Scientific Study

The number of people who are overweight or obese has been growing exponentially for more than 20 years. Nearly two-thirds of Americans age 20 or older are overweight (body mass index over 25), a third are considered obese (BMI over 30), and nearly 5 percent are morbidly obese (BMI 40+).

Why Is It Critical That You Lose Your Own Fat before You Get Pregnant

There are many roadblocks to losing weight, and one of the most common is sustaining the motivation needed to continue a weight loss program. Once the initial excitement surrounding a new weight loss plan has died away, we are left in search of something to keep us going. A preliminary study, reported in JAMA's December 10 issue, may have an answer: it appears that financial incentives can aid short-term weight loss.

Most people are aware of the link between obesity and the risk of developing life-threatening diabetes. But it seems to be much less widely known that being overweight also significantly increases the chances of developing certain types of cancer—particularly for women.

A new research study of the sexual behavior of teenage girls finds that high-risk sexual activities are apparently affected not only by girls’ actual weight but also by their perceptions about their weight—whether accurate or not. According to the study “girls who perceived themselves as overweight were less likely to have ever had sex”.

Medical doctors and scientists have long recognized a connection between being overweight and developing osteoarthritis. It turns out, however, that the connection is not as straightforward as was thought.

In the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the publications of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is indicated that Mediterranean diet prevents the occurrence of depression. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by an abundance of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts as well as fish.

"How can I eat less?" many people ask. A newly published study (from a collaboration between researchers at Duke University, the University of British Columbia and Arizona State University) suggests that overweight people who eat with fat friends actually eat less than when they eat with slimmer friends. The study entitled: “I’ll have what she is having” suggests that people unconsciously change the quantity of food they consume depending on the size of the people they’re dining with.

A recent study by Dr. Carolyn A. McCarty of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and her colleagues published in General Hospital Psychiatry has shown a clear link between obesity, depression, and alcoholism in women. The study investigated 393 men and 383 women at ages 24, 27, and 30, looking at their weight, alcohol usage and depression over the course of one year. In women, both alcoholism and obesity were linked with depression, while there was no connection in men.

Bariatric surgery is highly effective for significantly obese patients, but it often leads to nutritional deficiencies. Most of the time, these deficiencies can be predicted ahead of time, making prevention or treatment easier.