An Oprah threat to your health and the health of your children? Have you been misled?

Find out at www.Oprahcide.com or www.DeathByOprah.com

See FTC complaints about Oprah and her diet experts at www.JailForOprah.com

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Spanish Scientists Confirm Extra Virgin Olive Oil Helps To Combat Breast Cancer

More crooked Spaniard-crap.

Note the title of the article. Note "confirm." Note the article.
"Researchers of the Catalonian Institute of Oncology (Spain) and the University of Granada (Spain) have discovered that extra virgin olive oil may help to combat breast cancer, according to a paper published in the last issue of the renowned scientific journal 'BMC Cancer'."
Note "may help," not "confirm...helps."

Note who wrote the article.

Note they are from the research institution.

Note they are liars.

Note that this is par for the diet/weight loss course.

Note that the Spaniards are the nuts who want to have the United Nations place the Mediterranean Diet on the UN treasure list.

Fresh Vegetables, Fruits Reduce Diabetes Risk

Clarity of thought.
"Eating just one serving of green leafy vegetables or three servings of fruit a day reduces the risk of developing Type II diabetes, say researchers at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health. The research team also found that one serving of fruit juice a day increased the risk of Type II diabetes in women."
Just so you have it straight...

If you eat 3 servings of fruit, you are okay.

If you squeeze 3 servings of fruit, drink it and are a woman, you are not okay.

Got it?

Okay.

If you believe this research, you are not okay.

Evolutionary Link To Modern-Day Obesity, Other Problems

Not.
"That irresistible craving for a cheeseburger has its roots in the dramatic growth of the human brain and body that resulted from environmental changes some 2 million years ago.

Higher quality, nutritionally dense diets became necessary to fuel the high-energy demands of humans' exceptionally large brains and for developing the first rudimentary hunting and gathering economy."
Please.

Organisms with "exceptionally large brains" do not develop exceptionally large bellies to give themselves exceptionally large likelihoods of developing exceptionally bad diseases of choice.

Organisms with "exceptionally large brains" would be smart enough to lose the weight instead.

Organisms with "exceptionally large brains" would not fall for this s**t.

And after spouting all this crap, what is the best that this researcher can conclude?
"The imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure today, Leonard concludes, is the root cause of obesity in the industrialized world."
Calories in, Calories out.

Friday, February 27, 2009

New Obesity Staging System May Help Doctors Measure Up

Another IMHO con by Big Sick Care.
"A new system proposed by Canadian and US obesity researchers may provide another weapon in the battle against obesity. University of Alberta obesity expert Dr. Arya Sharma, along with a researcher from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, has proposed a classification system to help doctors assess and treat overweight patients...

The Edmonton Obesity Staging System, outlined in the current online issue of the International Journal of Obesity, has five stages of obesity, from stages 0-4. The first stage, stage 0, would fit patients with no symptoms of obesity-related health problems. The last stage, stage 4, would fit patients that have the most severe obesity-related health problems. The system is simple for doctors to use - they can easily classify their patients by doing simple tasks like taking their patients' medical history, doing a physical exam and taking routine tests like blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The system will also provide doctors with specific treatment approaches for each stage."
Note that you have to see a doc for this new scheme.

As with the other stupid attempts to medicalize the non-medical problem of overweight/obesity, all control/responsibility is removed from the fat person and into the money-grubbing hands of Big Sick Care.

No matter what silly approach sick care promotes, nothing, repeat nothing, will ever succeed except for fewer Calories in than out.

Despite all the machinations of the lying weight loss industry in its various manifestations.

14th World Congress Of The International Federation For The Surgery Of Obesity

Save the date.
"August 26-29, 2009, Palais des Congrès de Paris, 2 place de la Porte Maillot, Paris 17e, France."
Protest this world gathering of IMHO medical malpractitioners.

Vigorous Exercise May Help Prevent Vision Loss

Too late.
"There's another reason to dust off those running shoes. Vigorous exercise may help prevent vision loss, according to a pair of studies from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The studies tracked approximately 41,000 runners for more than seven years, and found that running reduced the risk of both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration."
Fat people already are blind to the fact that they and their kids are fat.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Healthcare stressed at Obama's 'fiscal responsibility summit'

Kudos, fatsos.
"One top budget analyst told the group that health-care spending is the number one culprit.

'The single biggest factor is rising health-care costs, not just in Medicare and Medicaid, but throughout our health-care system,' said Robert Greenstein, the executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research center."
Paying to rescue you from your diseases of choice is "the number one culprit's" number one culprit.

It is up to us, the public, to solve this matter as we caused it with the encouragement and acquiescence of the politicians and clearly flawed sick care, nutrition and fitness professionals.

They will not solve the problem, IMHO. They will just worsen it.

As they have done heretofore.

Take charge and hold the perpetrators accountable.

With A National Health Care Shortage And Increased Need For Patient Care, Athletic Trainers Fill A Necessary Niche As "Physician Extenders"

Bulls**t.
"In these challenging economic times, even the most efficient medical offices, hospitals and clinics are looking for ways to increase productivity. In light of the national shortage of health care workers today, one profession that has proven effective in achieving productivity is athletic training, particularly when members work as "physician extenders" in clinical environments. According to the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), using physician extenders in medical and hospital practices can result in time savings, patient satisfaction, increased revenue, increased physician productivity and efficiency, and more effective patient education."
IMHO, clear parasites who are part of an unregulated industry trying to save their largely useless jobs by conning the public into believing they have value to them and adding confusion to the personal trainer/athletic trainer distinction (if there is one, really).

But one look at their selling points reveals that they are selling services to make docs, and themselves, richer.
"According to NATA, a time-to-task study showed that athletic trainers working as physician extenders increased the efficacy of the physician offices by 12 patients per day. In their growing role as physician extenders, athletic trainers help not only hospitals, but also clinics and physician offices, achieve the following:

- Time savings - Athletic trainers help move patients faster through the appointment and treatment process.

- Patient satisfaction - Patients like the personal care and attention that athletic trainers provide.

- Hitting revenue goals - Athletic training services are reimbursable by many insurance companies, and services are either directly billed or billed incident-to physician services; and with an average salary of $48,179, they are competitive with other health care professionals.

- Increase physician productivity and efficiency - allowing the office to treat more patients in the same amount of time.

- Bolster patient education - Understanding their path to recovery helps put patients' minds at ease."
BTW,they are not "health care professionals."
"National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) - Health Care for Life & Sport: Athletic trainers are unique health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses."
They are persons apparently practicing medicine without a license.

Not dissimilar to Oprah, Bob Greene and Jorge Cruise, more IMHO crooks.

Cured meats tied to childhood leukemia risk

More they have no idea what a "healthy" food is.
"Children who regularly eat cured meats like bacon and hot dogs may have a heightened risk of leukemia, while vegetables and soy products may help protect against cancer, a new study suggests...

During the curing process, foods are preserved and flavored by the addition of salt, sugar and chemicals called nitrites; the foods are often smoked as well. Nitrites are precursors to compounds known as nitrosamines, which are potentially cancer-promoting.

In contrast, vegetables and soy contain antioxidants that may help neutralize those same compounds."
Not so fast.

Here are some of the data touting the health effects of nitrites and the harmful effects of antioxidants.

Still think they have any idea what a "healthy" food is?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Obese mothers 'risk spina bifida'

Untrue. It is their fetuses and newborns that are at risk.
"Mothers-to-be who are obese increase their odds of having a baby with abnormalities including spina bifida, researchers say.

Their analysis of data from 39 studies found obese women were more than twice as likely to have a baby with spina bifida or another neural tube defect.

The risk of heart defects and cleft lip was also raised, the Journal of the American Medical Association says."
Kudos, fatsos.

More ways you abuse your children.

And more reasons to discourage fat people from having children.

Teenagers' TV time may affect diet later

For this they needed a study?
"Teenagers who spend hours in front of the television may have a poorer diet as young adults, a new study suggests."
So what is there to do?
"'Parents should limit and monitor TV viewing,' Barr-Anderson said."
It is not the TV.

TV has no Calories.

What people eat does.

It is more important to watch those.
"She added, though, that parents' own habits matter, too. She recommended that parents set a good example by eating right, being physically active and curbing their own TV time."
Good luck with that.

Exercise 'cuts colon cancer risk'

Kudos, fatsos.
"Taking exercise can cut the risk of the most common kind of bowel cancer by a quarter, research suggests.

US scientists, who reviewed 52 previous studies, calculated the most active people are 24% less likely to develop colon cancer than the least active."
So get off your fat asses so you are not pains in the ass to yourselves and the rest of us.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A Tale of Two Cities: Fattest and Fittest Towns in America

The article is filled with crap, the main ingredient of ABCNews "reporting."

