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The Obesity Epidemic

Started by C Miller; Last updated Feb 24, 08 12:51 PM CST by Imperator | View history

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The Obesity Epidemic

Will America ever get off of the couch and into shape?

Stories

Stories 81 - 100 of 127

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November 2007
- LA Will Certify Eateries as Trans Fat-Free
  
  Los Angeles Times | Nov 16, 07 11:10 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Los Angeles County will begin certifying trans-fat-free restaurants and rewarding those that pass muster with a decal in a voluntary campaign rolled out yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Restaurants that pay a $204 application fee will get a surprise visit from inspectors to confirm that their kitchens are free of the heart-damaging fats. A green decal will announce the result. More »
- Study: Weight Lessens Some Causes of Death
  
  New York Times | Nov 7, 07 1:40 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Overweight people are much less likely to die of a plethora of diseases, federal researchers announced today, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, infections, and lung disease. This gives them a lower mortality rate than people of normal weight, despite higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. “If we use the criteria of mortality, then the term ‘overweight’ is a misnomer,” one professor said. More »
- Sleep-Deprived Kids Pack on the Pounds
  
  Associated Press | Nov 5, 07 10:40 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Kids who get plenty of sleep could be lowering their chances of becoming obese. For each extra hour third-graders in a newly released study spent sleeping, they lowered their chance of becoming obese by sixth grade by 40%. The results could have to do with the effect of sleep on appetite-regulating hormones, but one scientist cautions, "I'm not so sure we have enough information yet on cause and effect." More »
- Britain to Fight Fat in 'Fit Towns'
  
  Guardian (UK) | Nov 1, 07 4:56 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - In light of dire predictions about the cost of the obesity crisis, England wants 10 previously planned eco-friendly towns to also combat obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles, the Guardian reported today. Among the proposals: more bike lanes; safe walking routes to school and the downtown area; larger and more modern parks, playgrounds and leisure centers. More »
October 2007
- NYC Pushes Calorie Count Plan
  
  Associated Press | Oct 25, 07 7:24 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - That burger might be darned tasty, but New York City health officials are reviving their crusade to give you an accompanying calorie count on menus—this time not just for fast-food joints, but restaurants with 15 or more locations. Chains aren't too keen on the plan, and a state restaurant association is set to sue a second time, the AP reports. More »
- Brits Plotting Battle of Bulge on Plumpies
  
  Christian Science Monitor | Oct 25, 07 3:49 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Two sobering reports have frantic Brits casting about for ways to combat their obesity epidemic, reports the Christian Science Monitor . England is the fattest country in Europe and half of its population could be obese by 2050, the reports warn. Now the country is looking into everything from regulating junk food to requiring workplaces to provide daily exercise hours. More »
- Get Married, Pack On the Pounds
  
  USA Today | Oct 24, 07 10:27 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Young adults gain more weight if they're married, a new study shows. People in their late teens and early twenties gain a lot of weight anyway (an average of 15 to 30 pounds), but those who are married gain 6 to 9 pounds more. "The weight gain in this age group is frightening," a nutrition professor tells USA Today. More »
September 2007
- Nickelodeon Unplugs the Tube
  
  Associated Press | Sep 28, 07 2:05 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - For years, parents have been telling kids to turn off the TV, go outside and play. Now, Nickelodeon is turning the tube off for them, broadcasting three hours of dead air starting at noon tomorrow, during which they hope kids will go outside and get some exercise. It’s part of the network’s fourth annual worldwide day of play, the AP reports. More »
- Myth: Exercise Keeps You Lean
  
  New York | Sep 27, 07 6:19 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The idea that exercise is the key to shedding pounds is relatively modern—and a whole lot of hogwash, Gary Taubes argues in New York magazine. Though the theory that working out makes us lose weight has been around since the 1960s, scientific research has consistently shown that the relationship between weight and exercise is spurious. More »
- Unhealthy Habits Could Hurt Your Pay Check
  
  Chicago Tribune | Sep 26, 07 3:10 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Unhealthy living is getting more expensive, the Chicago Tribune reports, with employees facing fines or even firing for not satisfying company health requirements. Michigan's Weyco fines workers $50 per paycheck if they or their spouses smoke. Indianapolis' Clarian takes away $5 for each blood-pressure, body-mass, or other health-based benchmark you may fail. More »
- Freedom Fries Fattening French
  
  Los Angeles Times | Sep 20, 07 5:15 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Freedom Fries be danged, French waistlines are taking a decidedly American curve: As fast food and bigger portions invade, some 42% of the famously foodie nation's population is clocking in as either overweight or obese. But officials say don't let them eat cake, predicting US-level obesity if the trend isn't reversed within a few years, the LA Times reports. More »
- Bigger Portions Weigh Down Healthy Choices
  
  Reuters | Sep 16, 07 10:49 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Choosing Subway over McDonalds doesn't help if you eat more when you're there. A new study shows that people underestimate calories when eating relatively healthier food, leading them to eat more and get just as fat. "We have to move away from thinking of food in 'good food/bad food' (terms) and think also about 'how much food," says a researcher. More »
- Big Americans Bust Weight Limits on Cars
  
  USA Today | Sep 15, 07 5:15 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Americans who supersize their meals may be putting an unsafe burden on their car tires, exceeding weight limits they're rated to carry. Many two-seat sports cars, for instance, can't safely accommodate two 200-pound passengers, USA Today reports. Family cars and minivans also frequently max out when carrying a load of oversized passengers. More »
- Employees Go Lean for Green
  
  USA Today | Sep 11, 07 12:48 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - A new study shows that paying people to lose weight works, a possible boon to employers and employees beset by the high costs of obesity. Researchers separated participants, who weren’t given a specific weight loss program, into three groups—two of which would be paid either $7 or $14 for weight loss and the third would receive nothing. More »
- American Kids' Blood Pressure Creeps Up
  
  Washington Post | Sep 11, 07 10:37 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The ranks of US children with dangerously high blood pressure and hypertension have been growing for 20 years, reversing a decades-long trend, says a new study that tracks the effects of youth obesity. Hypertension, which usually doesn't develop until patients are in their 30s or 40s, is a leading cause of heart attack and stroke, the Washington Post reports. More »
- Olympic Seats Too Small for UK Behinds
  
  Sun (UK) | Sep 10, 07 4:25 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Seats at one of London's new Olympic venues are being widened to accommodate spectators' bulky backsides. Stadium designers warned that the 20,000 seats at the Aquatic Centre wouldn't be able to handle expanding British buttocks, so organizers widened the chairs by 4cm (1.5 inches), the Sun reports. The new specs call for seats 50cm (almost 20 inches) wide. More »
- LA Eyes Ban on New Fast Food Outlets
  
  Los Angeles Times | Sep 10, 07 4:13 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - There is so much fast food in South Los Angeles, and so much obesity, that city officials are considering banning any new outlets. A two-year moratorium on new fast-food eateries has been proposed for an area where 30% of adults and 29% of kids are obese (compared with just over 20% and 23%, respectively, for the county overall). “To be honest, it’s all we eat,” one resident told the Los Angeles Times . More »