Naked Chef on Obesity: No One Knows How to Cook

US must get a handle on public health crisis

(NEWSER) - A widespread vice has a negative effect on Americans' health, and it's up to the government to do something about it. That approach worked for tobacco, David Lazarus writes for the LA Times , and it can work for obesity, too. "The answer seems obvious," he argues. "If we want to protect ourselves from a deadly epidemic of heart disease, diabetes and other ailments, just as we've taken steps to protect ourselves from an epidemic of lung cancer, we need to act." More»

Reviewers not so fond of latest fast-food monstrosity

(NEWSER) - Congratulations, KFC, your Double Down stunt has gotten more publicity than a Nazi-themed romp with Jesse James. So here's a little more, in the form of what the reviewers are saying:

• The Double Down "arrives at a new low," writes Sam Sifton of the New York Times . Even the chain's signature chicken is "a slimy and unnaturally moist thing, with flavor ginned up in a lab. It is, in all, a disgusting meal, a must-to-avoid."

Brain chemistry changed in binge-eating rats

(NEWSER) - Junk food can be as addictive as cocaine and causes similar changes in the brain, according to a new study. Researchers found that rats given unlimited access to high-calorie food like candy bars and cheesecake not only became obese very quickly, they continued gorging even when they know doing so would lead to an electric shock. Obese rats who had their junk food replaced with a health diet stopped eating altogether, HealthDay reports. More»

Michelle Obama talks to GMA in advance of launching initiative

(NEWSER) - Michelle Obama wants to eliminate childhood obesity in just one generation, and she will launch her ambitious "Let's Move" campaign today at noon. "We want our kids to face a different and more optimistic future in terms of their lifespan," the first lady tells Good Morning America . Obama's initiative focuses on four areas: educating parents, improving food in schools, making healthy foods more affordable, and focusing on physical education. More»

Rate 5% higher when kids can walk to outlet

(NEWSER) - Students are more likely to be obese when their schools are located within a tenth of a mile of fast-food restaurants, researchers found. In a study of more than a million California ninth-graders over 8 years, they found that the incidence of obesity at schools near the restaurants was 5.2% higher than the state average, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»