Here is one canard that is devastatingly wrong, stupid and harmful:
"'It's cheap to be fat," she added. "It's expensive to be healthy.'"
Bulls**t.

Bulls**t.

Bulls**t.

No stomach for market turmoil? Thank your genes

Hey, it's not just for fat people anymore. The virtually impossible dream of genetic social engineering continues.
"No stomach for the ups and downs of the financial market? Or maybe you lost everything in the global economic downturn? Genes important for mood and risk-taking likely played a clear role, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

They found surprisingly clear-cut links between two genes and the willingness of people to gamble with money."
If there was ever a genetics-related story that should put an end to the hopes of fatsos waiting for a genetic "cure" to their overweight/obesity, it is this one.

Once researchers get to the point that they are blaming the state of the economy on genetics (excepting the genes that control for stupid), you should conclude the whole endeavor is a pile of s**t.

F.D.A. Finds ‘Natural’ Diet Pills Laced With Drugs

More Traditional Chinese Medicine and complementary/alternative mortification.
"Grady Jackson, a defensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons, said he used the weight-loss capsules. Kathie Lee Gifford was enthusiastic about them on the “Today” show. Retailers like GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe sold them, no prescription required.

But the Food and Drug Administration now says those weight-loss capsules, called StarCaps and promoted as natural dietary supplements using papaya, could be hazardous to your health. In violation of the law, the agency has found, the capsules also contained a potent pharmaceutical drug called bumetanide which can have serious side effects.

And StarCaps are not the only culprits. In a continuing investigation that has prompted consumer warnings and recalls by some distributors, the F.D.A. has determined that dozens of weight-loss supplements, most of them imported from China, contain hidden and potentially harmful drugs. In the coming weeks, the agency plans to issue a longer list of brands to avoid that are spiked with drugs, an F.D.A. spokeswoman said.

Besides StarCaps, which were made in Peru and which Balanced Health Products, the American distributor, has voluntarily withdrawn, the agency’s warning list includes more obscure pills sold under the names Sliminate, Superslim and Slim Up, among many others. So far, the F.D.A. has cited 69 tainted weight-loss supplements."
You know, fatsos, if you want to lose the weight, why not try fewer Calories in than out?

See how that works.

Morons.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Mouse study sheds light on obesity gene

And finally a truthful admission from the experts...
"German scientists said on Sunday they had shown how a gene long associated with obesity might make people fat, a finding that could lead to new drugs to help control weight...

'A cure, genetic or pharmaceutical, for human obesity is many years away...'"
Yes.

As in never, for all practical purposes.

So since it ain't gonna happen, why not lose the weight the only way that will ever work - fewer Calories in than out?

Want to do it properly?

Go here.

Pregnancy risks for obese women

More reasons to discourage the fat from reproducing.
"A new study has underlined the high risks faced by obese women in their first pregnancy.

Scientists at Kings College in London analysed data from the pregnancies of 385 first-time obese mothers.

They found that obese women had higher rates of eclampsia and premature births compared to women inside recommended weight guidelines.

Obese women were nearly twice as likely to give birth to a low-weight baby, weighing less than 5lbs 8oz (2.5kg)...

The risks associated with prematurity and low birth weight include brain damage, difficulty with breathing, learning problems and greater susceptibility to infection."
They are child, fetus and embryo killers.
"Professor Norman said the extra costs of treating them were not just down to a longer stay in hospital: 'We've had to buy in lots of new equipment in order to treat obese people properly.

'New operating tables and even new blood pressure cuffs because the ordinary ones give wrong readings on an obese person.'"
And they cost the rest of us way too much for the privilege of giving birth to abused children.

Arthritis therapies 'ineffective'

Shock!
"Most complementary therapies used by people with rheumatoid arthritis are not effective, a study has suggested.

The Arthritis Research Campaign looked at the scientific evidence available for 40 treatments.

Two thirds of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and a fifth of treatments for osteoarthritis were found to be ineffective by the researchers...

The researchers looked at compounds taken by the mouth or applied to the skin.

Effectiveness is measured by improvements in pain, movement or general well-being.

When the researchers examined treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, they found 13 out of 21 complementary medicines were shown to have no or little effect based on the available evidence.

The 13 were: antler velvet powder, blackcurrant seed oil, collagen, eazmov (a herbal mixture), feverfew (herb), flaxseed oil, green-lipped mussels, homeopathy, reumalex herbal mixture, selenium, the Chinese herb tong luo kai bi, vitamins A, C and E, and willow bark."
Now what can it be about deer antler that does not work?
"In addition, six out of 27 treatments for osteoarthritis were shown to have little or no effect based on the available evidence

Capsaicin gel, made from chilli peppers, proved most effective in relieving pain and joint tenderness.

But the effectiveness of glucosamine, a popular supplement used by people with OA which costs around £10 a month, which researchers have previously said was ineffective, again called into question."
Oh, no. Not glucosamine.

Oops.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

CMS Will Cover Bariatric Surgery For Morbidly Obese Medicare Beneficiaries Who Have Type 2 Diabetes

More re: the fatso bailout for which we are all paying.
"CMS on Thursday announced that it will cover bariatric surgery for Medicare beneficiaries who are morbidly obese and have type 2 diabetes, CQ HealthBeat reports. Individuals with a body mass index of at least 35 are considered morbidly obese. A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is considered normal. The agency in 2006 expanded coverage of four types of bariatric surgery to Medicare beneficiaries with a BMI of 35 or higher and at least one co-morbidity related to obesity. Thursday's announcement specified type 2 diabetes as a co-morbidity.

In a statement, CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera said, 'Medicare beneficiaries who are morbidly obese may face tremendous health complications,' adding, 'Today's coverage decision assures that beneficiaries who are morbidly obese can access safe, effective weight loss options to help prevent these complications.'"
Hogwash.

Clearly, this procedure is IMHO malpractice.

As to the the "tremendous health complications"?

These are diseases of choice and if the brontosapiens want to avoid them, they should lose the weight.

(Hey, fatsos! Yes, you can!)

Or pay for their self-induced "need" for surgical and medical rescues with their own dime.

This policy of CMS and the clueless morons in DC will not only fail to resolve the matter, but will certainly lead to bankrupting the system.

Fight back.

Losing Weight Can Cure Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Overweight Patients

Amazing.
"For sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a new study shows that losing weight is perhaps the single most effective way to reduce OSA symptoms and associated disorders, according to a new study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, one of the American Thoracic Society's three peer-reviewed journals."
How can it be that a disease that fat people get from being fat can be treated with weight loss?
"Weight loss may not be a new miracle pill or a fancy high-tech treatment, but it is an exciting therapy for sufferers of OSA both because of its short- and long-term effectiveness and for its relatively modest price tag. Surgery doesn't last, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are only as effective as the patient's adherence, and most other devices have had disappointing outcomes, in addition to being expensive, unwieldy and having poor patient compliance."
And how is it that other treatments cannot work as well as removal of the root cause does?

Clearly, more research is needed.

Until then, lose the weight.

FACTBOX: Obesity is top health concern in U.S.

Except, of course, no one is concerned enough to really do something about it.
"The following are facts about obesity in the United States.

* About two-thirds of adults in the United States are considered overweight or obese.

* Obesity has increased dramatically over the past two decades.

* In 2007, only one state, Colorado, had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent. Thirty states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25 percent; three of these states -- Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee -- had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30 percent.

* An adult who has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult with a BMI of 30 or above is considered obese. A BMI over 40 is defined as morbidly obese.

* About 9 million adult Americans are defined as morbidly obese, according to the American Obesity Association. The morbidly obese population is growing at the fastest rate.

* Obesity-related diseases include coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon), hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, liver disease, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis, and gynecological problems, including infertility..."

Some concern.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Schools Do Help In War On Childhood Obesity, Yale Study Finds

More drivel from the folks who brought you David Katz, Jorge Cruise (here and here) and Kelly Brownell.
"A team of Yale University researchers has found that school-based programs for obesity prevention and reversal are generally effective and are an important component in battling what many regard as a national obesity epidemic among young people."
In fact, this drivel is from Katz!

Go figger.

Here is another take on the value of school-based "interventions."

You decide who is more likely to be right.

Possible Drug Target For Obesity Treatment A No Brainer

"No brainer." Perfect for researches with no brains.
"Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have discovered a gene that when mutated causes obesity by dampening the body's ability to burn energy while leaving appetite unaffected."
Here is more bad news for the morons hoping for a genetic "cure" for their overfatness.
"The findings also add new knowledge to the burgeoning field of epigenetics, in which heritable changes in gene expression or physical appearance are caused by mechanisms besides changes in the underlying DNA."
Basically, epigenetics, if you believe in it, is a way for the same gene to express itself differently from person to person.

