To Salt Or Not To Salt, That Is The Question

Salt is good!

A new eight year long European study concludes that salt consumption is not dangerous and may in fact be beneficial. This is certainly contrary to advice from American Medical Association, American Heart Association and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which says higher sodium consumption can increase the risk of heart disease. It's not unusual to see differing opinions, but what are we ordinary folks to make of the controversy?

The study followed 3,681 middle-aged Europeans who did not have high blood pressure or heart disease at the start of the study. They were divided into three groups: low salt; moderate salt; and high salt consumption. There were 50 deaths in the low salt group, 24 in the moderate consumption group and only 10 in the high consumption group. In fact, the heart disease risk in the low consumption group was 56% higher in the low salt group. What they concluded was that the less salt the participants ate, the more likely they would die from heart disease.

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about?

Potato Alert! Creeping Weight Gain Tied To Type Of Food

No it's not.

Potato chips, other potatoes, sugary drinks, processed and unprocessed meat were found to be the foods most strongly linked to creeping weight gain, according to an analysis of studies that followed over 120,000 adults for 20 years. The researchers said their evidence supports the idea that "eat less and exercise more" may be too simplistic a weight-loss strategy, it is the quality of food that matters most and making a handful of small, targeted changes is likely to be more effective.

Bulls**t, as this idiot proved.

Junk Food Ad Ban Must Be Compulsory, Not Voluntary, Australia

Insane.

New research shows that self-regulation has failed dismally in reducing junk food advertising during children's television viewing times.

After nearly two years of self-regulation by the fast food industry, children's exposure to junk food advertising is unchanged.

AMA Vice President, Professor Geoffrey Dobb, said today that junk food advertising to kids must be banned through Government regulation because the industry has not been effective in regulating itself.

Holding bad parents accountable should be compulsory.

Fat kids are not the fault of food sellers.

Cure For Carnie Wilson? New Study To Prove Increasing Importance Of Diet And Exercise For Long-Term Weight Loss After Gastric Bypass

Madness - read carefully.

Each year more than 200,000 people with morbid obesity undergo gastric bypass surgery, but research shows that more than half of patients regain at least 20 percent of the weight lost.

Even celebrities find it difficult to keep the pounds off after gastric bypass. TV personality Al Roker and singer Carnie Wilson both have detailed their battle with weight gain after surgery; Wilson's struggle has lasted for years.

To help gastric bypass patients realize the full health benefits of the procedure, researchers at Wake Forest University have launched a new study to prove that the follow-up care patients receive is just as critical as the weight loss surgery itself.

"You wouldn't invest $25,000 to remodel your home and not maintain it. Shocking as it may seem, follow-up on diet and exercise just isn't the norm with gastric bypass," said Gary D. Miller, who heads the team for the study at Wake Forest. "With so many more people seeking gastric bypass each year, we can improve the long-term outcome of gastric bypass by keeping up with patients as they figure out their new lifestyle."

"If we can get them to change the way they live and to keep the weight off, they'll reap so many additional health benefits, including lower risks of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer."

If these fatsos could change the way they live, they would not have had the IMHO malpractice known as bariatric surgery.

Crazy.

Diabetes rate 'doubles' - Imperial College and Harvard research suggests

Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.

The number of adults with diabetes in the world has more than doubled since 1980, a study in the Lancet says.

Researchers from Imperial College London and Harvard University in the US analysed data from 2.7m people across the world, using statistical techniques to project a worldwide figure.

They claim the total number of people with diabetes - which can be fatal - has risen from 153m to 347m.

Kudos, fatsos.

Pediatricians Suggest 'Media Diet' for Obese Kids

Idiocy.

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in America – with 17 percent of children aged 2 to 19 obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That's more than three times as many as in 1980.

That huge increase has families, doctors and the government looking for ways to curb the problem. A report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics has a new suggestion: ban companies from advertising junk food during children's television programs.

Another attempt to penalize all of us for the actions of bad parents and their enablers.

Do not fall for this crap.

Weight At 18 Linked To Cancer In Men Decades Later, UK

One more time, the damage done.

Public health researchers, based at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, have identified a link between men being overweight or obese at age 18 and death from cancer in later life. The study shows the link is apparent even if they reduce their weight during middle age.

