick they're sometimes mistaken for 1. 5-litre magnums, are becoming unfashionable. (Globe and Mail -- Business)
Obesity 'affects prostate risk' Aug 20, 2008
Obesity 'affects prostate risk ... Researchers found the cancer was much less likely to develop in people who are insulin resistant - a pre-diabetes condition linked to obesity ... Dr Greg Martin, of the World Cancer Research Fund, which funded the study, said the findings demonstrated just how closely obesity was related to cancer. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
Gene 'controls body fat levels' Aug 20, 2008
Obesity may be at least partly in the genes ... If the same effect could be achieved in humans, which also carry the gene, it is hoped it could lead to new ways to fight obesity and diabetes ... Lead researcher Dr Jonathan Graff said: "From worms to mammals, this gene controls fat formation. "It could explain why so many people struggle to lose weight, and suggests an entirely new direction for developing medical treatments that address the current epidemic of diabetes and obesity. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
Weight-loss surgery saves lives, studies find Aug 20, 2008
In the first study, Dr. Lars Sjostrom of Gothenburg University in Sweden studied 2,010 obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 2,037 patients who received conventional medical treatment for their obesity. One-third underwent gastric bypass, while the rest had a form of banding. (Yahoo News -- Obesity)
Better to Be Fat and Fit Than Skinny and Unfit Aug 20, 2008
Stuart Bradford/The New York TimesA new study showing that many overweight and obese people are metabolically healthy, while large numbers of slim people have health problems typically associated with obesity, has prompted a range of reactions ... The data suggest that half of overweight people and one-third of obese people are metabolically healthy ... That means that despite their excess pounds, many overweight and obese adults have healthy levels of good cholesterol, blood pressure, blood... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Churches make fitness a commandment Aug 20, 2008
But he said the emphasis on health in churches stemming from a growing concern about obesity and related diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure has stretched all they way to the church pot lucks. He said he knew his congregation was serious about losing weight during a recent pastor s appreciation celebration. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
