A study showed that obesity can increase the risk of developing arthritis.

Obesity is a global problem and is thought to be second to smoking as one of the contributory cause of cancer. It is a medical condition associated with the excessive storage of body fat which can lead to serious health conditions and reduced life expectancy. A body mass index above 30 kilograms per square meter is considered obese. The list of common health conditions that are induced and intensified by obesity include some types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

There are several factors that cause obesity. In a nutshell, the consumption of a greater number of calories than what the body burns results to the disproportionate storage of fat. An unhealthy diet and an inactive lifestyle are two of the primary causes of obesity and obviously, the best recommended cure is the modification of one’s diet and increased physical activity. Among the chronic conditions caused by obesity is arthritis.

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published on October 8 stated that arthritis limits the physical activity of over 21 million people. Obesity is now being linked to arthritis and the study showed that an excess in weight serves as a hindrance to having healthy joints basically because it affects joint movement. And according to the report, unless Americans learn to control their weight, the prevalence of arthritis will remain on the rise. Just like obesity, arthritis is a major public health problem that can be effectively prevented through weight management which includes increased physical activities, diet modification, and proper education.

The Link between Obesity and Arthritis

The National Health Interview Survey for the year 2007 to 2009 indicated that more than 22 percent of adults aged 18 and above are diagnosed with arthritis. This is an equivalent of almost 50 million people. More than 21 million people in this group had reported limited body movements and decreased physical activities. In the population suffering from obesity, on the other hand, more than 33 percent of women and over 25 percent of men have arthritis. This is more than twice of the arthritis prevalence in people with normal or below normal weight, with almost 14 percent in men and about 19 percent in women.

Though the prevalence of arthritis is commonly linked to a person’s age, issues such as lifestyle, physical activity, weight, and even educational attainment are also some of the factors that can increase the risk. The report also showed that the limitations in physical activities that cause arthritis are caused by the ageing population and rising rates of obesity.

The ageing population and increasing prevalence of obesity are expected to increase the rates of developing arthritis in the next 20 years according to the report. The expected number of adults with arthritis can go up as much as 67 million by 2010. The other findings of the study showed that more than 24 percent of women and 18 percent of men were surveyed with doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Almost 22 percent of the survey participants whose educational attainment was less than a high school diploma had arthritis, comparatively higher than the 20 percent of people who spent a few years in college. In addition to this, almost 24 percent of people with sedentary lifestyle have arthritis, a lot lesser than the 19 percent who engaged in increased physical activities.

The survey participants were asked if they were diagnosed with any form of arthritis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, gout or fibromyalgia by a medical expert. According to the report, arthritis results to an annual cost of $128 billion on a national scale and the condition is one of the common causes of disability. The risk of getting knee osteoarthritis is more than 60 percent in obese individuals. The report also suggested that even an 11-pound reduction in weight can reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis by 50 percent and mortality rate also by half.

Tips to Prevent Obesity

Obesity and arthritis can come hand in hand. This suggests that one of the best ways to prevent the development of obesity is by properly managing weight. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone: you are avoiding obesity and at the same time reducing the risk of developing arthritis.

It needs to be understood that obesity is caused by the over-consumption of calories while getting less than recommended physical activities. The best approach is by being aware of your calorie intake while increasing physical activity at the same time in order to burn any stored fat. Identifying any early indications of obesity is also key to preventing the condition from becoming a serious problem.

Remember to:

• Maintain an active lifestyle. Though going to the gym or jogging around the park may be more recommendable, having an active lifestyle can be achieved in the comforts of your own home like doing open backyard activities.
• Monitor weight regularly. It’s difficult to always count the calories. Though you may always need to think about the food you eat, counting calories down to the last piece of candy may become too obsessive and stressful. The better way of doing it is by monitoring your weight on a regular basis. This will tell you if you have been eating well and if you are getting enough physical activities to burn the extra pounds.
• Eat right. There’s no better way of managing your weight but by eating the right kind of foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables and foods rich in fiber, like whole grains, are best in flushing out saturated fats from the other foods you eat. Eating regularly and slowly will also help in the better digestion of food.

Tips to Prevent Arthritis

Food rich in bad cholesterol, saturated fats, sodium, and uric acid leads and worsens arthritis. The recommended diet to prevent and alleviate arthritic conditions consists of consuming healthy foods such as:

• Parsley
• Watercress
• Celery
• Carrots
• wheat grass products
• barley
• pecans
• avocados
• soy products
• whole grain products like oats, millet, barley, wheat
• cold water fishes like sardines, salmon and herring.