The Medical Research Council researchers, in collaboration with researchers at University College London (UCL) and Harvard School of Public Health, analysed the medical records of around 20,000 male graduates who attended Harvard between 1916 and 1950.

They found that the men in the study who had the highest body mass indexes (BMIs) at age 18 were 35 per cent more likely to die from cancer than those with lower BMIs. The associations between weight and cancer were particularly strong for lung, skin, oesophageal and urogenital (kidney, bladder, prostate and testicular) cancers. For example, men whose BMI had been greater than the average (21.7) at age 18 had more than a 50 per cent greater risk of dying from lung cancer than those with the lowest BMIs, even after accounting for whether or not they smoked. Importantly, an individual's changes in BMI between early adulthood and middle age did not influence these effects. The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the National Institutes of Health and will be published in the journal Annals of Oncology.

Medical Research Council researcher Dr Linsay Gray, lead author of the study, said:

"This is the first time the impact of obesity in early adulthood on later risk of cancer has been so closely examined. It is very interesting that higher BMI at age 18 actually leads to a greater risk for cancer than higher BMI in middle age. The message here is really clear: keeping your weight healthy as a young adult can significantly reduce your chance of developing cancer. These findings point worryingly to a greater future burden of cancer."

It is their choice.

As long as the burden is on the fatsos, hey, don't worry, be happy.

Obese Girls More Than Twice As Likely To Be Addicted To Smoking

Maybe they think it makes them look sexy.

Not:

Obese teenage girls are more than twice as likely as other girls to develop high-level nicotine addiction as young adults, according to a new study. Nearly 20 percent of American adolescents currently are obese, the authors note.

Smoking is just one of the problematic behaviors that appeal to some teens, along with delinquency, drug use, alcohol use and early or unprotected sexual activity. Some of the risk factors that could lead teens to engage in these behaviors include low self-esteem, depression and poor academic performance. Obese teenage girls in the study were more likely to report each of these risk factors.

This seems better:

Type 2 diabetes in newly diagnosed 'can be reversed'

Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.

This approach is for idiots.

An extreme eight-week diet of 600 calories a day can reverse Type 2 diabetes in people newly diagnosed with the disease, says a Diabetologia study.

Newcastle University researchers found the low-calorie diet reduced fat levels in the pancreas and liver, which helped insulin production return to normal.

Seven out of 11 people studied were free of diabetes three months later, say findings published in the journal.

More research is needed to see whether the reversal is permanent, say experts.

It will not be.

The weight will return since the porkers were placed on an unsustainable starvation diet and learned nothing about proper caloric intake control.

Lose the weight properly and the diabetes will go away while proper caloric intake control skills will be acquired.

Study Of Strength Training For Seniors Finds Increased Muscle Strength, Reduced Muscular Atrophy

The keys - training and The Anabolic Clinic (sm).

Because to add muscle, you have to become anabolic and the only way to do that when you are a senior is by taking anabolic substances.

People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently. In the current issue of Deutsches Arzteblatt International, Frank Mayer and colleagues from the University of Potsdam conclude that progressive strength (resistance) training counteracts muscular atrophy in old age (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108(21): 359-64).

The authors investigated the extent of the effects that can be achieved by strength (resistance) training in elderly persons and which intensities of exercise are useful and possible in persons older than 60 years. They found that regular strength (resistance) training increased muscle strength, reduced muscular atrophy, and that tendons and bones adapt too. These successes in turn had a preventive effect in terms of avoiding falls and injuries. Greater intensities of training yielded greater effects than moderate and low intensities. In order to increase muscle mass, an intensity of 60-85% of the one-repetition-maximum is required. In order to increase rapidly available muscle force, higher intensities (>85%) are required. The optimum amount of exercise for healthy elderly persons is 3 to 4 training units per week.

Learn more.

Diet Appears to Modulate Alzheimer's Biomarker

Two words - Anabolic Clinic (sm).

Results of a new study provide more evidence that diet may modulate the risk for Alzheimer's disease.

In a 4-week diet intervention study, healthy cognitively intact older adults who stuck to a low-saturated-fat, low-glycemic-index diet experienced decreases in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of β-amyloid 42, a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease risk.