Bottom line, with 6 billion people on the planet, they ain't never gonna figure this one out during any of our lifetimes.

Bummer, eh, fatso?
"'So this gene has at least two biological functions,' Zhang said. 'One is control of spermiogenesis; the other is control of metabolism.'"
Spermiogenesis, as the name implies, has to do with your ability to reproduce.

Well, fatsos, good luck with this one and hold on to your nuts.

It is going to be a bumpy ride.

Grape Seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells, Proving Value Of Natural Compounds

"MSM Reporting Doesn't Prove Squat."
"An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract."
This press release is from an organization with an impressive sounding name, the American Association for Cancer Research.

What they do not tell you is that lab results can be way different from real-life results.

This trash is a vehicle for promoting their IMHO irresponsible organization by doing the yellow journalism thing.

Caveat emptor.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Statement By The Egg Nutrition Center And American Egg Board On Diabetes Care Study On Egg Consumption

Egg wars. Still think they have any idea what a "healthy" food is?
"A large body of science supports the beneficial role eggs play in a healthful diet. Eggs provide high-quality protein for growth, muscle strength and energy and promote weight management. Key nutrients found in eggs have also been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects and promote eye health. An article published in the November 2008 issue of Diabetes Care that examined data collected in the Physicians' Health Study I and the Women's Health Study found an association between egg intake and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes...

'Healthy adults can continue to enjoy eggs as part of a healthful diet,' said registered dietitian Marcia Greenblum, Director of Nutrition and Food Safety Education at the Egg Nutrition Center. 'Eggs provide many nutrients and make an important contribution to overall diet quality. This study does not offer a biological mechanism to explain the findings and fails to adequately address a number of known factors which could have influenced the results.'"
There is one thing in this egg industry release that is absolutely true:
"Statistical associations do not prove cause and effect."
And that should be one of your takeaway points.

Most associations are really weak.

If someone curses your mother, and minutes later she walks into traffic and gets hit by a car, clearly there is an association.

Now you have a choice.

You can believe there is a cause-and-effect relationship, and you had better not cross the person who cursed your mom because of the power they have over life and death, or you can say it is coincidence.

Your choice. I vote for the latter.

Problem is, we are propagandized into believing that if it sounds true, it must be true.

This gullibility is not only killing us and our kids, it also leads to wasteful, doomed-to-fail policies that affect all of us negatively.

There remains a bottom line.

If you want to be "healthy" from the perspective of the weight debate, achieve and maintain a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.

The statistical associations between BMIs out of this range and the development of certain really bad illnesses is very strong.

It is not at all like the car analogy.

It is unlike the other crap that is out there.

Wise up.

Hang your hat on what works, not what you are dishonestly led to believe.

The Truth About Wii Fit And Weight Loss

More like "The Truth About Wii S**t And Weight Loss."
"Nintendo's exercise game Wii Fit is still flying off retail shelves eight months after its U.S. release last May. The all-in-one instructional tool, weight tracker and fitness coach advertises itself as a painless way for the whole family to get healthy thanks to the game's 'balance board,' which measures players' movement. Offering a selection of activities--from running to push-ups to yoga--Wii Fit is now in almost 1.5 million homes across the country. But is anyone actually using it?

Not really, says Brian Crecente, managing editor of the popular gaming blog Kotaku. Despite optimistic predictions that Nintendo had unleashed a new era of videogames, Crecente calls Wii Fit little more than an exercise fad that's bound to come and go like any other. 'I don't know a single person who has bought the game who uses it routinely after a month,' he claims, stressing that getting results from the game requires dedication and real physical exertion. 'What Nintendo did is they tapped into that desire people have to be healthier... Everyone wants to work out, but nobody really wants to put the effort into it.'"
Yup.

Hey, morons!

You get NO aerobic points for purchasing this crap.

So who benefits?

Who do you think, fools?
"...Wii Fit creator Shigeru Miyamoto has previously gone on record and said that the game is less about people losing weight and more about broadening the videogame market."
And even if you used this trash, face it, "exercise" is a terribly inefficient way to lose weight.

Shed the pounds properly and effectively and lastingly by doing it right.

Updated Position Statement On Weight Management Released By The American Dietetic Association

More bad advice from the same people who are causing you to fail at weight loss.
"The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position statement on weight management calling for people to make a "lifelong commitment to healthful lifestyle behaviors" that includes the prevention of weight gain...

While the wording of this statement is identical to ADA's last weight management position issued in 2002, it is accompanied by a new 17-page evidence-based review of the latest research and interventions."
Well, at least they have not created new ways to harm you.

They are only recycling the old, proven ways that have worked so poorly in the past.
"The value of the unique contribution ADA members can make through collaborations with other health-care providers, government agencies, scientific organizations, schools, and community organizations to create social and environmental solutions to the epidemic of overweight and obesity."
And trying to get you to pay for their miserable advice, BTW.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Obese cancer 'explosion' warning

Kudos, fatsos. More child abuse.
"The current generation of children faces a far higher risk of cancer later in life due to their unhealthy habits, a specialist has warned.

Professor Kathy Pritchard-Jones said western countries should prepare for an "explosion" of weight-related cancers."
The real malignancies here are the parents who let their kids get so big and fat.

HRT cancer connection 'confirmed'

Think about this the next time the thought of taking the malpractice known as diet drugs crosses your fat mind.
"New evidence of a link between hormone replacement therapy and a raised risk of breast cancer has been put forward by US researchers.

The New England Journal of Medicine research found breast cancer risk fell sharply when women stopped taking HRT.

A UK expert said a 50% drop in HRT use in recent years had probably stopped up to 1,000 breast cancer cases a year...

Dr Marcia Stefanik, from Stanford University, said: 'This is very strong evidence that oestrogen plus progestin causes breast cancer.

'You start women on hormones and within five years their risk of breast cancer is clearly elevated. You stop the hormones and within one year their risk is essentially back to normal.

"It's reasonably convincing cause-and-effect data.'"
Oh, yeah?
"But another group of experts said the fall in breast cancer rates may be due to other factors...

Dr David Sturdee, president of the International Menopause Society, which represents HRT specialists, said that women should speak to their doctors to see if HRT would be appropriate.

He said: 'There's no doubt there has been a drop in breast cancer rates, which is very good news, but this started before the reduction in HRT use.

'Breast cancer takes years to develop, so if this drop was due to stopping HRT, we wouldn't be seeing it just yet.

'There's something happening, which is worth investigating, but it's unlikely to be HRT.'"
Still think they have any idea of what a "safe" drug is?

New Study Reveals Teen Girls With Higher Vitamin D Levels May Have Improved Muscle Performance

More from Big White, the IMHO liars who brought you this.
"Young female athletes could have yet another reason to grab a glass of vitamin D-rich milk. Not only does vitamin D work with calcium to keep bones strong, but researchers now found that teenage girls with higher vitamin D levels may be able to jump higher and faster than their peers with lower levels, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism...

The recommended three glasses of lowfat or fat free milk a day delivers 75 percent of the vitamin D that's needed each day. Milk remains the leading source of vitamin D in the American diet - it's one of the few food sources of the super nutrient. Plus, along with vitamin D, milk is a good source of calcium and high-quality protein - two nutrients vital to help teens maintain bone density and lean muscle."
Now who do you think recommends "three glasses of lowfat or fat free milk a day"?

And who put out this stuff?

A PR firm for the milk industry.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Doctors: Under the drug industry's influence?

Think about this the next time a doc prescribes the IMHO malpractice known as diet drugs.
"But Krumholz agreed that pens, lunches and even drug samples can have a subtle influence on a doctor."
Trinkets for malpractice.

You lose.

They win.

Free Exercise And Nutrition Program In Brazil Could Serve As Model In United States

Bulls**t.
"What if free exercise classes were offered in public spaces such as parks, beaches and recreation centers? When a city government in Brazil tried such a program, it greatly increased physical activity among community members. A group of health researchers who studied the program believes it could also work in U.S. cities with warm climates."
First, you can bet that in major metropolitan areas there are already free exercise classes.

But what is misleading about this research is that there are no data to support that it makes any difference whatsoever.
"Since 2002, the program, called the Academia de Cidade program (ACP), has enrolled more than 10,000 residents per year and taught 888,000 exercise classes. In the study of the program, researchers found that current and past participants were three times as likely to exercise than residents who had never participated."
So?
"'We think this project is an effective strategy to stimulate life-long exercise,' says Eduardo J. Simoes, M.D., first author of the paper and director of the CDC's Prevention Research Centers Program. 'Coupled with healthy eating, physical activity can help prevent and control diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, resulting in improved quality of life and health.'"
But did this project?

