Fitness & Nutrition

Red Meat's Heart Risk Goes Beyond The Fat

1:03pm April 12, 2013

Reporting in Nature Medicine, researchers write that a chemical in red meat, L-carnitine, may up the risk of heart disease in people and mice--but only in frequent red-meat eaters. Study author Stanley Hazen of the Cleveland Clinic explains how diet changes the gut's bacterial flora, and how that can affect heart health.

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Health & Safety

Soda Wars Backlash: Mississippi Passes 'Anti-Bloomberg' Bill

5:11pm March 13, 2013

by Jeffrey Hess

A bill now on the governor's desk would bar Mississippi counties and towns from enacting rules that require calorie counts to be posted, that cap portion sizes, or that keep toys out of kids' meals.

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Noah Zandan shows off his Zeo sleep-tracking headband. His other self-tracking devices are on his wrists. Noah and his father, Peter, are both part of the growing "Quantified Self" movement.

Self-Tracking Apps To Help You 'Quantify' Yourself

11:11am March 12, 2013

by Elise Hu

Technology is making it easier than ever to track everything from your sleep cycles to the food you eat — and even your amino acid levels.

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Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan has made the decision to go vegetarian.

Career Suicide Or Lifesaver? Why A Professional Foodie Went Vegetarian

5:53pm March 09, 2013

by Lydia Zuraw

Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan took a bit of a professional risk this week by publicly declaring his vegetarianism. He's not alone: Many Americans say they've cut back on meat in recent years, and like Yonan, they cite health as a primary concern.

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Good advice, but strict rules at mealtime may backfire.

Health & Safety

Selling Kids On Veggies When Rules Like 'Clean Your Plate' Fail

5:14pm March 06, 2013

by Patti Neighmond

Involving kids in preparing dinner may be a better way to get kids to eat their vegetables than strictures like "no dessert until you eat your vegetables." But health experts say there's nothing wrong with an occasional treat.

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Bonobos share a piece of fruit at the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Health & Safety

How Did Our Brains Evolve To Equate Food With Love?

12:12pm March 05, 2013

by Jon Hamilton

Until recently, our brains' way of connecting food with love and a sense of well-being was purely a good thing. But in a world where it's possible to feast every day, it can be a problem.

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A promo image depicting a parent's perception of his child's weight.

Health & Safety

Your Child's Fat, Mine's Fine: Rose-Colored Glasses And The Obesity Epidemic

8:30pm March 04, 2013

by Shankar Vedantam

Despite current trends, most parents assume their own kids won't grow up to be overweight adults. That 'optimism bias' has neurological roots, brain scientists say.

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Yvonne Condes helps her son Alec get ready for baseball practice.

In Many Families, Exercise Is By Appointment Only

1:18pm February 28, 2013

Many parents struggle to find the time to get their kids the exercise they need. But some parents are trying to make walking and biking part of their daily lives, not something they have to schedule.

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How The Food Industry Manipulates Taste Buds With 'Salt Sugar Fat'

12:46pm February 27, 2013

by Nell Boeschenstein

From food scientists who study the human palate to maximize consumer bliss, to marketing campaigns that target teens to hook them for life on a brand, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss' new book goes inside the world of processed, packaged goods.

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A new poll explores what happens in American households during the hours between school and bedtime.

Health & Safety

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

11:30am February 27, 2013

A new poll explores how crucial everyday decisions are made in American households about food and exercise.

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