Anabolic substances are associated with lower levels of β-amyloid.

Learn more.

Surgery is no quick fix for obese teens

Duh.

Success stories like Shaina -- and those of celebrities like Al Roker and Star Jones -- might make bariatric surgery look easy. It's not. In fact, doctors are so concerned that teens might have unrealistic expectations that they require extensive presurgery evaluation and lifestyle changes to ensure that teens understand the serious risks, are dedicated to overhauling their health, and don't take the procedure lightly.

Surgery usually requires preliminary weight loss and then a strict postsurgical regimen of dietary changes, vitamins, and exercise. If the teen and his family aren't fully committed, the results can evaporate quickly or fail to materialize in the first place.

And if they could've done all that,they would not have "needed" the surgery in the first place.

Fast Food Restaurants Have No Impact On High School Students' Weight

It's the parents and home, stupid.

People generally worry about who their neighbors are, especially neighbors of our children. If high-fat food and soda are nearby, people will imbibe, and consequently gain weight. Or will they? With students' health at risk, a study in the July/August 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores the influence food store locations near schools has on the student risk of being overweight and student fast-food and sweetened beverage consumption.

Investigators from the University of Southern Maine surveyed 552 students at 11 Maine high schools to determine height, weight, and calorie-dense food consumption of ninth through twelfth grade students. Findings from the study reveal that half of the students consumed soda at least once a week and just over 10% consumed it daily, with a slightly smaller number consuming sports drinks in these time periods. In addition, nearly two thirds had visited a burger and fries fast food restaurant in the previous month, whereas over half had visited a pizza parlor during that period. Of the 552 students surveyed, one quarter of students were overweight (12.7%) or obese (12.5%), whereas 73% were of normal weight and 1.8% were underweight.

An initial step to solving the problem of nutritional child abuse is identifying the real culprits - parents and the law-breaking enablers.

Got Chocolate Milk? Not Anymore Say Jamie Oliver, LA Schools

That worse than useless, s**t for brains, Jamie Oliver, is at it again.

Chocolate milk, strawberry milk, corn dogs and chicken nuggets are on the way out of LA schools. Jamie Oliver, a celebrity chef, is also making his name as a pioneer against child obesity and better health for our schooled youth in general. This week the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced a ban on flavored milk for starters, making steps towards a healthier future for students.

It is not the chocolate milk.

It is not the schools or the food they serve.

It is the home.

And it is not childhood anymore thanks to morons like Oliver.

Hitting The Streets: Health System Offers More Than Words In Fight Against Obesity, Indiana University Health

News flash!

With childhood and adult obesity rates on the rise, hospitals and health systems are starting to notice it might not be enough to simply provide educational information about healthier living.

Duh.

However, the proposed "solution" has no hope of succeeding.

Healthy Food Options In Fast Food Outlets? Nobody's Buying It! Australia

Who could have seen this coming?

A new Australian study shows that while healthier menu options are now on offer at many fast food restaurants, less than three per cent of customers are actually buying them.

Researchers from Griffith University surveyed 1,025 Subway and McDonald's customers on their lunchtime food purchases over a two month period. Only 2.5 per cent of customers who ordered a main meal bought a 'nutritionally-promoted item', such as McDonald's Tick Approved choices or items which met Subway's 'Six grams of fat or less' claim.

There are no "healthy foods."

There is only eating healthily.

This means eating to achieve a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9, on a population basis.

Overweight/obesity is not the restaurant's fault.

It is the fault of the bronto sapiens.

Children As Young As Ten Vomit To Lose Weight, With Highest Rates In Boys

The good news - at least they have the sense to lose weight.

Children as young as ten are making themselves vomit in order to lose weight and the problem is more common in boys than girls, according to a study of nearly 16,000 school pupils published online early, ahead of print publication, by the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

The bad news - it is likely that the parents are nutritionally abusing their kids.

Another reason to go after the bad parents.

Obese Doesn't Always Mean Unhealthy, UMDNJ Research Shows

Might even be correct, but it does way more than not.

