All Obesity Articles

Being obese raises an older woman's chance of developing ovarian cancer by almost four-fifths, a study has confirmed. Researchers in the U.S. found a link between obesity and ovarian cancer in women aged 50 to 71. An association between high body mass and ovarian cancer was already known, but the new study of 95,000 women provides powerful confirmation of the link. The research by the US Read more...

Sep. 8, 2008 - CHAPEL HILL- Almost half of all U.S. adults and nearly two-thirds of obese adults will develop painful osteoarthritis of the knee by age 85, a study based at UNC suggests. The study also found that a person's lifetime risk rose as body mass index or BMI increased, with the greatest risk found in those whose weight was normal at age 18 but were overweight or obese at 45 or Read more...

CHICAGO - You can look great in a swimsuit and still be a heart attack waiting to happen. And you can also be overweight and otherwise healthy. A new study suggests that a surprising number of overweight people - about half - have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while an equally startling number of trim people suffer from some of the ills associated with obesity. The first Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideYou can generally prevent obesity by eating a healthful diet and exercising regularly, although genetic factors sometimes play a role in obesity. General recommendations include: Eat a healthful diet.Exercise regularly.Seek counseling for Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideYou have a unique medical history. Therefore, it is essential to talk with your doctor or healthcare provider about your personal risk factors and/or experience with obesity. By talking openly and regularly with your healthcare provider, Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideObesity is difficult to treat, and success rates are not high. Cultural factors, personal habits, lifestyle, and genetics all affect obesity treatment.The treatment and management of obesity involves major lifestyle changes related to your Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource Guide The onset of obesity is usually gradual. Symptoms include: Increased weightThickness around the midsectionObvious areas of fat depositsIt’s important to remember that fat deposited in your midsection is as much of a health risk as Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideThe purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment. Screening tests are usually administered to people without current symptoms, but who may be at high risk for certain diseases or conditions.Screening TestsThere are no laboratory Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideAmerican Dietetic AssociationAddress:Headquarters120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000Chicago, IL 60606-6995Washington, DC OfficeAmerican Dietetic Association1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 480Washington, DC 20036Telephone:Chicago Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideA risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.It is possible to develop obesity with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your Read more...

by Ricker Polsdorfer, MDMain Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource GuideObesity is an abnormally high proportion of body fat. The doctor can often determine if you are obese by looking at your body and assessing the percentage of body fat. Methods of assessing body fat are discussed below.Measuring your weight Read more...

by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MDWhat To Eat When You Want To Lose WeightDefinitionAbnormally high proportion of body fatCausesA person becomes obese when calorie intake is consistently greater than the number of calories burned through activity and basic metabolic processes. Several factors can influence obesity, including: GeneticsBiologic factors (eg, amount and activity of certain chemicals in Read more...

by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD Despite countless diets, and sincere efforts at weight loss, Americans are getting heavier each year. Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the US, second only to tobacco. Tired of seeing no results from the traditional diet and exercise regime, many people are looking Read more...

by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD Obesity has ballooned into a major public health problem in the United States. About 31% of American men and 35% of American women are obese, totaling about 97 million American adults. The public health costs of this include increased medical expenses, loss of productivity in the Read more...

Two out of five men and almost a third of women around the world are now overweight, a major population study has shown. Almost a quarter of men and 27 percent of women are fat enough to be considered obese, according to the findings. Doctors assessed 168,159 people aged 18 to 80 in 63 countries across five continents. A tape measure was used to record the waist circumference of all those Read more...

What do Thomas Jefferson, King Henry VIII of England, Samuel Johnson (writer), Alfred Lord Tennyson (poet) and Benjamin Franklin have in common? They all suffered from the extremely painful condition known as gout. In fact, more than 1 million people in the United States alone suffer from attacks of gout. What is it? Gout is a life-disrupting form of arthritis that affects the joints and Read more...

Excess body fat and red meat are linked to an increased risk of common cancers and should be avoided, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research said. About 40 percent of all cancers are linked to food, lack of exercise and body weight, the organizations said in a 571-page report. This is the most comprehensive evaluation of evidence linking personal habits Read more...

Eating a healthy diet and trimming your waistline may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. It's estimated that one-third of cancer deaths are related to nutritional factors, including body weight. Obesity in women contributes to 62 percent of postmenopausal breast cancer cases, said CeCe Davis, licensed dietitian and owner of Nutrition Consultants of Tulsa. Davis encourages the Read more...

The alarm rings. You tell yourself, "Five more minutes ... " when suddenly, you realize you've used that same excuse five times already. You're late! You leap out of bed like a cat with its tail on fire and ouch, you hear an odd snap somewhere between your head and shoulder. The sudden jerky movement would have triggered a neck sprain that you'd have to live with for the next Read more...

If you want to tip the scales in your favor, try stepping on one each day. Research presented recently at an obesity conference suggests that the simple act of regularly weighing in helps prevent people from regaining lost pounds. That's important because experience shows that most dieters regain a third of what they lost within the first year, and two-thirds of it in the second Read more...