Apparently not, or the researchers would have come right out and said it.

Face it, "exercise" is a terribly inefficient way to lose weight and simply exercising will almost never lead to improved fitness.

This is more of the party line smoke screen proffered by experts who are, in a word, nuts.

If you want a real shot at losing weight and improving some of the biomarkers associated with "bad health," do it nutritionally, first.

When you have a handle on that, consider training, not exercise.

The difference is the difference between success and failure.

Obesity can complicate teen pregnancy

Kudos, fatsos.
"Obesity has been linked to higher odds of several pregnancy complications, and a new study shows that the risks apply to teenagers as well as adults."
Your caloric irresponsibility puts generation after generation at risk.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Egg intake linked to diabetes risk

More proof they have no idea about "healthy" foods and the killer eggs.
"People who sit down to a daily breakfast of eggs may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

In a long-term study of 57,000 U.S. adults, researchers found that those who ate an egg a day were 58 percent to 77 percent more likely than non-egg-eaters to develop type 2 diabetes."
So what does this mean?
"The findings, published in the journal Diabetes Care, do not necessarily mean that eggs themselves put people on a path to diabetes, according to the researchers. But they do suggest it is wise to limit your egg intake."
Why?
"The study does not explain exactly why eggs are linked to diabetes, but cholesterol may play a role. The study participants' daily cholesterol intake was also related to diabetes risk, and when the researchers factored this in, the relationship between egg intake and diabetes weakened...

Even more important, he noted, is a focus on overall health -- maintaining a normal weight, exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced diet -- rather than any one food or nutrient.

He pointed out that eggs also contain important nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals, and 'good' unsaturated fats."
Thanks for clearing that up.

FDA: Epilepsy drug may be risky for Asians

Another nail in the coffin of the eternally hopeful, terminally stupid who cling to the belief that there is a genetic cure to their overfatness.
"Treatment with certain epilepsy drugs may expose some Asian patients to serious skin reactions, federal health officials warned Monday...

Because of the problem with skin reactions, the FDA last year recommended genetic testing for Asian patients taking another epilepsy drug, carbamazepine, sold under several brand names including Tegretol and Carbatrol. Doctors should also avoid Dilantin and the other medications for patients who have already tested positive for the gene, the FDA said."
Remember: over 6 billion people on the planet with over 6 billion individual genomes and no way to predict what genetic "cure" will work.

Or what will kill.

Which really is no matter since NO genetic "cure" will work for fatso-ness.

Because being a fatso is not caused by genetics.

Diabetes Can Double Odds of Alzheimer's

Kudos, fatsos.
"The study, which focused on the health of 13,693 Swedish twins, found that people who are diagnosed with diabetes before age 65 have more than double the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease."
Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.
"Weili Xu, PhD of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues write that their findings offer one more reason for people 'to maintain a healthy lifestyle during adulthood in order to reduce the risk of dementia late in life.'"
Lose weight earlier in life and prove you are not demented.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Mom's obesity tied to higher infant mortality

Kudos, fatsos. More infanticide.
"Research shows that babies born to obese mothers are at increased risk for dying, particularly in the first weeks of life, compared to babies born to normal-weight mothers.

Given high infant mortality rates in the US as compared to other developed nations, the researchers say, if the results are confirmed, 'obesity prevention should be explored as a measure to reduce infant mortality.'"
As should accountability for killing the kids.

Reasonable.

If you want to help stop this form of child abuse, go here.

Healthy breakfast may mean healthier diet overall

Crap research. Crap reporting. Or both. Plus possible payola.
"Breakfast may indeed be the most important meal of the day -- as long as that meal is not a doughnut -- a study suggests.

Using data from a national health survey of U.S. adults, researchers found that people who ate lower-calorie foods for breakfast tended to have a higher-quality diet overall."
It is not breakfast.

It is caloric intake control.

What appears to matter most in this article is the possible payola.
"The current findings underscore the importance of choosing low-energy- density options for breakfast, according to Rippe, a cardiologist with the Rippe Lifestyle Institute in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

The Rippe organization manages the Breakfast Research Institute, an industry-sponsored group that funds health and nutrition research. The BRI financed the current study."
If people did not eat breakfast and consumed fewer Calories than they burned, they would lose weight.

If people ate breakfast and consumed more Calories than they burned, they would gain weight.

And it is really likely that people who eat "low" Calorie meals, by the end of the day have consumed fewer Calories than people who eat "high" Calorie meals.

What you eat and when you eat it makes little to no difference in weight unless eating breakfast keeps you from eating out of control the rest of the day.

The focus should be on Calories in vs. Calories out.

The when of eating is relatively unimportant compared to total caloric intake.

Study finds one-third of US kids take vitamins

More useless s**t alert!
"About a third of U.S. children and teens take vitamins, even though most of those taking the pills are healthy, active kids who probably don't need them, a new study suggests."
And the cost of this crap?
"She noted that vitamin and mineral supplements aren't cheap. A bottle of 100 multivitamin-mineral tablets for kids can cost around $10, depending on the brand. Almost $2 billion is spent on them annually.

Also, some parents and teens may mistakenly think taking a daily pill will make up for a lousy diet, Shaikh said. Pediatricians generally agree that the best source for vitamins and minerals is a varied diet that includes fresh fruit, vegetables and fiber — not pills."
Clearly.

Stop wasting your money.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Low vitamin D tied to higher body fat in women

Forget the Calories. Here is the clear cause of overfatness.
"Overweight? Part of the problem may be low vitamin D levels, a new study hints.

Among a group of 90 young women living in sunny southern California, those with insufficient levels of vitamin D were significantly heavier and had greater body mass than their counterparts with sufficient levels of vitamin D, Dr. Vicente Gilsanz, of Children's Hospital Los Angeles and colleagues found.

These findings suggest 'obesity is related to vitamin D insufficiency,' Gilsanz told Reuters Health."
There can be no other conclusion.

Though, these crack(pot) researchers need to do the ultimate test.

Feed alleged Vitamin D deficient women fewer Calories per day than they burn and see if they get fat.

Any bets?
"Vitamin D, which regulates bone metabolism, is mostly obtained through exposure of the skin to direct sunlight. Insufficient vitamin D is thought to impact bone health, and may play a role in obesity."
Maybe fatso women do not receive enough sunlight through their muumuus.



Whatever.

It is never the Calories in the medicalization of this non-medical problem.

Which is why the matter will never get fixed.

Wrong tool for the job.

And we are all going to continue to pay for this abject stupidity.

Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Women Reduces Urinary Incontinence

"Ooh, ooh that smell. Can't you smell that smell?"
"Reducing urinary incontinence can now be added to the extensive list of health benefits of weight loss, according to a clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...

The Program to Reduce Incontinence by Diet and Exercise (PRIDE), conducted in Birmingham, Alabama, and Providence, Rhode Island, recruited a total of 338 obese and overweight women who leaked urine at least 10 times per week...

'Clearly, weight loss can have a significant, positive impact on urinary incontinence, a finding that may help motivate weight loss, which has additional health benefits such as preventing type 2 diabetes,' said NIDDK Director Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D.

Urinary incontinence affects more than 13 million women in the United States and accounts for an estimated $20 billion in annual health care costs, according to the paper. Obesity is an established and modifiable risk factor for urinary incontinence..."
Another benefit is not having to fill-out environmental impact statements re: the air you pollute with your characteristic fragrance each time you piss yourself.

Tai Chi may not reduce fall risk in elderly

Timber!
"Traditional Chinese balance and mobility exercise training does not appear to reduce the risk of falls among home-living elderly at high risk of falling, according to a study from the Netherlands.

'It is not enough to practice Tai Chi for a short period to prevent falls in the future,' Inge H. J. Logghe, of Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, in Rotterdam, told Reuters Health...

Moreover, Logghe reported 'a trend of higher fall risk in the elderly who participated in the Tai Chi training,' when she and colleagues specifically assessed falls among the 61 percent of participants who had fallen at least once during the year prior to study enrollment."
Oops.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Lose More Than Weight With Imported Diet Pills Cautions Doctor

Good news.
"Americans who use illegal diet pills from South America are taking amphetamines without knowing it and seriously risking both their health and their jobs. Physicians need to be made aware of the range of serious side effects of these drugs to allow them to identify and treat those patients presenting with unexplained symptoms. These findings1, by Dr Pieter Cohen from the Department of Internal Medicine at the Cambridge Health Alliance in the US and Harvard Medical School, have recently been published online in Springer's Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the majority of amphetamine-based appetite suppressants, many are still prescribed in other parts of the world, including South America. The second most often prescribed amphetamine-based appetite suppressant worldwide is fenproporex. It is known to be addictive and is rapidly converted into amphetamine in the body."
Well, sorta good news.

