Obesity May Shrink Your Brain

Dish colors that match food lead to larger meals

(NEWSER) - Trying to cut back on calories? Pay attention to the color of your plate. A new study reveals that people who use a dish that matches the color of the food they're eating will pile on more grub than if the plate is a different color, reports Scientific American . A researcher tested this by giving people at a buffet either a red plate or a white plate, then observing how they chowed down on pasta with either red or white sauce. A pdf of the study is here . More»

After 30 years on the rise, rates appear to be stabilizing

(NEWSER) - After rapidly rising for three decades, obesity rates in the US are apparently stabilizing—finally, the Los Angeles Times reports. New data shows just a slight rise in obesity rates since 2005, and many experts say this flattening reflects the success of efforts such as healthier school lunches and nutritional information on food packages. Of course, as one nutrition expert notes, "The bad news is we still have obesity rates that are just astronomical." Specifically, 35.7% of American adults were considered obese in 2010. More»

Holidays, relationships, and quitting smoking among the dangers

(NEWSER) - With Americans continuing to get bigger and bigger , we need all the help we can get to stay healthy—so the Daily Beast offers a warning on 15 things that might cause you to pack on the pounds:

• Holiday season: With all the food, stress, and booze associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, the holidays account for 51% of all weight gained during the year.
• Quitting smoking: Men are especially at risk here, with an 8% chance of adding more than 28 pounds after giving up tobacco. Women get off easier, with just a 6% chance.

Americans find hefty politicians hard to swallow

(NEWSER) - Is Chris Christie too fat for the White House? His extra girth could serve him well in an election—to a point. It makes him look like one of the gang, if the gang is the growing number of obese Americans. And his pounds prove he's a guy not listening to the diet nags of the "nanny state," a plus for Tea Party fans. It's also ... different. "People want something different, something out of the ordinary, someone who is willing to stand up and confront problems," political consultant John McLaughlin tells ABC News . "Being a picture-perfect candidate I don't think is as important anymore." More»

Her outpatient center calls story 'premature'

(NEWSER) - Lap-Band surgery appears to have claimed another victim. A woman in Orange County, Calif., died earlier this month after undergoing the procedure, the fifth to expire since the 1-800-GET-THIN advertising campaign started two years ago, the Los Angeles Times reports. Paula Rojeski, 55, was 5 foot 5 and weighed around 180 pounds when she underwent the stomach surgery to discourage overeating. More»