Foods rich in antioxidants like omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, bioflavonoids, carotenes and vitamin C has also been found to reduce the inflammation of the joints caused by free radicals.

Meanwhile, foods containing high amounts of calcium inhibitors have been found to increase the risk of arthritis. So try to avoid the following:

• red meat
• chicken
• eggs
• dairy products
• coffee
• alcohol

Foods with high contents of oxalic acid like plums, cranberries, rhubarb, spinach and chard can also cause and worsen arthritis.

Sources
arthritis.webmd.com
healthtree.com
today.msnbc.msn.com

Suffering from obesity and eating disorders has been linked to depression cases, a serious disorder that can worsen one’s health and prove to be fatal.

The latest report from Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index shows an alarming figure—that almost one-fourth of obese American citizens have all been diagnosed with depression. What is surprising is not that these people at some point in their lives were depressed, because every person may be at risk of developing the disease; but that the reported percentage exceeds the percentage of people with normal weight, who have simultaneously been clinically-diagnosed with the said psychiatric disorder.

Furthermore, the new survey shows that one out of four adult Americans that are obese have higher chances of reporting that they experience various negative emotions — such as anxiety, stress, sadness, anger — compared to those whose weight is considered normal. Gallup also noted that having a little extra weight does not yield the same effects of obesity, considering that results showed how the overweight respondents experienced negative emotions in almost the same league as those with normal weight.

The participants who were part of the conducted surveys were classified based on their body mass index scores — as calculated through the participants’ own reports regarding their weight and heights.

• Obese people were those whose BMI scores start from 30 and more.
• Overweight people were those whose BMI scores ranged from 25.0-29.9.
• Respondents with normal weight were those who yielded BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9.
• Underweight participants were those who yielded BMI scores below 18.5.

Based on these classifications, Gallup claimed that 36.3 % of Americans are currently overweight whereas 26.7 % are reportedly suffering from obesity. Simultaneously, 35 % of adult Americans currently enjoy a healthy or normal weight.

Revealing Survey Results: The Notable Obesity Factor

The yielded findings were based on over 250,000 interviews that were conducted within 8 months—from January to September of 2010. The following provides a breakdown of the significant survey results:

• 23.2 % of adults, all of whom are plagued with obesity, report that they suffer from depression based on clinical diagnosed; whereas only 14.9% of overweight people, 14.3% of normal-weight individuals, and 19.1% of people who are deemed to be underweight reported that they been diagnosed.
• 41.6 % of the obese individuals are prone to feeling all stressed up; whereas 39.4% of those with normal weight, and 42% of those who are underweight reportedly feel the same.
• 34.5 % of obese individuals reported that they worry; whereas 30.6% of those with normal weight, and 35.9% of those who are underweight said that they also worry.
• 15.7% of the obese people reportedly experience anger; whereas 12.6% of those with normal weight and 16% of underweight individuals also feel anger.
• 19.9 % out of the group of obese individuals experience sadness; where as 16.3% of those with normal weight, and 21.3% of underweight individuals reported that experienced sadness.

Such results also show the possibility for clinically-diagnosed depressed people to have higher chances of suffering from obesity, stress, and worry.

Link between Being Underweight and Being Depressed

Gallup claims that underweight people account for 1.7 % of adult American citizens. According to an email by Dan Witters, Gallup’s scientist on well-being, to WebMD — many underweight individuals suffer from eating disorders. This incidence significantly explains why the survey results showed that a large percent of those who are underweight have also been diagnosed as depressives. For one, both eating disorders called bulimia and anorexia have strong links to depression, regardless of the victim’s gender; and anorexia appears to have a strong relationship with women’s suicide-related deaths. He further said that in women-related cases, depression strikes prior to eating disorder.

Healthy and Natural Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Given the strong links between depression and obesity, along with being underweight; it is important for people who suffer from obesity and eating disorders to start anew and commit to a healthy weight loss and maintance plan, through maintaining and losing weight for better overall health—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Setting manageable and healthy long-term goals

Setting one’s goals is the first important step before embarking on any attempt at weight loss or weight maintenance. During this preparatory stage, it is important to note that the best way to lose and maintain weight is to do so without losing one’s health.