At least, according to the headline, you lose weight.

That is better than you do on the domestic stuff.

Childbirth drink danger revealed

Alcohol? Red Bull? Nope. Water.
"Women who drink too much water during labour are at greater than normal risk of a potentially dangerous condition, say scientists.

A Swedish study, published in the journal BJOG, revealed women who drank more than 2.5 litres during labour had a 25% chance of hyponatraemia.

It can produce headaches, nausea and vomiting, or more severe problems if left unchecked."
When hydrogen and oxygen go bad.

As to the preoccupation with continually drinking water (especially the s**t known as bottled/designer water):
"Professor Philip Steer, the editor in chief of obstetrics and gynaecology journal BJOG, said: 'At one time, a myth became prevalent that drinking lots of water each day was a healthy habit.

'However, recent research shows clearly that in general, one can trust one's natural body messages, and that we only need to drink more when we feel thirsty.'"
It is the drink of choice for one subset of the terminally stupid.

Benefits Of Breastfeeding In Preventing Asthma Cancelled Out By Fast-Food Diet

It has to be the fast food. There can be no other explanation.
"Many studies have shown that breastfeeding appears to reduce the chance of children developing asthma. But a newly published study led by a University of Alberta professor has found that eating fast food more than once or twice a week negated the beneficial effects that breastfeeding has in protecting children from the respiratory disease...

'But this beneficial effect was only seen in children who did not consume fast food, or only occasionally had fast food,' she added."
Wanna bet?

Friday, February 13, 2009

A fresh approach to tackling weight problems

A weight loss approach that is as fresh as an old fart in a stuck elevator on a hot day.
"The children are given plenty of exercise and organised activities – everything from dodgeball to kick-boxing. And they’re also taught to run, throw and jump – skills that will enable them to take part in (and even enjoy) sport and PE when they go back to school. They won’t need any more notes from their parents to excuse them from PE, Prof Gately says, because they will fit in."
Sounds rad, man.

Real fresh.

Good luck with that, mate.

Confusion on acupuncture benefit

There is no confusion at all.
"A major review of the effectiveness of acupuncture has concluded that it is hard to find a difference between "true" and "sham" versions.

The research comes just a week after a similar review suggested that both could prevent headache.

It looked at trials involving 3,000 patients with arthritis, migraine, low back pain and post-operative pain."
The technique does not work.

Period.

End.

All that is left for the practitioners of this IMHO scam is to argue that shoving needles into people is the active ingredient and that the theory of "energy meridians," which underpins acupuncture, is immaterial.
"Much of the argument surrounds the status of 'sham' acupuncture, which is frequently used in trials against traditional acupuncture.

While traditional acupuncturists insert needles in acupuncture points located along what they describe as 'energy meridians' - a concept for which many scientists say there is no evidence - sham acupuncture places needles away from these points.

However, the needles are still inserted beneath the skin in both varieties, and proponents of non-traditional acupuncture suggest that both varieties may be having a physiological effect - just not in the manner suggested by traditionalists."
When you have to claim that the principles you have followed for millennia are wrong and the explanations you have offered for the "beneficial" effects are immaterial, it really is time to do the public a favor, suck it up and admit your mistake.
"Dr Adrian White, a researcher into acupuncture at the Peninsula Medical School in south west England, said that 'sham' acupuncture might well be having an effect rather than acting as a simple placebo version of the treatment.

'Sham acupuncture often consists of superficial, off point needling, but this may still have a physiological effect.'"
What is more likely is that this Dr.'s credentials are a sham, IMHO.

Teenage Obesity Linked to Poor Maternal-Fetal Outcomes

Kudos, fatsos.

Your fat pig kids have inherited the risks you fat pigs exposed them to.
"Overweight and obesity in teenage mothers is associated with an increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes, according to research published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology."
Miserable child abusers.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Schools fight battle of the bulge

...ineffectively.
"Onslow County Schools has joined 24 other North Carolina school districts in the In-School Prevention of Obesity and Disease Program.

'Through state and local policy, we are responsible for providing positive physical activity and proper nutrition guidelines for students. ... The In-School Prevention of Obesity and Disease Program initiative easily aligns to what we are working to accomplish, said Keba Baldwin, Safe and Civil Schools Coordinator with Onslow County Schools."
Don't they ever learn?

I mean, they are friggin' teachers, they ought to know how to learn.

Idiots.

Weight control program ups diabetics' well being

Who'd a thunk it?
"People with type 2 diabetes show improvements in their physical and mental health-related quality of life after a year of participation in a weight management program, a report out this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows."
Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.

Now what can it possibly be about losing weight that helps fat people's "physical and mental health-related quality of life"?

Maybe it is the fact that they are no longer as big and fat.

Go figger.

No cancer risk reductions seen with antioxidants

But income increases for the charlatans touting these things is seen.
"In the large Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, participants who took beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, or a combination of supplements had no significant reductions in their risk of cancer...

Compared with women who took placebo, the relative risk of developing cancer was almost identical in the vitamin C group, the vitamin E group and the beta carotene group.

There was also little difference of dying from cancer in any of the groups...

'We observed no overall associations of the three antioxidant supplements, taken singly or combined, with total cancer incidence or mortality. Duration of supplementation also did not appear to alter the associations of these supplements with risk of cancer or mortality due to cancer,' Lin and her colleagues write.

The findings 'suggest that there are no overall benefits or risks of vitamins C and E and beta carotene supplementation in the primary prevention of total cancer incidence or cancer mortality,' the authors conclude. "
The next time you bitch about the economy going south and not having enough money for "necessities," stop buying this stuff and shut-up.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Can't Chalk It Up To "Baby Fat"

More ongoing malpractice from the sleazy pediatric medical community.
"Despite recent widespread media attention given to studies that have indicated one-third of American children have a weight problem, a new study shows just one-third of children who are overweight or obese actually receive that diagnosis by a pediatrician. The study, led by researchers at The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, also stresses that this failure to diagnose appears to mostly impact children who may most greatly benefit from early intervention. The study is published in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics...

'Despite having set pediatric BMI guidelines, this is a bit of a wake-up call to pediatricians that as many as 90% of overweight children are not being properly diagnosed,' said David C. Kaelber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study, as well as an internist and pediatrician and chief informatics officer at MetroHealth and assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. 'Better identification of this group of children who have just crossed into the 'unhealthy' weight category is essential for early intervention which will hopefully prevent not only a childhood of increased health problems, but also what now often becomes an ongoing battle through adulthood with life-long issues.'"
This is hogwash, of course.

There is no "wake-up call" here.

Measuring BMI is not rocket science.

Neither is looking at a fat kid and concluding that something is wrong.

What is most likely happening is clear lawbreaking by those charged with reporting child abuse to the authorities, i.e., docs and nurses.

Why?

I suspect it is because they do not want to alienate a patient (or his/her guardian) by telling the truth since in a PC world, truth is considered a weapon of insult.

On a personal note, this is the reason I was provided by heretofore referring clinicians when I started the Fit To Parent (tm) Program years ago.

When I asked them why so few referrals came from them, the more open among them admitted fear of losing a patient.

So there you have it.

Docs complicit in child abuse for the bucks.

When healers are heels.

Trying To Eat Less Becomes More Important To Fend Off Middle Age Weight Gain

Another big showing of how stupid the experts are and a small showing of awareness.
"Lots of experts disagree over the seemingly obvious notion of keeping weight off by trying to eat less a debate that centers on whether the practice backfires, leading to binging and weight gain."
Disagreeing over this is like denying the effects of gravity.

It is bold-faced stupidity.

The problem is not that eating less, per se, results in "binging and weight gain." It is that the way we diet, i.e., by following expert diet advice, results in "binging and weight gain."
"Now a new study shows that practicing restraint becomes more important with age.

Women who participated in the study had more than twice the risk of substantial weight gain if they did not become more restrained in their eating.

'Some suggest that restrained eating is not a good practice,' said Brigham Young University professor Larry Tucker, the study's lead author. 'Given the environmental forces in America's food industry, not practicing restraint is essentially a guarantee of failure.'"
Clearly, caloric intake control is the most efficient way to control weight and an absolute necessity whether you "exercise" or not.

And BTW, "trying to eat less" doesn't mean squat.

Actually eating fewer Calories does.

Moderate Weight Loss Reduces Risk Of Heart Disease

Yo! Yo! Fatsos.
"Evidence shows that even a moderate weight reduction in obese people could save them a lifetime of health problems, especially heart disease. An estimated 50 million Americans have the potentially serious metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors that leads to heart disease...

