obesity

Marlene Simpson of Sacramento, Calif., wears compression bandages daily to help reduce the swelling in her legs. She is getting fitted for compression bandages for her arms to prevent swelling there.

These Women Discovered It Wasn't Just Fat: It Was Lipedema

2:52pm September 28, 2016

by Lesley McClurg

People with tree-trunk-like legs who can't lose weight through diet and exercise may have lipedema, a lymphatic disorder. It's not clear what causes it, and most doctors aren't familiar with it.

Changing habits and better health care have vastly reduced the risk of death by heart disease.

Are We Reaching The End Of The Trend For Longer, Healthier Lives?

11:52am September 23, 2016

by Richard Harris

In the past 50 years, better medical care and healthier habits have greatly reduced the risk of dying young from heart disease. But the obesity epidemic threatens to reverse that happy trend.

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A new study counters the presumption that bariatric surgery is just a short-term fix for severe obesity.

Bariatric Surgery Can Help People Keep Weight Off Long Term

5:03am September 05, 2016

by Patti Neighmond

Earlier studies suggested that most people put the pounds back on, but a large study that followed people for a decade after bariatric surgery found that the vast majority avoided gaining weight.

These cookies are a triple-label threat: They're high in sugar, saturated fats and calories.

Chile Battles Obesity With Stop Signs On Packaged Foods

1:56pm August 12, 2016

by Eileen Smith

About 67 percent of Chileans older than 15 are overweight, and processed food is one of the major culprits. Health officials hope more obvious labeling will help people make healthier choices.

Are we choosing foods that could be healthy in moderation, but eating too much of them?

75 Percent of Americans Say They Eat Healthy — Despite Evidence To The Contrary

12:03pm August 03, 2016

A third of U.S. adults are obese, and 80 percent don't eat enough fruits, veggies and whole grains. Yet our poll with Truven Health Analytics suggests that as a nation, we eat with blinders on.

Surplus corn is piled outside a storage silo in Paoli, Colo. Do federal farm subsidies encourage the production — and perhaps overconsumption — of things that we're told to eat less of, like high fructose corn syrup or meat produced from livestock rai

Does Subsidizing Crops We're Told To Eat Less Of Fatten Us Up?

7:35pm July 18, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

There's a disconnect between what we're told to eat and what crops the U.S. subsidizes. Many critics blame farm policy for promoting bad eating habits. The reality is a lot more complicated.

There will be about 55 percent more people with diabetes as baby boomers become senior citizens, a report finds.

Baby Boomers Will Become Sicker Seniors Than Earlier Generations

3:30pm May 25, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The seniors of tomorrow will have much higher rates of diabetes and obesity than the seniors of today, according to a data analysis. That means higher medical bills for them — and for taxpayers, too.

Calipers can give a more accurate measure of an individual's body fat, but for population-based studies, the BMI is the way to go.

Does Putting On A Few Pounds Help You Cheat Death?

3:23pm May 10, 2016

by Nancy Shute

We're told that it's important to keep body mass index below 25. But a study finds that for the lowest risk of death, the magic number has inched up to 27 — in the "overweight" category.

A child runs a shopping cart relay during an Education Department summer enrichment event, "Let's Read, Let's Move." The 2012 event was part of a summer initiative to engage youths in summer reading and physical activity, and provide them information abou

Plateau But No Decline: Child Obesity Rates Hold Steady

11:52am April 26, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

A new study finds 33 percent of American children between 2 and 19 are overweight, and 17 percent are obese. But researchers say they hope the findings don't overshadow the success stories out there.

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Health & Safety

Secrets Of The Very Old And Healthy — Start When You're Young

4:50pm April 18, 2016

by Nancy Shute

What you do in your 20s and 30s and 40s can make it more likely that you'll be mobile and healthy in old age, scientists say. That's true even if your ancestors didn't fare so well.