Anyone who wants to take on the task of losing weight in a healthy manner must look far ahead, instead of merely counting a couple of days and a few weeks and wanting to see immediate, drastic results. Having a long-term horizon goal for weight loss and maintenance targets three essentials— safe weight loss and maintenance, successful weight loss and maintenance, and lasting or sustainable weight loss and maintenance. The ideal weight loss and maintenance plan should include proper and regulated exercise, eating a balanced and healthy diet on a regular basis, using natural supplements, changing one’s attitudes towards exercise and eating, and applying lifestyle modificaitons that can be continuously sustained.

Exercise

This suggestion does not pose itself as an option — it is essential and mandatory for optimal success. Ideally, the exercise program must include aerobic exercise for burning calories, through interval training; and weight-bearing exercise for burning calories during sleep, as achieved through muscle-building.

The exercise needs not to be immediately laborious. Starting with an enjoyable stroll and a light jog can be good boosters in order to enhance one’s metabolism and energy. Soon, the person becomes more capable of lengthening his allotted time for exercise routines, and adding more activities. A full exercise program that lasts around 30 minutes, done at least three times a week, is more than enough for healthy results.

Healthy diet to naturally cause weight loss and maintenance

While one is at the process of losing weight, it is essential to never forget that he must be wary of what he eats. It has been too repetitive to speak of how consuming a variety of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, foods rich in calcium, and foods with high concentrations of healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids are important in one’s daily diet. However, these suggestions are cliches that never go wrong. Such foods offer multi-benefits that not only aid a healthy and natural weight loss and weight maintenance program, but also help in reducing one’s risk of developing unwanted diseases. Normal weight and good health can be achieved, simultaneously.

Supplements will not work as a magic pull by themselves, but their name already suggests their integral role— to further assist successful and sustainable weight loss and maintenance. Healthy supplements include green coffee bean extract and oolong tea, mulungu, bacopa, herbs and several others.

Furthermore, paying attention to what one eats enables the person to automatically refrain from foods that must be avoided—such as highly aunnatural fatty dishes, foods rich in sugar, and processed foods.

Paying attention to eating behavior and attitudes

Eating slowly poses several benefits, primarily through helping keep up with the time needed before the brain acknowledges that the person ise= already full, which usually takes up to 15 minutes. Furthermore, eating a lot as an option to attain comfort in the midst of negative emotions, such as tiredness or depression, must be avoided: Efforts to battle these negative emotions can be  diverted to other activities. It is also important not to skip breakfast, and to ensure that it accounts for the largest meal intake in the day. This attitude will stop the person from feeling unnecessarily hungry, and will also enhance his energy levels as he faces the day.

Sources
webmd.com
cdc.gov
nhlbi.nih.gov
jonbarron.org
flat-stomach-exercises.com

A person’s weight has more bearing on his predisposition to developing high blood pressure than his current fitness level, Texas study says.

In a new study from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, researchers established a concrete link between a person’s weight and the incidence of high blood pressure.

It appears that exercising is not enough to keep blood pressure down, because according to Susan Lakoski, MD, obese or overweight individuals are still at high risk for hypertension if they do not get their weight down, despite of their continued efforts at being physically fit.

What does this mean?  According to the researchers, the main target when you want to lower your blood pressure is to get your weight down with your best efforts.

It’s not enough that you get some minutes of exercise per week, though this has not been discredit.  What the researchers are saying is that you have exert every healthy effort to keep your weight down and keep it from going up.

Weight, according to the Texas study, takes precedence to physical activity when it comes to determining the risk for developing high blood pressure.  According to the CDCP, nearly 1/3 of all adult Americans suffer from high blood pressure.

Half of those who suffer from high blood pressure are within the 55+ years range, which means more and more of our seniors are at greater risk of suffering from stroke, coronary heart disease and other dangerous medical conditions.

According to the study’s data, it appears that only the people within the normal weight range experience palpable blood pressure benefits when they exercised.

The bottom line?  People should focus on getting their weight within the normal range and start moving.  Because obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can increase mortality and risk for many negative health conditions, including heart problems.

Natural ways to keep your blood pressure down

If you have high blood pressure, follow these guidelines to naturally keep your blood pressure down:

1. It would do your heart a world of good if you quit smoking today – because cigarettes have been proven to contribute to the development of hypertension in both men and women.

2. If you are presently overweight, cut down on fatty foods and start exercising to lose the extra pounds.

3. Exercise 30 to 40 minutes everyday.  Experts recommend 150 minutes of exercise for both men and women for general wellness.  Regular exercise is also a general preventive for many diseases and negative health conditions.

