(Updated) Maintaining good health during pregnancy is one of the surest ways mothers can protect their developing babies’ well-being. A new study suggests that adequate levels of vitamin D could be one such protective factor.
Obesity
Study: A 20% ‘Fat Tax’ Would Improve Public Health
People are packing on the pounds worldwide, but a recent analysis finds taxing junk food could curb obesity rates.
FDA Panel Backs Approval of Weight-Loss Drug Lorcaserin
On Thursday, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel voted 18-to-4 to approve the prescription diet drug lorcaserin. It’s the second diet pill to be endorsed by an FDA advisory panel this year and, if approved, would be …
Is ‘Social Jet Lag’ Making You Fat?
If your sleep schedule differs between the weekends and weekdays, you’re likely experiencing what researchers call “social jet lag” and it could be making you fat.
Social jet lag, a term coined by researchers in Europe, refers …
Is Obesity Causing a Rise in Rheumatoid Arthritis Among Women?
Rheumatoid arthritis may soon be added to the growing list of health risks associated with obesity. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, women with a history of obesity are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid …
Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for Overweight Passengers?
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasted that 42% of Americans could be obese by 2030. Our expanding waistlines constitute not only a medical crisis, but according to a recent story in the New York …
Long Commute? Your Heart and Waistline May Suffer for It
Are you sick of your commute to work? Bad news: It might actually be making you sick.
Fat Forecast: 42% of Americans Could Be Obese by 2030
If Americans keep getting heavier at the current rate, 42% of the population will be obese by 2030, a new study says. The increase accounts for an additional 32 million obese Americans and a whopping $549.5 billion in medical …
Type 2 Diabetes Is Tougher to Treat in Kids and Teens
Type 2 diabetes, the kind linked with obesity, progresses much faster and is harder to treat in children than in adults, according to the disappointing results of a new study that sought to determine the best treatment for the …
Family MattersParenting
Walking to School, Libraries and Markets Helps Keep Kids Slimmer
A cluster of studies relies upon geographical data-mapping to analyze the impact of neighborhood on children’s health.
For Successful Weight Loss, Forget Fad Diets and Pills
A survey of successful weight losers highlights the strategies that worked: exercising and eating fewer calories and less fat
Family MattersAutism
Mom’s Obesity, Diabetes Linked with Autism and Developmental Delays
New research from the University of California, Davis, finds that a woman’s weight and health during pregnancy may have significant influences on her child’s development.
Can Food Really Be Addictive? Yes, Says National Drug Expert
Compare the proportion of obese people in America to those who are addicted to drugs and then try to argue that food isn’t as addictive as crack cocaine, says Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.