'Obesity appears to be the central component of the metabolic syndrome. Our study have shown that weight loss of as little as 6.5 percent in individuals with the disease results in substantial reductions in blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol, all factors that lead to heart disease'...

Every risk factor of the metabolic syndrome can be tied to increased risk for heart disease. However, research shows that all risk factors were reduced by even moderate weight loss, and equivalent benefits from medications may have required three different drugs for blood pressure, lipids and glucose. Continued weight loss shows significant improvements in both blood pressure and triglycerides.

The study demonstrates that weight loss is an effective tool to lessen the cardiovascular risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome, and therefore should be the first option when treating the disease."
Word.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Multivitamins may not thwart cancer, heart disease

Who could have seen this coming?
"Millions of people take a multivitamin in the hopes of averting disease, but the supplements seem to offer no defense against cancer or heart disease, researchers reported Monday.

In a study that followed more than 160,000 older U.S. women, the researchers found that the 41 percent who used multivitamins were neither less likely to develop cancer or heart disease over eight years nor to have a lower overall death rate.

About half of Americans routinely use a dietary supplement, often a multivitamin, and studies show that one of the primary motivations is the belief that supplements will protect them from chronic diseases.

However, the current findings suggest that, at least for postmenopausal women, multivitamin use "does not confer meaningful benefit or harm" when it comes to cancer and heart disease, the investigators report in the Archives of Internal Medicine."
Fitness Watch readers, that's who.

And the cause of this mass stupidity?

Here's one:
"One reason, they say, 'may be the varied health messages received by the public.' Position statements from medical organizations that multivitamins do not prevent disease are mixed with messages to take a multivitamin if dietary intake is less than optimal -- leaving the public confused, Neuhouser and her colleagues note."
Still think they have any idea of what a "healthy" supplement or food is?

Only if you are an idiot.

Needles, not technique, may be acupuncture key

Point.

Counterpoint. Ah, the value of a misleading headline.

Acupuncture 'works for headaches'

Point. Ah, the value of a misleading headline.

Counterpoint.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Reforms unlikely to defeat obesity

Clearly.
"Even as the Obama administration recognizes obesity as one of the nation's top health threats, any efforts to reform the U.S. healthcare system will likely not go far enough to combat the condition."
Why?
"'It's individual behavioral changes that are needed and that's difficult to deal with on a federal level,' he said."
Not "difficult," moron, impossible. No systemic reform can ever go "far enough." (except refusing to pay to rescue the porko-sapiens)

So finally here is change in which you can believe.

The change is from the lies of the administration to the truth of the situation.

There ain't gonna be real improvement in sick care unless you do something about it.

The lying scum in DC, the lying scum in Big Sick Care, the lying scum in Big Pharma, the lying scum in Big Media, etc., are not going to help.

All they will do is lie for your votes and lie for your money.

Lose the weight, people.

And don't take the crap of the politician, et al, lying down.

NHS reveals fat camp plans to combat obesity

Hello mudduh,
Hello fadduh,
My boobs/moobs are big as uddahs
Camp is really very boring and
I think I'll have some fun when I start gorging.

Take me home,
Oh mudduh, fadduh
Don't leave me at Camp Salada
I can't wait until you feed me
Cakes and cookies and creme brulee...

This scheme will never work. (hat tip to Allan Sherman)

Study: Women less able to suppress hunger than men

So much for sexual equality.
"Faced with their favorite foods, women are less able than men to suppress their hunger, a discovery that may help explain the higher obesity rate for females, a new study suggests. Researchers trying to understand the brain's mechanisms for controlling food intake were surprised at the difference between the sexes in brain response.

Gene-Jack Wang of Brookhaven National Laboratory and colleagues were trying to figure out why some people overeat and gain weight while others don't.

They performed brain scans on 13 women and 10 men, who had fasted overnight, to determine how their brains responded to the sight of their favorite foods. They report their findings in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

'There is something going on in the female,' Wang said in a telephone interview, 'the signal is so much different.'"
Though the validity in talking to a wang about women is open to question.
"In the study, participants were quizzed about their favorite foods, which ranged from pizza to cinnamon buns and burgers to chocolate cake, and then were asked to fast overnight.

The next day they underwent brain scans while being presented with their favorite foods. In addition, they used a technique called cognitive inhibition, which they had been taught, to suppress thoughts of hunger and eating.

While both men and women said the inhibition technique decreased their hunger, the brain scans showed that men's brain activity actually decreased, while the part of women's brains that responds to food remained active.

'Even though the women said they were less hungry when trying to inhibit their response to the food, their brains were still firing away in the regions that control the drive to eat,' Wang said."
Besides the clearly fraught with problems study design described here and that the "firing away" proves nothing, maybe the men were put off by the wang.

Stupid research.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

World Cancer Day Highlights Link Between Overweight And Cancer

Kudos, fatsos.
"Today the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is launching 'I love my healthy active childhood,' a campaign to raise awareness about the link between excess body weight and cancer.

'Three to four million new cases of cancer could be prevented every year by avoiding overweight and obesity,' says Isabel Mortara, executive director of the UICC. 'Good habits start early in life, so our focus is on encouraging children to eat a healthy diet and be physically active. An estimated 22 million children under 5 are overweight, and the problem is growing.'...

'Overweight and obesity are part of the causal chain for many cancers,' says Professor David Hill, the president of the UICC. 'This is well established in science but not adequately understood in the community. In fact, current lack of public understanding of the link between body weight and cancer probably parallels our attitudes to smoking and cancer in the late 1950s.'"
There you go again, setting your kids up for the kill.

Child abusers.

Want to lose weight? Don't count on pills

Rare sense.
"Users of Alli, the first weight-loss drug approved for sale over-the-counter in the United States, are finding what they likely suspected all along: pills are no magic substitute for diet and exercise."
Common stupidity.
"Yet as Americans engage in the New Year's tradition of resolving to shed pounds, the market for diet aids is expected to remain firm, even as the economy is mired in recession.

Americans spend $30 billion a year on weight-loss products and services, and two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese."

More common stupidity.

"'People who took the drug lost only 4 more pounds (1.8 kg) than the placebo group after a year. People have to ask themselves whether the expense of this medicine is worth a few extra pounds,' Hensrud said.

A 30-day supply of Alli costs $60."

That's $180 per pound.

That's one reason why these folks are idiots.

Metabolic syndrome raises risk of stroke: study

Kudos, fatsos.
"A new study shows that people with the so-called metabolic syndrome have a significantly higher risk of suffering ischemic strokes, which are caused by a blood clot in the vessels supplying the brain and account of the large majority of stroke cases.

Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease -- including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides (another type of blood fat). The syndrome is typically diagnosed when a person has three or more of these conditions...

'Considering that the developed countries are experiencing an obesity epidemic, and that stroke is the leading course of disability and the third leading course of death in the U.S. and other developed countries, our findings suggest the need to target metabolic syndrome, especially metabolic syndrome with these two highest risk components -- elevated blood pressure or elevated fasting glucose in the clusters -- in order to reduce the public health, individual, and family burden of stroke,' Dr. Duanping Liao and co-investigator Sol Rodriguez-Colon noted in an email communication with Reuters Health."
It would be better to let the fat enjoy the results of their caloric irresponsibility and save the resources so we can target diseases that are not of one's choosing.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Gastric Bypass May Help Obese Teens

Child abuse with prior NIH support.
"'Teenager Amanda Munson has struggled with her weight all her life. It's a problem that runs in her family. At age 16, her 5-foot-2 frame had ballooned to 311 pounds.

'I really couldn't go anywhere,' says Munson. 'I wouldn't fit into the seats at movie theatres. I couldn't go running because it just hurt so bad and my heart would speed up too much.'"
And where were her law-breaking, nutritional child abusing parents, docs and teachers during this period of blimpification?

Well, the docs were champing at the bit to operate on the piglet.
"The Kentucky teenager said she received a dire warning from her doctors: "The doctors said you're not going to live to see 25, if this continues," she says. On March 12, 2007, Munson opted for the radical and controversial operation, which involves dramatically reducing the size of the stomach and rerouting the intestine."
And why do we "need" to do this operation?
"'It's a shame and a failure of our social and medical systems,' says Dr. Phil Zeitler, associate professor in pediatric endocrinology at the University of Colorado, 'that we have kids who are so obese that major abdominal surgery is required to cure them.'"
Wrong-o, s**thead doc.

It is a failure of parents and mandatory reporters, like you and the other docs complicit in child abuse.