It's become an axiom of health that overweight and obese people are not as healthy as their normal weight counterparts. In fact, obesity has been targeted as one of the country's most serious public health problems, with predictions of widespread heart disease, diabetes and cancer among the growing number of Americans who are overweight. But what if that's not always correct? Is it possible for some people to be overweight or even obese and still be healthy? Researchers from the Weight Management Services Program at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine think so, and they have some surprising statistics to back that opinion up.

This is not an excuse to be a porker.

MI Progress Weighed Down by Rising BMI

Kudos, fatsos.

Expanding waistlines are holding back progress in reducing the rate of MI, researchers found.
In a cohort of British civil servants, the rate of fatal and nonfatal MI fell by 74% (95% CI 48% to 87%) from 1985 to 2004, Sarah Hardoon, MSc, of University College London, and colleagues reported online in the European Heart Journal.

More than half of that progress (56%) was accounted for by population-wide improvements in non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, smoking prevalence, and consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Increasing body mass index over the same time period, however, reduced the magnitude of the decline in MI rates.

Once again, time to stop paying for fatsos diseases of choice.

Fight back.

Relationship Between Daytime Sleepiness And Increased Craving For Carbs Among Teens

Good for them.

Sleepy teens are more likely to have a strong craving for carbohydrates, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 14, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

Results show that the intensity of self-reported craving for carbohydrates increased in a linear relationship with the severity of subjective daytime sleepiness. The odds of having a strong craving for carbs were 50 percent higher among high school seniors with excessive daytime sleepiness.

Carbs can be a quick energy boost.

The kids must be doin' what comes naturally.

As long as they do not consume more Calories than they burn, no real problem, here.

Outpatient Bariatric Surgery May Lead To Higher Mortality And Complications

Better not to be fat.

A new study of nearly 52,000 patients found that people who had gastric bypass surgery and were discharged from the hospital sooner than the national average of a two-day length of stay, experienced significantly higher rates of 30-day mortality and complications. The findings were presented here at the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Oops.

Those Extra Pounds and Inches Are Not Just Fat -- Your Bones Are to Blame Too

More s**t from the morons at ABCNews.

Can't zip your jeans, cinch a belt or pull those boy shorts over your hips anymore? Take heart. It doesn't necessarily mean you're getting fatter.

You can now blame your bones.

You can blame your bones, but it will do no good.

The overwhelming likelihood is that you are a fatso.

Lose the weight.

And don't listen to the idiots in the MSM.

Modern Dancers Exhibit Favorable Fat Distribution

There is nothing unique to dance.

Participating in regular physical activity, such as modern dance, may help young adults achieve a healthier distribution of body fat, according to research being presented today at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine and 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine®.

Compared to non-dancers with the same overall amount of fat, college-age dancers had less abdominal fat. Abdominal fat is linked with increased risk for metabolic and heart diseases, which are of major public health concern.

All this showed was that people who are active are less fatty.

News Alert!

Not.

Another stupid study.

Watching too much TV linked to Diabetes 2 risk, as well as premature death from any cause

So do the blind live longer?

If you watch TV daily for at least 2 to 3 hours your risk of developing diabetes type 2, having nonfatal cardiovascular disease and dying from any cause is higher, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Harvard School of Public Health revealed in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association.

In many parts of the world, watching TV, working and sleeping are the three most commonly reported daily activities. Americans watch TV for an average of 5 hours each day.

It must be the TV.

Clearly it can never be other lifestyle choices.

Clearly.

Birth Control Pill for Men: Would You Count On It?

It's here and is likely better than anything they will come up with.

Scientists could be one step closer to developing a birth control pill for men. A drug that stunts sperm production aced tests in mouse testes. And if it's proven to be safe and effective in humans, it could expand the prophylactic pool -- an exciting prospect at a time when roughly half of U.S. pregnancies are unintended.

Get it now.

Get fitter now - an added benefit "side effect."

Calorie-Burning Brown Fat Is A Potential Obesity Treatment

Wanna bet?

A new study suggests that many adults have large amounts of brown fat, the "good" fat that burns calories to keep us warm, and that it may be possible to make even more of this tissue.

Make more fat.

What could possibly go wrong there?

If they try it, you will find out and it will not be a good thing.

