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Obesity & Weight Loss Articles and Videos

Precursor Fat Cells May Shed Light on Diseases

To understand more about the mystery of obesity, it's important to understand how fat cells are born, nurtured and matured. And the enlightenment that will flow from understanding obesity may sweep away mysteries relating to the generation of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which seem to be so much more prevalent among people who are obese. So it was with delight that scientists greeted a recent study identifying precursor cells that develop into full-blown fat tissue. The research, performed on "skinny" mice genetically modified to have no fat deposits, showed that injecting one particular type of cell into the mice caused them to form fat.

Clumsiness and Obesity Intertwined

Children with poor coordination could be at higher risk of obesity later in life. The research published in the British Medical Journal found that youngsters who performed least well in tests assessing cognitive and physical function were far more likely to be obese by age 33. Researchers examined test results from the on-going National Child Development Study involving more than 11,000 people since 1958.

Lower Cholesterol Without Statin Drugs

If you have high cholesterol and you're brimming with confidence in synthetic pharmaceuticals, then statin drugs such as Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor and Levitor are for you. If, however, you lean toward medicating your body with natural products, there are a variety of items that have been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol - without the serious side effects of statin drugs that include severe memory loss, muscle cramps, liver toxicity, hair loss, heartburn and nausea.

Some Obese Individuals Have Grave Misconceptions About Weight

Some overweight and even obese individuals believe their body size to be normal and don't see the need to lose weight, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. Researchers followed nearly 6,000 patients in the Dallas Heart Study and found that 8 percent of 2,000 people who were obese said they were satisfied with their body size or felt they could gain weight. (Read more)

The Risks of Being Overweight During Pregnancy

Many pregnant women are unaware of being overweight or obese, and lack knowledge of the risks it poses to their possible pregnancy, according to findings published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Associate Professor Leonie Callaway and her colleagues surveyed 412 women in early pregnancy that attended a public antenatal clinic or were patients of a private obstetrician.
(Read more)

Obesity and Depression Strongly Linked

The link between common mental illness and obesity should be given more attention because the two health problems are closely connected, according to researchers at the University of Adelaide. An editorial in the British Medical Journal add support to claims of a two-way risk between obesity and common mental disorders.
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Obesity Rates May Be Leveling Off

Here is some remarkable news. We, meaning Americans in general, have finally begun to stop getting fatter. Not that we are any thinner, but at least our national weight expansion has leveled off. This semi-encouraging news comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Read more)

Obesity Rates May Be Leveling Off

Here is some remarkable news. We, meaning Americans in general, have finally begun to stop getting fatter. Not that we are any thinner, but at least our national weight expansion has leveled off. This semi-encouraging news comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Read more)

Women Can Quit Smoking While Controlling for Weight Gain

There are many women who hesitate to quit smoking because they fear gaining weight. Nicotine is known to suppress appetite and boost a smoker's metabolism. A new meta-analysis published in the journal, Addiction, shows that women who quit smoking while receiving treatment for weight control are better able to control their weight gain and are more successful at quitting cigarettes. (Read more)

Obesity Seems to Degrade Men's Sex Lives

Obese men undergo significant hormonal changes and experience markedly worse sex lives – but stomach-stapling surgery can correct those troubles, a recent small study showed.
   
“Previous studies have found that obesity is correlated to lower sperm count and can be associated with infertility, but we wanted to know if obesity was biologically associated with an unsatisfying sex life, and if so, could it be reversible,” the study’s lead author, Ahmad Hammoud, of the University of Utah, said in an Endocrine Society news release. “Our results show that the answer to both questions may be yes.”