And the surgery does not "cure" them, fool.
"Physicians, including the study authors, caution that gastric bypass surgery does not cure diabetes. If patients regain their weight, the diabetes can resurface."
Some professor, eh?
"Diabetes expert Dr. Steven Edelman a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, says the surgery should be a last resort -- after patients have tried changing their lifestyle through diet and exercise. Edelman says when someone has the surgery, they are rearranging the atomic (sic) structure of the stomach and patients need to have life-long follow-up."
But since diet and exercise recommendations are doomed to fail, the last resort is really the first resort.

The best option is no intervention, except good weight loss advice.

And if they refuse to lose the weight naturally, the next option should be allowing these fat kids and their child-abusing parents to live with the consequences of their choices.

FDA warns against some diet pills sold on the Web

Since diet pills are malpractice anyway, this is just another form of harm from them.
"The pills are advertised as "natural" fat busters and have intriguing names like Imelda Perfect Slim and Zhen de Shou. Some are touted as new versions of "ancient remedies" from Asia...FDA lab testing found 28 dietary supplements that could land unsuspecting users in the emergency room. Most of the diet pills appear to be coming from China. They are mainly sold on the Internet."
More Traditional Chinese Medicine for the morons who fall for "natural" stuff.
"They may promise an easy fix to weight problems, but the Food and Drug Administration on Monday said the concoctions contain unlisted ingredients, including high doses of a powerful anti-obesity drug, as well as a suspected carcinogen."
"May promise an easy fix to weight problems"?

As if there is any doubt about that.

What planet is this reporter from?
"Nearly all of the pills contain sibutramine, a powerful appetite suppressant that's a chemical cousin of amphetamines. It can cause heart attacks, strokes and heart palpitations, especially in people with a history of high blood pressure or heart problems."
A good thing to keep away from people, this sibutramine stuff, eh?
"Sibutramine is also the chemical ingredient in the prescription drug Meridia, which is used to treat obesity."
Oops.
"Several of the pills contain phenolphthalein, a chemical long used as a laxative..."
That should make it safe, something that is "long used."
"...but which is now being withdrawn from the market because of cancer risks."
Double oops.

Still think they have any idea what a "safe" drug is?

To lose weight naturally, for real, go here.

Dangers Of Cod Liver Oil

Still think they know what a "safe" supplement is?
"...sixteen well-known experts, including professors Walter Willett and Ed Giovannucci of Harvard, Dr. John Hathcock of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, and Professor Reinhold Vieth of the University of Toronto, published an unprecedented warning about the ingestion of cod liver oil and resultant vitamin A toxicity."
They don't.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Helping Patients Work Towards A Healthy Weight

More garbage.
"With obesity one of the most significant causes of death and disease in Australia, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, has launched a new online learning module that will boost the skills of general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses in supporting overweight and obese people to work towards a healthy weight.

The activity, called Managing weight, has been developed through an educational grant from the Heart Foundation funded by the NSW Health Department."
At some point, someone has to get it said that all this stuff is simply a waste.

That anyone would need a "new...learning module" to teach Calories in, Calories out is an embarrassment.
"'Patients who are overweight or obese often seek the advice of their GP to help them move towards a healthier weight and to manage the health issues associated with their weight. A first port of call for the Australian community, GPs play an important role in health promotion, addressing the benefits of physical activity and the need for good nutrition, as part of a healthy lifestyle,' said Dr Chris Mitchell."
Especially when it is for docs, who ought to know how to do basic math.

This is insane.

New Infant Feeding And Obesity Research Adds Insight To Ongoing Issue

A waste.
"The February edition of the Journal of Nutrition offers new insights into possible associations between infant feeding and health outcomes related to obesity."
There is one insight and one insight only.

More Calories in than out result in overweight/obesity - at any age.

Research concluded.

Thank you.

Elements Of Competing Theories Account For Resistance To Weight Loss, Could Suggest New Strategies

There is so much s**t in this article, that the fan blade is stuck.
"A new mathematical model of the physiological regulation of body weight suggests a potential mechanism underlying the difficulty of losing weight, one that includes aspects of two competing hypotheses of weight regulation. In the January issue of Cell Metabolism, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators outline a system in which there may be several steady states to which an animal's weight tends to gravitate, rather than a single 'set point.'...

'Our animal model was based on limited data, so its predictive value needs to be verified experimentally, and it can be further improved by the inclusion of other physiological factors,' says Tam, a student in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program. 'If human body weight exhibits the multi-steady-state phenomenon that our model predicts, and if methods could be developed - either drugs or lifestyle changes - to ease the transition between those states, it may be possible to develop new therapies to help reduce body weight and sustain those changes.'"
"New therapies?"

Try the only one that will ever work.

Fewer Calories in than out.

This is an excellent reason to keep these mathematicians out of the weight loss debate.

They don't know how to run the numbers.

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Childhood Obesity And Abuse

Well, at least someone is discussing nutritional child abuse, even if they are doing it wrong.
"When does severe childhood obesity become a child protection issue? This is just one of the ethical, medical and legal questions confronting doctors as they deal with increasing rates of childhood obesity, according to a series of articles in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Dr Shirley Alexander from Westmead Children's Hospital and her colleagues say severe childhood obesity is a common problem that can result in acute and chronic life-threatening complications. Their article examines the case of a severely obese child whose parents were unwilling or unable to adhere to management programs aimed at helping her lose weight.

'We argue that in a sufficiently extreme case, notification of child protection services may be an appropriate professional response,' the report says."
The clearly wrong part is waiting for "a sufficiently extreme case" to prompt action.

Though this language can be interpreted broadly, the context shows what these remiss docs mean:
"...a severely obese child whose parents were unwilling or unable to adhere to management programs aimed at helping her lose weight."
This is certainly waiting too long.

In the US, there is a definition of child abuse and neglect promulgated by the Feds, echoed more or less by each state.

Waiting for a condition affecting a child to become "severe" is abuse in and of itself and makes those who adopt the wait-and-see attitude complicit in the abuse.

This is doubly true for those persons who are mandated by law to report child abuse and neglect, e.g., physicians.

If you are interested in preventing nutritional child abuse, go here and make your voice heard and read this to improve the lives of kids by holding accountable those who fail in their responsibilities to children.

New Kinesiology Research Shows Early Diet May Have A Profound Influence On Adult Obesity, Diabetes

How is this possible?
"If you have trouble keeping weight off and you're wondering why - the surprising answer may well be the cheeseburgers you ate - when you were a toddler.

Surprising new research by University of Calgary, Faculty of Kinesiology researcher Dr. Raylene Reimer, published in an international journal, indicates a direct connection between an adult's propensity to put on weight and our early childhood diet."
I mean what can it possibly be about habits learned as a child that could affect adult behavior?

We all know how, once the influences of childhood are past, we review how we wipe our butts, blow our noses, clean dishes, etc.

Of course, there are those who want to blame other factors.
"'My research has shown that the food we eat changes how active certain genes in our body are - what we call genetic expression. In particular we believe that our diet has a direct influence on the genes that control how our bodies store and use nutrients,' says Reimer. 'There's a growing body of work that indicates a relationship between our health as adults and our early diet, and even our mother's diet. This research shows for the first time that our early childhood diet may have a huge impact on our health as adults.'

Reimer's study published in the current Journal of Physiology (London,) compares three groups of rats. At a very young age the rats were weaned onto three separate diets. One group was fed a high protein diet; one group was fed a high fibre diet and a third group was fed a control diet. When the rats became adults, they were switched to a high fat, high sugar diet, which reflects the reality of the typical western diet."
Well, fatso, add the rat defense to the Twinkie defense.

Clearly, it is impossible to overcome the impulse to overeat once you have been "genetically altered" ex utero.

If you are a rat.

Strive to be more than a rodent.

Or a pig.

High Risk For Complications After Colectomy In Morbidly Obese Patients

Kudos, fatsos.
"New research published in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that morbidly obese patients are at higher risk than normal weight patients for complications after colectomy - surgical removal of all or part of the colon - for the treatment of cancer."
Hey, the extra Calories are worth it, eh?

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Results Of The Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study Published

Another of the many reasons why we are losing the battle against childhood overweight/obesity.
"A special Supplement to the February 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association presents findings from the recently released Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III) ), conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., as well as research from other studies using SNDA-III data. Sponsored by the Food and Nutrition Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), SNDA-III assesses the quality and contributions of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), longstanding government efforts to bring good food to the children of America...

In a second commentary, Nancy Montanez Johner, Undersecretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at the US Department of Agriculture, emphasizes the need for studies such as SNDA-III to address critical challenges that remain to make the programs as effective as they can be in meeting the needs of participating children. Although more than 70% of schools serve meals that meet standards for many nutrients that contribute to healthful diets, few schools (6% to 7%) met all nutrition standards in school year 2004-2005, primarily because most meals served contain too much fat, too much saturated fat or too few calories."
"...too few Calories."