4. Cut down on your coffee intake, as caffeine has been shown to increase blood pressure.  Limit your intake of regular coffee to 1 to 2 cups per day to reduce your caffeine load.  Substitutes to coffee like green tea are a good idea, because green tea only has half of the caffeine content of regular coffee.

5. Reduce your salt intake, because sodium directly increases a person’s blood pressure.  More than 2,300 milligrams of the stuff per day can cause your blood pressure to spike.

6. Control your stress level, because stress can cause hypertension and can also affect your mental health in the long term.  Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, stretching, meditation and aromatherapy are options that you can explore when it comes to de-stressing.

7. Natural supplements like fish oil, garlic, hawthorn and folic acid have been known to reduce oxidative stress of the heart and the other organs in the body, which may help in your overall effort to reduce your blood pressure.  Coenzyme Q10 or Co-Q10 has also shown great promise when it comes to protecting the heart and reducing a person’s blood pressure.

Sources:
familydoctor.org
newsmaxhealth.com
altmedicine.about.com

Chili peppers, one of the world's most beloved spices, is showing much promise in terms of reducing fat percentage when introduced to one's daily diet.

In a recent report from Science Daily, a new study suggests that chili peppers may just be the missing key to increased weight loss.  The new study shows that  a compound in chilies called capsaicin, which also makes a chili hot to the taste, is responsible for initiating specific changes in protein.

According to lead researcher Jong Won Yun, this could very well be the good news the world has been waiting for.  If chili peppers can be used on a particular scale for lowering body weight, then chilies can be utilized to combat obesity.

Chili vs. obesity

Obesity is one of the world’s leading causes of chronic, degenerative diseases like adult-onset diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular maladies.  Being overweight has also been linked to cancer in the prostate and even the development of asthma.

Yun’s study made laboratory rats confirm their initial hypothesis that capsaicin can help burn off the calories.  Two groups of test animals were both given diets in high in fat. The control group was given a capsaicin supplementation, while the other group of rat were not given the chili compound.

After the study, the control group had lost an average of 8 percent of body weight compared to the group that did not receive capsaicin.  It was also discovered that capsaicin can produce changes in up twenty types of protein found in fat.

While the study did not provide a conclusive explanation that capsaicin actually reduces body weight, it can be viewed as a pioneering study that explores the anti-obesity effects of the chili compound on the molecular level. The study was published in the Journal of Preteome Research.

Fight visceral fat!

There are two main types of fat that people have to deal with: regular fat, which is found above the muscle tissues and visceral fat, which lies underneath the muscles of the abdominal region.  So what is the big difference?  Visceral fat actually surrounds many vital organs, including the liver and intestines.  According to recent studies, visceral fat may also contribute to the development of adult-onset diabetes and other diseases.

In a study published in the medical journal Obesity, lead researcher  Dr. Gary Hunter states that just eighty minutes of exercise every week can help fight off the formation of deadly visceral fat.  Initially, the 97 respondents (composed of European-American & African-American individuals) were given a calorie-restricted diet plus a regular exercise regimen.

After the study, the respondents were asked to continue exercising at least eighty minutes a week.  A year later, the researchers measured the amount of visceral fat the respondents had and found out that the ones who continued exercising regardless of the exercise model did not regain harmful visceral fat. The study concluded that this type of exercise was effective in reducing visceral in both the European-American respondents and African-American respondents.

Vinegar vs. fat

Vinegar, a natural byproduct of bacterial action, fruit/vegetable and water, is now being studied for its potential benefit as a fat fighter.  According to Japanese researcher Tomoo Kondo, vinegar showed great promise as a fat fighter when an animal test showed that acetic acid can reduce up to ten percent body fat in test animals.

How does it work?  Well, the established belief was that acetic acid activates a particular gene in the body responsible for breaking down fat.  When the gene is activated, the body starts producing proteins that help break down the stubborn stores of fat.  When this happens, accumulation of fat is greatly reduced.

Low carbs diet for lower blood pressure

For many years now, proponents of weight loss diets and regular practitioners of medicine have associated too much carbohydrates in one’s diet with higher risk of developing high blood pressure and uncontrollable weight gain.  According to Dr. William Yancy, the lead author of the study, a low-carbohydrate diet might be a better choice than investing in weight loss medication like orlistat.