Pregnant Women Can Prevent Excess Weight Gain With Simple Steps

Wrong. Just one simple step.

A new study reports that a low-cost healthy lifestyle program, including self-weighing weekly or monthly, by pregnant women with pre-existing overweight can prevent them from gaining too much weight during early pregnancy.

Do not eat too many Calories.

Done.

Increased Fracture Risk Following Bariatric Surgery

C-rack!

People who have had gastric bypass surgery or other bariatric weight-loss surgery have an even higher increased risk of breaking bones than previously found. These study findings will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

"A negative effect on bone health that may increase the risk of fractures is an important consideration for people considering bariatric surgery and those who have undergone bariatric surgery," said lead author Kelly Nakamura, a medical student at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.

It remains better to lose the pounds naturally, as it always will.

If you are victim of bariatric surgery or diet pills or other bad weight loss advice, go here.

Insulin Action In The Brain Can Lead To Obesity

Starts with a lie.

Fat-rich food makes you fat. Behind this simple equation lie complex signalling pathways, through which the neurotransmitters in the brain control the body's energy balance.

No food makes anything fat.

More Calories in than out is the culprit.

Max Planck must be turning in his grave.

Cut Down On "Carbs" To Reduce Body Fat, Study Authors Say

That is NOT what they said.

A modest reduction in consumption of carbohydrate foods may promote loss of deep belly fat, even with little or no change in weight, a new study finds. Presentation of the study results will be Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

When paired with weight loss, consumption of a moderately reduced carbohydrate diet can help achieve a reduction of total body fat, according to principal author Barbara Gower, PhD, a professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"When paired with weight loss..."

Everyone will lose fat if they lose weight for long enough.

BFD.

New MyPlate Dietary Guidance Will Dramatically Transform How Americans Eat

Wanna bet?

MyPlate, the dietary guidance icon released...by USDA, will revolutionize how Americans conceptualize and plan daily meals, including a landmark recommendation that each meal include half a plate of fruits and vegetables. United Fresh and the produce industry strongly support the adoption of MyPlate and the consumer message to "make half your plate fruits and vegetables."

I am on the side that says, "No way."

Pulmonary Thromboembolism Deaths And Obesity May Be Linked

They almost certainly are.

More people are dying from pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), and this could be associated with parallel rises in obesity rates, researchers from the University of Adelaide Roger Byard wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia

Professor Roger Byard and co-author explain that while focus should continue on illnesses and conditions linked to obesity, such as cardiac disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes mellitus, doctors should also concentrate on PTE.

You have a choice on how you die.

There are better ways than from gluttony.

'Surprising' Result in Flaxseed-for-Hot-Flashes Study

No surprise.

In what the lead investigator called a "surprising" result because it contradicts preliminary research, the dietary supplement flaxseed did not significantly reduce hot flashes in postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer in a phase 3 trial.

In a sane world, this would be bad news for Whore Foods.

It is not a sane world, especially among Whore Foods shoppers.

No Hoop Dream - Hooping Can Help Control Body Weight

What goes around, comes around and around and around.

Approximately 3,000 years before Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin released the "Hula-Hoop," Egyptian children would make circles from dried grape vines and swing them around their waists. The ancient Greeks even used hoops as form of exercise to lose weight. Research being presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine and 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine® looks at hooping to determine the relative exercise intensity and caloric expenditure of the resurgent practice.

"Hooping as an exercise dates back to ancient civilizations and was wildly popular in the 1950s" said John Porcari, Ph.D., FACSM, lead author of this study. "Today, it's becoming a popular form of choreographed group exercise, and we sought out to determine the effect of hooping on physical fitness and whether or not the intensity falls within ACSM guidelines for improving cardiovascular fitness."

Porcari and his colleagues from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse examined 16 healthy females (ages 16 to 59) who were regular participants in choreographed hooping classes. Each subject completed a video-led, 30-minute hooping class. The research team then measured oxygen consumption, heart rate and rate of physical exertion (RPE) using the Borg RPE scale.

