What to Know About Metabolic Syndrome
Obesity, elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels — any one of these conditions on its own is cause for concern. But a whopping 34% of U.S. adults have at least three of them (up from 25% two decades ago), a perfect storm of health problems, called metabolic syndrome, that doubles […]
Sleeping with Artificial Light at Night Associated with Weight Gain in Women
Sleeping with a television or light on in the room may be a risk factor for gaining weight or developing obesity, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. The research, which was published online in JAMA Internal Medicine, is the first to find an association between any exposure to artificial light at night […]
Some Obesity-Related Cancers on the Rise in Americans Under 50
We’ve been told for decades that carrying around extra pounds can make us more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes later in life. But there’s a growing understanding that being overweight can also increase our risk of another chronic disease: cancer. And obesity-related cancers are not necessarily a “later in life” thing. Studies have […]
The Real Link Between Breastfeeding and Preventing Obesity
Harvard Health Blog While we know that breastfeeding has many health benefits for mothers and babies, the studies have been a bit fuzzy when it comes to the link between breastfeeding and preventing obesity in children. Some studies show a clear link, but in others that link is less clear. A study published in the […]
Bariatric Surgery Prolongs Lifespan for Obese Patients
Obese middle-age men and women who had bariatric surgery have half the death rate of those who had traditional medical treatment over a 10-year period, reports a study that answers questions about the long-term risk of the surgery. The study, published in JAMA, was led by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and […]
America’s Obesity Problem
Tackling our battle with weight America has a big problem — and it’s growing fast. Almost 40 percent of adults and 19 percent of youth are considered obese, and those extra pounds have huge health consequences. Being obese increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and stroke, among other preventable conditions. Obesity is at […]
A Nation in Crisis
Understanding the U.S. obesity epidemic In October 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its updated statistics on obesity in the United States. The numbers were troubling and confirmed what many have been seeing and predicting for decades: obesity is skyrocketing. Like a train that has run off track, we seem to be […]
A Stealth Disease
Type 2 diabetes can wreak havoc before you know it Allison Dickson hoped the feeling would pass. As an on-the-go mother of two juggling a regular job and a burgeoning career as an author, 38-year-old Dickson didn’t have time to be sick. Life was calling and, by her own admission, she sent her health to […]
Healthy Living for People with Disabilities
Adaptive approaches help address high obesity rates While obesity is one of the biggest health concerns in many communities, people with disabilities suffer from obesity more than their peers. Because of physical limitations, they can find it more difficult to eat healthy, control their weight and be physically active. This can start a vicious cycle, […]
Obesity rates continue to rise
whatdoctorsknow.com New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that an escalation in the number of those considered obese or overweight in the United States continues. Obesity and excess weight, and their negative impact on health, have become a significant focus for physicians and other health-care experts in recent years. But research […]
The Kid’s Doctor: New study finds striking link between infant weight gain and childhood obesity
By Sue Hubbard, M.D., www.kidsdr.com A new study out of Harvard University, published recently in Pediatrics, looks at infant weight gain and links to childhood obesity. This is an interesting study, as previous research had typically looked at weight alone as a predicator for future problems with obesity. In this study, the authors looked at […]
Diabesity: Giving a name to the abusive relationship between obesity and diabetes
By Dr. Gena Vennikandam Ever hear the biblical proverb, “If you find honey, eat just enough.”? These words to the wise warn of overindulgence and gluttony, which can lead to illness. Unfortunately, for many, this warning goes without heed, and obesity that leads to diabetes is becoming commonplace. Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death […]
Combating Childhood Obesity Through Food
Waistlines are expanding in the United States at every age. For the younger generation, it’s particularly alarming, as recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 17 percent of American children and adolescents are obese—and that’s triple the rate from one generation ago. More body fat in children equates to a […]
Obesity
The Little Known Truth About Being BIG By Alex Lubischer America’s obesity epidemic boils down to this: We do not move our bodies enough, and we eat too much food. Genetics can play a key factor, but at the macro level, the exponential spike in obesity over the past 100 years is far too rapid […]
The Prevention Column
Getting Started When You Think It’s Too Late By Anthony Bonazzo A lot of Americans have an all-or-nothing mentality, especially when it comes to fitness. Think of fitness like golf; it requires a daily commitment, and it’s never too late to pick up the game. If you’re currently living with health concerns related to being overweight or […]
Scientific Snacking
The good, the bad, and the delicious Americans love to snack, but snacking on the right foods is the hinge of good or bad health. According to a study conducted by the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, the number of snacking occasions per day and calories in snacks has increased substantially over […]
The Menopausal Appetite
By Nancy Maes For some women the triumvirate of binge eating, weight gain and menopause are intricately intertwined. This excessive uncontrollable overeating, the accumulation of too much body fat and the changes that occur during the natural biological process of menopause influence each other in various ways and become part of a never-ending cycle. “Binge […]
Living Too Large
A Look at the Chicago Childhood Obesity Epidemic By Morgan Lord When it comes to childhood obesity in Chicago, there’s good news, and there’s an overwhelming amount of bad news. Here’s the bad news first. “Childhood obesity is definitely becoming a bigger issue in Chicago,” says Dr. Mary Westerholm, a physician at Central DuPage Hospital […]
A Healthy Night’s Sleep
Sleep deprivation contributes to obesity and diabetes A multidisciplinary team at the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) has shown the first link at the cell level connecting sleep deprivation with a disruption of energy regulation in humans. This finding has important implications relative to two major health risks in modern society, obesity and diabetes. It […]
