Obesity

12 November 2009 -- Pinpointing obesity triggers in humans is hard because of uncontrollable genetic, cultural, and environmental factors. Recent studies have thrown another element into the mix: the microbiota—a distinct community of microorganisms that reside in the human gut and play an active role in its environment.

This “living organ” is composed of billions of bacteria that provide a variety of valuable functions to its human hosts, such as degrading and promoting the absorption of food that would otherwise be indigestible.    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- Restrictions on fast-food chain restaurants in South Los Angeles are not addressing the main differences between neighborhood food environments and are unlikely to improve the diet of residents or reduce obesity, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Researchers from RAND Health found that the South Los Angeles region has no more fast-food chain establishments on a per capita basis than other parts of the city, but rather many more small food stores and other food outlets.

Those outlets are more likely to be the source of high-calorie snacks and soda consumed substantially more often by residents of South Los Angeles as compared to other parts of the city, according to the study published online by the journal Health Affairs.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a funding opportunity for communities and tribes to apply for $373 million in cooperative agreements for the comprehensive public health initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, to be led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).    » read more »

Team Nutrition Initiative Helps Combat Childhood Obesity, Promote Physical Activity to Enable Better Future for Nation's Youth

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2009 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded approximately $5.8 million in Team Nutrition Training Grants to 18 states to help children develop good nutrition and physical activity habits for healthier lifestyles. This funding provides schools with nutrition education materials for children and parents as well as technical assistance for communities and school food service providers.    » read more »

June 17, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Surrounded by Legislators and public health advocates, Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed three bills designed to combat the problem of obesity in Maine.

"This is a critical public health issue, especially when it comes to our children’s health," said the Governor. "Maine has the highest rate of obesity in New England. It’s estimated that 30 percent of our youth are overweight or obese.”

“We know that obesity and overweight are key contributors to serious medical conditions, generating high costs to our health care system,” said the Governor. “These bills will help us to continue to address reduce obesity, and thus the preventable diseases associated with it.”    » read more »

Senators, Public Health Community & Restaurant Industry Reach Historic Agreement to Provide Nutrition Information at Chain Restaurants

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan coalition of senators on the Senate healthcare committees, as well as numerous public health organizations and the restaurant industry today announced an agreement that would require chain restaurants to list calories on their menus and menu boards.

The compromise combines key elements of the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and the Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act, sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).    » read more »

May 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reintroduced legislation aimed at reducing obesity, particularly among children and adolescents.

Bingaman’s “Obesity Prevention, Treatment and Research Act of 2009” would develop a national strategy to organize the nation’s efforts to combat childhood and adult obesity by encouraging unprecedented collaborations across federal agencies, and among private entities and communities.    » read more »

February 18, 2009 -- Young adults in the United States aged 18-29 face a number of health challenges, including increases in obesity, high injury rates, and lack of insurance coverage compared to older adults, according to the latest report on the nation′s health.

Health, United States: 2008 is the 32nd annual edition of the report prepared by CDC′s National Center for Health Statistics, and includes a compilation of health data from a number of sources within the federal government and in the private sector. The report uses the most current data available at the time of publication.    » read more »

Statement of Deepak Gupta, Attorney, Public Citizen

Feb. 17, 2009 -- Public Citizen is delighted that a federal appeals court has decided to uphold New York City’s landmark fast-food menu rule, which requires chain restaurants to disclose calorie information on their menus. Today’s decision is a major victory in the fight against the obesity epidemic. It protects consumers’ right to know important nutritional facts and make informed and healthy choices when they eat out. The ruling is also significant because it clears the way for many similar state and local laws throughout the nation, such as those recently passed by the state of California and the city of Philadelphia.    » read more »

Public Health Releases New Risk Factor Data

August 13, 2008 -- Many Kentuckians report they are in poor health, have been diagnosed with chronic diseases, and don’t have access to health care, according to 2007 data released today by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH).

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems, a survey, conducted by the Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement in DPH, looks at several health indicators, such as diet and physical activity, to determine the health and lifestyle habits of Kentuckians.    » read more »

July 17, 2008 -- The proportion of U.S. adults who self report they are obese increased nearly 2 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to a report in today′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). An estimated 25.6 percent of U.S. adults reported being obese in 2007 compared to 23.9 percent in 2005, an increase of 1.7 percent. The report also finds that none of the 50 states or the District of Columbia has achieved the Healthy People 2010 goal to reduce obesity prevalence to 15 percent or less.    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- ROCHESTER, Minn. — As Americans' collective waistline has continued to expand, so has the prevalence of obesity-related cancer. According to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, an estimated 14 percent of cancer deaths in older men and 20 percent in older women can be attributed to excess body fat.

Obese women: Photo by Malingering (CC)

It's not fully understood why excess body fat increases the risk of cancer.

Theories include:    » read more »

LIVERMORE, Calif. – The radioactive carbon-14 produced by above-ground nuclear testing in the 1950s and ’60s has helped researchers determine that the number of fat cells in a human’s body, whether lean or obese, is established during the teenage years. Changes in fat mass in adulthood can be attributed mainly to changes in fat cell volume, not an increase in the actual number of fat cells.

These results could help researchers develop new pharmaceuticals to battle obesity as well as the accompanying diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.    » read more »

Ruling Will Help Consumers Make Healthy Menu Choices

April 16, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal judge today ruled that certain fast-food and chain restaurants in New York City must comply with a requirement to disclose calorie information on their menus, rejecting arguments from the state restaurant association that the groundbreaking city ordinance was preempted by federal law.

Fast food: Photo by pengrin (CC)

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Holwell also rejected claims that the labeling ordinance violated the restaurants’ First Amendment rights.    » read more »

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Obesity is more than a cosmetic concern because it increases a person's risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious health problems. It's well understood that consuming more calories than you expend through exercise and daily activities causes weight gain.

Belly of an obese man: Photo by Word Freak (CC)    » read more »