The study indicated that while weight loss medication like orlistat can reduce weight, it did not produce identical beneficial effects on the respondents’ blood pressure.  This was not the same for the low-carbohydrate group.  Nearly fifty percent of the respondents in the low carbohydrate group were able to reduce their blood pressure.  Some of them had such an improvement that they were able to discontinue medication.  Only twenty-one percent in the weight loss medication group experienced a reduction of their blood pressure.

Sources:
aolhealth.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

Temple’s Center for Obesity Research is studying the link between emotional eating and the ability for people to keep weight off long-term.

It is no secret that people trying to lose weight seek to control their eating habits.  However, many people don’t realize that their emotions play into their ability to control their food choices.  Unfortunately, many weight loss programs neglect to address this issue.

While dieters may try to choose better foods and exercise, often they are unable to do so effectively.  If people can’t cope with their emotions, how can they really change their eating habits?  Emotions can make people give up on their diets and turn to things like junk food.

A recent study at Temple’s Center for Obesity Research seeks to answer this question by putting together a treatment that teaches people skills to address emotional eating.  This study is funded by the National Institute of Health.

The idea behind this new treatment program is that emotional skills will be taught to people who are chronic overeaters.  This education will be added to this weight loss treatment program that focuses on behavior.  The program teaches different techniques that seek to break the cycle of emotional eating. Researchers are interested in creating a program that addresses emotions and helps participants to achieve long-term weight loss success.

Janet Williams is part of one of the first groups to go through this treatment. She stated, “The program doesn’t just help you identify when you eat,” said Williams. “It helps you recognize triggers that make you eat, to help you break that cycle of reaching for food every time you feel bored, or frustrated, or sad.”

Sources:
medicalnewstoday.com

A new European study releases their findings that teens can override the effect of the “fatso gene” through at least one hour per day of exercise.

A new European study whose results are published in the April edition of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine states that exercising just one hour per day can help teenagers to override the effects of the “fatso” gene.

There is no doubt that the obesity gene can make people gain weight.  One gene called the “FTO gene” has a particularly strong impact.  People with 2 copies of this gene weigh about 7 more pounds on average.

The EU and Spanish and Swedish governments funded this study which sought to find out if recommending one hour of exercise to teens was beneficial in fighting the effects of the fat gene.  Researchers had 752 teenagers wear a device, which monitored their physical activity.

As it turned out, those who had the obesity gene weighed the same as those without it… as long as they exercised.  However, if the teens had the gene and exercised less than one hour per day, they always had more fat and larger waistlines.

This new study supports the current advice given to children and teens in the U.S., which is to get one hour of physical exercise, preferably aerobic exercise, per day.

Dr. Alan Shuldiner of the University of Maryland, stated “The message is clear: genes are not destiny. Those with obesity susceptibility genes should be especially motivated to engage in a physically active lifestyle.”

This study is very good news.  As it turns out, even teens with the fat gene, are not destined to a life of obesity.  They can control their fate to some extent.

Of course, the fact of the matter is that everyone, not just teens, should be exercising every day.  The reasons are quite vast.  Exercise improves your mood and quality of life.  It can improve your sleep and boost your energy level.

Exercise has also been shown to prevent a variety of diseases, everything from certain types of cancer to heart disease to osteoporosis.

Sources:
news.yahoo.come
mayoclinic.com

Obese women that supplemented with a multivitamin lost an average of seven pounds more than women using a placebo.

I’m a firm believer that there’s no such thing as a diet drink or diet pill that will help you lose weight.  There are only two things that will help you lose weight and that’s moving more and eating less.

Yet as much as I believe diet and exercise to be the most important elements to any weight loss program, a new study finds that women—obese women, to be specific—are able to lose more weight if they supplement with a multivitamin as well.

Researchers found this to be the case after a conducting a six-month study that involved 87 Chinese women.  All of the women were obese and were randomly assigned to one of three groups:  a placebo group, a multivitamin group, or a calcium group, where they supplemented with 162 milligrams of calcium every day.

After 26 weeks of observation, the researchers found distinct differences among the women.  For starters, the women taking the multivitamin lost an average of seven pounds more than women taking a calcium supplement and about 7.5 pounds more than women taking the placebo.  What’s more, there were distinct differences in the women’s measurements, as the multivitamin supplementing women had more significant reductions in waist circumference.

Commenting on their study, the Harbin Medical University researchers said, “The results suggest that, in obese individuals, multivitamin and mineral supplementation could reduce body weight and fatness and improve serum lipid profiles, possibly through increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation.”