The reason we are losing?

The folks in the lead are insane.

Plain and simple.

Fishy Friends, UK

I guess you are supposed to eat your friends and that is good for them - an odd campaign
"Including heart-friendly fish in your diet can be environmentally friendly too. Fish is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals and is low in saturated fat and if you choose oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, sardines and herring, you have the added benefit of omega 3, which is essential for good heart health. However, people are worried that if we all include fish in our diet, this will have a negative impact on fish stocks and the environment. The Food Standards Agency is addressing these concerns by raising awareness of sustainable fish sources, so you can choose wisely for your heart and for the environment."
PETA thinks otherwise - another odd campaign.

Whatever.

UK Fast Food Chains Commit To Healthier Eating

Almost certain to be useless.
"The big six fast food chains seen on high streets in the UK: Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, Nando's, Subway and Wimpy have promised to make changes that make it easier for people to eat healthy restaurant meals."
And how will they do this?
"According to a report in the Daily Mail, the FSA estimates that the UK diet has 20 per cent too much saturated fat, and this contributes to the 200,000 deaths a year from heart disease...

The projects include:

* Reducing salt and saturated fats.
* Changing sauces, dressings and frying oils to alternatives that contain less saturated fat.
* Increasing healthier choices on menus.
* Giving customers more nutritional information."
So here are some of the issues.

Reducing saturated fats by (most probably) replacing them with unsaturated fats will do zero to mitigate the overweight/obesity problem since all fats contain about the same number of Calories per gram, i.e., nine.

Also, it is unknown whether this reduction in saturated fats will make any difference in the incidence of any disease.

Why?

To the best of my knowledge, there is no known threshold for saturated fat intake that does not result in disease. This is to say, that just because people consume less saturated fat when they go to a fast-food place, does not mean that they don't consume so much at home that this effort will make any difference.

Arguably, the experience with ketogenic dieting demonstrates that it may not.

Ketogenic diets, e.g., Atkins-type or "low-carb," are usually laden with saturated fats and the studies, to date, have failed to show definitive increases in the incidence of death related to the diet.

This will be argued for years.

Bottom line for those of us who want to succeed at "eating healthily"...

Focus on the real prize which is getting to and maintaining a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.

How you get there makes no known appreciable difference.

If you are interested in a plan, see here.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Shedding light on vitamin D deficiency ‘crisis’

More on the cure du jour for the sick care faithful and additional proof they have no idea what a "healthy" supplement is.
"The vitamin D craze has been building over the last few years, with low levels of the supplement being the blamed as a source of many of our ills. Depression? D can ease it. Chronic pain? Take D. It is said to prevent kidney disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, or even the common cold. Recently, a study linked low vitamin D levels to the rise in Caesarean births...

Meanwhile, skeptics doubt many of the health claims and question the need and even the validity of widespread testing. They recall how large doses of vitamins C and E were supposed to prevent cardiovascular disease. Beta-carotene was supposed to prevent lung cancer. Selenium kept prostate cancer at bay. None of it turned out to be true, and some of the advice even proved harmful...

Even so, 'we do not know where we want vitamin D to be,' said Rebecca Jackson, professor of medicine at Ohio State University and an expert in vitamin D and bone health. 'We do not know what is an optimal level of vitamin D for good health.'...

And at least one major study has contradicted the overheated claims of vitamin D advocates. In 2006, new results from the Women's Health Initiative, a huge federal study launched in the 1990s that focused on the benefits and risks of hormones for postmenopausal women, showed little benefit in participants who were given extra calcium and vitamin D. The supplements had no effect on colon cancer rates, cardiovascular disease, invasive breast cancer, and, most surprisingly, no effect on overall bone fractures (though it did strengthen hip bones), researchers found.

'We didn’t even show a blip,' said Jean Wactawski-Wende, Ph.D., associate chair of the department of social and preventive medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo and lead author of the study that looked at colorectal cancer rates in the Women’s Health Initiative participants.

So, the argument continues. All sides do agree on one thing: more research is needed...

Because there is no consensus on an optimal level of vitamin D, there is also no consensus on what most vitamin D tests really mean. There are also questions about the accuracy of some tests. For example, in January, Quest labs admitted inaccuracies in thousands of vitamin D deficiency tests...

Nobody is sure how to interpret deficiency results. Since genes influence how vitamin D is made and used, maybe one person’s deficiency is another person’s healthy. Perhaps there is a limit to how much vitamin D the body will process into the active hormone...

'I am believer, but also a pragmatist,' said Jackson. If somebody says ‘prove it, doc.’ I say ‘Eh, I can’t.’"
Good luck figuring out that one.

With economy sour, consumers sweet on herbal meds

More proof of mass insanity.
"The choice between $75 prescription sleeping pills or a $5 herbal alternative is a no-brainer for Cathy and Bernard Birleffi, whose insurance costs have skyrocketed along with the nation's financial woes.

The Calistoga, Calif., couple seem to reflect a trend. With many Americans putting off routine doctor visits and self-medicating to save money, use of alternative treatments is on the rise — even though evidence is often lacking on their safety and effectiveness.

Climbing sales of herbal medicines have paralleled the tanking economy, according to an Associated Press review of recent data from market-watchers and retailers."
Money for nothing:
"For example, echinacea is sometimes used for colds and flu. The agency Web site says evidence is mixed on whether it is effective, although one rigorous federally funded study found the herb worked no better against colds than placebo treatment. Echinacea can cause gastrointestinal upsets and allergic symptoms in people with ragweed allergies, the NIH site notes.

Valerian, the herb the Birleffis have used for insomnia, has been shown in some studies to help people sleep better, but evidence from well-designed research is lacking, the agency says. Using it for several weeks is generally thought to be safe, but long-term effects are unknown."
Or worse:
"There's scant Western research on fritillary bulb remedies, the ancient Chinese herbal medicine that the Kemp family uses for colds. A test sample examined in a recent Chinese study found elevated amounts of cadmium, a heavy metal linked with cancer."
On second thought, it may help remove stupid from the gene pool.

In which case, herb up to the max.

Discovery Of 6 New Genes Suggests Obesity Is In Your Head, Not Your Gut

Or not.
"New research suggests that genes that predispose people to obesity act in the brain and that perhaps some people are simply hardwired to overeat."
Try the "hardwired" excuse the next time you behave badly.

Like, as examples:
if you rape a child or
if you do cocaine or
if you go berserk on a snake at the petting zoo
Clearly, self-control is trumped by these hardwiring "facts."

(As it also is by the other around 5,994 genes (so far) allegedly associated with body weight.)

It is therefore unreasonable for us to expect responsible behavior in any setting.

Just wait long enough and the "hardwired" defense will come into play.

The defense rests.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Little evidence herbal remedies ease menopause-review

Now how can this be?
"There is little scientific evidence that herbal remedies commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms work, and some may be dangerous if taken along with other treatments, according to a review published on Wednesday.

Black cohosh, red clover, Dong quai, evening primrose oil and ginseng are taken to ease hot flashes, sleeplessness and diminished sex drive in the belief that they are natural products without risk, said Ike Iheanacho, editor of the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, who wrote the review.

'In reality, however, herbal medicines have pharmacological actions, and so can cause unwanted side effects and have potentially dangerous interactions with other medicines, both herbal and conventional,' he wrote."
But at least the harm and danger are natural.

Heavy drinkers 'lie to doctors'

So do heavy eaters, i.e, fat people.
"Almost two in five people who drink to excess are lying to their doctors about how much alcohol they really consume, suggests a survey.

Men and women drinking double the daily limit also admitted concealing it from partners, friends and colleagues."
People who do things like eat and drink to excess are clearly aware that it is bad and they actively try to conceal their bad behaviors.

Too bad for fat people that it is so tough to conceal overfatness.

Hey, stupid fat people, the concealment thing is not working!

We know you are eating to excess, so give it up.

Obesity may raise risk of ovarian cancer

Kudos, fatsos.
"Obese women may have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than their thinner counterparts, a large study of U.S. women suggests.

Ovarian cancer is a particularly deadly type of cancer because in the initial stages it typically has vague symptoms or none at all, making it difficult to catch early...

Among women who'd never used HRT, those who were obese had an 83 percent higher risk of ovarian cancer that normal-weight women did.

The findings, reported in the journal Cancer, suggest that obesity may be one of a few controllable risk factors for ovarian cancer."
Getting ovarian cancer is a tough, but effective, way to lose weight.

Bit late in the game, though.

You fatsos might want to consider weight loss before your ovaries get cancer, since you will likely lose the weight anyway.

One way or another.