Average heart rate for the 30-minute class was 151 beats per minute, which corresponds to 84 percent of age-predicted maximum heart rate. Average oxygen consumption was 20.6 ml/kg/min, and average caloric expenditures were 70 Kcal/min, which is equivalent to 210 calories for 30 minutes of hooping. Average RPE was 13.0, which corresponds to "somewhat hard" on the Borg scale.

You can bet that the woman from Cirque du Cumcision achieved her fitness hooping.

Not.

Sports Participation, Fitness Linked To Academic Achievement

Stupid:



Not stupid:

Preteens in Portugal with higher levels of fitness and sports participation performed better in the classroom, according to research being presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine's 58th Annual Meeting and 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine®. The association was stronger for students who played more sports or who participated over a longer period of time, particularly girls.

"This study documents a correlation between sports participation, fitness levels and academics," said Maria Joao Almeida, Ph.D., lead author of this study. "This does not claim to show causation, but it does point up a connection that deserves further study." The research involved 345 5th graders and 388 7th graders attending urban public schools in Madeira Island, Portugal. Both female and male students participated; all participated in compulsory physical education classes.

Don't be stupid.

Obesity Raises Breast Cancer Survivors' Risk of Dying of the Cancer, Study Finds

Kudos, fatsos.

Women with a healthy body weight before and after diagnosis of breast cancer are more likely to survive the disease long term, a new study finds...

The study, conducted in nearly 4,000 breast cancer survivors, found that obesity is strongly linked to death due to breast cancer.

Dead is one way to "cure" obesity, but I continue not to recommend it.

Still not sure why I care more about your life than you do.

In any event...

Lose weight the right way.

ACSM: Low-Carb Diet, Fatty Meal Don't Harm Arteries

As Fitness Watch has been telling people all along.

Here is more evidence that the problem is being too darned fat and that the important thing is to lose it - not how you lose it.

Low-carbohydrate diets that require patients to fill up on fats won't lead to harder arteries, at least not in the short term, researchers found.
Endothelial function and arterial stiffness were no different for those who lost 10 pounds after curbing their carb intake than for those on a more traditional, low-fat diet, Kerry Stewart, MD, of Johns Hopkins, and colleagues reported at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Denver.

"Losing weight may be more important to [arterial] health than the diet you're on," Stewart told MedPage Today.

Lose the weight, gain better vessels.

Study: Life-Long Aerobic Training Preserves White Matter Integrity

It is well-documented that fat people are more demented and stupider than intended-size humans.

Motor control and memory are better in older adults who exercise, according to research being presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine and 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine®.

The study measured brain structure and cognitive function of ten Masters athletes averaging 73 years of age compared with ten sedentary people of similar ages and education levels. The athletes, who had engaged in competitive aerobic training for at least 15 years, showed better white matter fiber integrity than non-athletes in areas of the brain linked with working memory, motor learning, motor control and visuospatial and visuomotor attention.

"We know that brain structure and some aspects of cognitive functioning deteriorate with aging," said Benjamin Tseng, Ph.D., lead author this study. "As the U.S. population ages, maintaining cognitive vitality and preventing dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, in older adults should be a priority for public health. Previously, we found that brain tissue volume appears to be better preserved in Masters athletes in brain regions associated with motor control. The current study was designed to shed light on the role of aerobic exercise in preserving the integrity of white matter in the brain." White matter is important for its role in transmitting information to the neuron-laden gray matter.

Train for your muscles and brain.

Psychological Approaches Key To Tackling Obesity

This time for sure, this is it, this is the key.

A report on obesity published by the British Psychological Society today, 3 June, has highlighted the added value psychological and therapeutic approaches can provide when integrated effectively in obesity treatments.

As if there are any effective obesity treatments.

Only fewer Calories in than out.

No more.

No less.

And psychological approaches? They are no key.

High Calcium Intake No Better for Bone Health

Of course not. Two words - Anabolic Clinic (sm).

"The salient message is that if a little is good, more is not always better, so obsessively chomping calcium pills is not the way to go," Santoro said...

"The recommendation in the U.S., Canada, and France is for intake of 1,200 mg a day in total, including diet," said Michelle Warren, MD, of New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

But many older adults don't drink or eat enough dairy products and may need supplements to get them to that level, she said in an email.