Their study will be published in the print version of the International Journal of Obesity.

Now, notice the researchers’ word choice:  They say that the results “suggest” multivitamins “could” help people lose weight and that the weight loss was observed among “obese individuals.”  That wasn’t by mistake.  Because if they were to say definitively that multivitamins help all people lose weight, that would be a huge story and would be the top story of evening news broadcasts and news disseminating websites everywhere.

They’re merely stating that a multivitamin “may” help certain people lose weight by initiating greater energy expenditure.  This may be because the cells have the nutrients they need to stoke the body’s metabolism that they didn’t have before.

But the importance of taking a multivitamin daily is important for other things as well.  On the go lifestyles tend to adversely affect our nutrition, so multivitamins give our bodies the vitamins and nutrients they need that we’re not getting from high quality food (sadly, only one in five people get at least five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day).  Even people who are extremely conscientious about what they’re feeding they’re body every day fall short here and there.  Multivitamins pick up the slack.

There are many great multivitamins out there, but the one I’m taking currently is Ola Loa (It’s a good idea to switch up your multivitamins now and again).  Unlike most multivitamins, which are pill-form, Ola Loa is a drink mix.  I prefer drinking my multivitamins because 1) it tastes good and 2) the vitamins and nutrients are better absorbed by the body’s cells when in liquid form as opposed to tablet form.

But as LeVar Burton of “Reading Rainbow” likes to say, you don’t have to take my word for it.  Go to Ola Loa’s web site and send away for a free sample.  I know you’ll go back to them again and again for all your multivitamin needs.

I’m in no way affiliated with Ola Loa and I don’t earn any commissions from my recommendation.

Sources:
swansonvitamins.com
energeticnutrition.com

If you're obese, even a little weight loss pays big heart health dividends.

It’s one thing to hear about something, but it’s quite another to know it.

For instance, I’m sure all of you have heard that obesity is a significant risk factor for developing heart disease – the world’s leading killer.  But how many of you have actually seen this on display?  Where someone who had all the symptoms of heart disease freed themselves of those symptoms after losing just a moderate amount of weight?

Well, a study out of the Washington University School of Medicine demonstrates that very thing.

The researchers recruited approximately 60 individuals to participate in a weight loss experiment.  The program would take two years to complete, and they could choose from one of two diets to follow over that two-year period.  Their weapons of choice?  Either a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet.  Impressively, 78 percent of the participants stuck with their pre-selected diet throughout the two-year trial.

The researchers from St. Louis, MO instructed each participant to consume a low-calorie diet (between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day, depending upon how obese they were) and to get at least three and a half hours per week of aerobic activity.  Their oldest participant was 64, youngest 22, and the participants’ BMI Index ranged between 30 and 44.  Anything over 30 is considered obese.

Fast-forward two years and both groups lost an average of 22 pounds.  Now, for people moderately overweight, this is a significant drop.  But for the obese and morbidly obese—which adequately describes most of the participants in the study—22 pounds is like scooping a bucket of water out of the ocean.

Nevertheless, researchers found significant improvements to their heart health. For instance, the physical structure of the heart takes on a different form in obese people.  The heart hardens and the arteries thicken because it has to work so much harder.  But according to the study’s lead researcher, Lisa de las Fuentes, this 22 pound weight drop “turned back the clock,” allowing them to “regain more youthful heart function” as the heart smoothened, and the arteries became more elastic.

The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Granted, this isn’t exactly an earth shattering discovery, but sometimes we need to be reminded of things to re-commit ourselves to why we do the things we do.  After all, as a wise man likes to say, “Repetition is the mother of learning.”

And with the rate of childhood obesity three times higher today than what it was 20 years ago, this is a lesson that we need to have down-cold if we want to be examples to our children on how to live healthfully.  If we don’t, then they’re certain to have a similar fate.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
americansportsdata.com

Researchers say more than 100,000 cancer diagnoses every year are directly attributable to obesity.

It’s one thing to be told obesity leads to cancer; it’s quite another to put numbers to that notion, because as the old saying goes, the numbers don’t lie.

According to a new report on the link between cancer and obesity, being grossly overweight is responsible for more than 100,000 newly diagnosed cancers per year.  That’s right – obesity causes 100,500 cancer diagnoses every year.  In the U.S. alone!

These findings aren’t from a university study, either – they’re directly from the world’s foremost authority on cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research.

The researchers discovered this link by combing through past national surveys that found a wealth of linkages between cancer incidence and obesity.  They then combined those with their own research, and came away with some truly eye-popping findings on just how much of an increased risk for cancer obesity creates.

Consider the following “by the numbers” estimates:

49:  Percentage of endometrial cancer diagnoses related to obesity per year
35:  Percentage of esophageal cancer diagnoses related to obesity per year
13,900:  The estimated drop in the number of annual kidney cancer diagnoses if more people were thin

And that’s just the beginning.  While further research is likely to show that obesity causes even more cancers, the AICR believes the number of breast, colon, gallbladder and pancreatic cancers would also drop if more people were thin.

As shocking as these numbers are, perhaps more shocking is the fact that many people aren’t aware this link even exists.  And “shocking” is the operative word, because the survey’s publisher, Terry Slavin, told CNN in February that he was “shocked to discover the number of people that don’t know about the [obesity/cancer] link.”

Slavin surveyed a total of 40,000 people spanning over 39 countries and found that respondents most oblivious to this fact were those living in African countries and East Asian countries (49 percent and 41 percent, respectively).

Unfortunately, Americans didn’t fare much better.  According to Slavin’s findings, 40 percent of Americans were clueless about this link.  Way too high (then again, 25 percent of respondents didn’t think smoking led to cancer, so maybe the survey respondents were all just a bunch of dunderheads)!

We all know what it takes to stay healthy and lean, but we can sometimes lose sight of the fact that our efforts to remain lean should be for reasons other than trying to impress the opposite sex.  Because when it comes right down to it, all we do to live a healthy life through quality nutrition and regular exercise goes back to our wanting to live a long, disease-free life.  And by staying thin throughout your life, you’re much more likely to achieve that end.

Sources:
cbsnews.com
cnn.com
abcnews.go.com

Weigh-ins have little to no effectiveness in weight loss promotion among children.

When the average American teen eats fast food fare twice a week, when 92 percent of children don’t have recess year ‘round, and when only 30 percent of kids eat a fruit or vegetable every day, it’s no wonder why 25 million kids are obese.  Obesity has never not been an issue among kids, but today, it far surpasses anything we’ve seen in recent memory, and it requires urgent action (the obesity rate among 6 to 11-year-old kids is five times higher today than what it was 40 years ago).

If you have a child with weight problems, then you’re probably familiar with what your pediatrician considers a useful solution:  Your son or daughter walks in, gets weighed, then receives a mini-lecture on the dangers of child obesity and what he or she needs to do to combat it…in a kid-friendly way of course.  The good doctor then suggests to you, the parent, that weight levels need to be monitored by the school nurse for as long as it takes until the weight comes off.

Constant weigh-ins surely sounds inconvenient, but why fool with what works, right?

That’s just it, though:  Turns out they doesn’t work.

According to a study out of Melbourne, Australia and recently published in the British Medical Journal, doctor’s office weigh-ins has little to no effectiveness in weight loss promotion among children.

Researchers discovered this after following approximately 260 kids who were overweight or obese at the time of their weigh-in.  Each of them was randomly assigned to one of two groups:  One group with frequent weigh-ins and suggestions from their pediatrician (suggestions to their parents as well) and one group where the pediatrician was not involved at all.

After one year, the only difference found was that the counseled crew drank less soda (so not a total loss), but other than that, no statistically significant difference in weight loss.

Hard to believe, but this is the first time a study has been done to see if the doctor’s office weigh-in even works!

Every child is different, and there have no doubt been occasions in which doctor’s office weigh-ins have worked.  But what works far more often is a more active role among parents.  Parents have a much stronger influence on their kids and their actions.  And rightfully so.  After all, parents are the ones with their child the majority of the time, and parents are the ones that provide them with their food choices.

As such, it’s important to not buy foods that will make it easy for them to cheat.  “Clean house” of all tempting treats, as moments of weakness come regularly at that age (any age, really, but especially when young).

Exercise is the other important quotient in the weight loss formula.  But it shouldn’t be demanded.  None of this “Go exercise!” or “Go play!” stuff.  Far better to exercise with Jack or Sue.  Far better to play with Bobby or Jill.  Not only does this form a greater parent-to-child bond, but it’s something that the young son or daughter will look forward to doing.  And I can guarantee it will be something the son or daughter will look back on fondly as the years go by.

Sources:
msnbc.msn.com
clintonfoundation.org