The issue is unclear, Warensjö and colleagues noted, as evidenced by national recommendations ranging from 700 mg a day in the U.K. to 1,300 a day in Australia and New Zealand...

A recent report from Institute of Medicine, he noted in an email, supported lower recommendations, and the Swedish study "adds to the current trend to lower calcium (and vitamin D) recommendations."

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about?

Multi-Disciplinary Team Look At Childhood Obesity Which Is So Much More Than Over-Eating

No it's not. It is impossible to become overweight/obese in the absence of over-eating, i.e., more Calories in than out.

University of Illinois scientists from a variety of disciplines have teamed up to examine the factors that contribute to childhood obesity. Why? Because individual researchers have found that the problem is too complicated for any of them to tackle alone.

Well, at least the researchers are honest enough to admit that they are too stupid to do the job.

Now that the admission is made, it is time to cut-off the funding.

Idiots.

Resistance Training Improves Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Probably anxious that they look like fat slugs.

Resistance training reduces symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), compared with aerobic exercise or no exercise at all, according to research presented here at the American College of Sports Medicine 58th Annual Meeting.

Patients with GAD tend to be physically inactive, although exercise training has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms in healthy adults and patients with chronic disease, and to benefit patients with major depressive disorder.

Another reason to train.

Study Questions Treatment Used in Heart Disease

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Lowering bad cholesterol levels reduces heart attack risks, and researchers have long hoped that raising good cholesterol would help, too. Surprising results from a large government study announced on Thursday suggest that this hope may be misplaced.

The study could change the way doctors treat millions of patients with heart disease. Common wisdom has been that such patients should take a statin drug like Lipitor or Zocor to lower bad cholesterol and, in many cases, the vitamin niacin to raise their good cholesterol. But in the trial, niacin provided no benefit over simple statin therapy.

The results are part of a string of studies that suggest that what doctors thought they knew about cholesterol may be wrong. Studies that track patients over time have for decades shown that patients with higher levels of high-density lipoproteins (H.D.L., or good cholesterol) tend to live longer and have fewer heart problems than those with lower levels of this cholesterol.

Not surprisingly, doctors thought that if they could raise H.D.L. levels, their patients would benefit. So far, that assumption is not panning out. Nobody knows why.

Oops.

Fitness is the only REAL preventive medicine. ^tm

Biomarker Reality Fails to Match Hype

Still think they have any idea what they are doing?

Highly cited biomarker studies often report effect estimates that fall short in subsequent meta-analyses of the same associations between marker and disease, authors of a review concluded...

The findings from the review underscore the disparity between the hope and the reality of biomarker research, according to the author of an accompanying editorial.

"With few exceptions, most of these promises have yet to be fulfilled," wrote Patrick M.M. Bossuyt, PhD, of the University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

What does work is fitness.

Pre-Diabetic? Start Eating More Fruit

Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.

Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes," defined as blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. There are 79 million people in the United States who have prediabetes. Recent research has shown that even during prediabetes both heart and circulatory long-term damage to the body may already be occurring.

Just lose the weight.

The fruit has nothing to do with it.

Bariatric Surgery Among Older, High-Risk Patients Not Associated With Reduced Mortality

The damage done.

The use of bariatric surgery among older, severely obese patients was not associated with a decreased risk of death, according to a study in the June 15 issue of JAMA. This study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting.

Don't pay for it.

Adios, fatsos.

Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and Obese Would Pay Fee for Medicaid

Arizona would get three cheers, if only the amount to be paid weren't so small.

Arizona, like many others states, says it is no longer able to adequately finance its Medicaid program. As part of a plan to cut costs, the state has proposed imposing a $50 fee on childless adults on Medicaid who are either obese or who smoke. In Arizona, almost half of all Medicaid recipients smoke; while the number of obese people is unclear, about one-in-four Arizonans is overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Step up AZ, and other states.

Charge these folks the hundreds and thousands of dollars more - per person - they actually cost the system.

Sleep apnea patients benefit significantly from low energy diet

Fat people tend to get sleep apnea at a much higher rate than intended-size humans.

A low-energy diet based on the Cambridge weight plan was found to help patients with sleep apnea, researchers from the Korlinska Institute, Sweden reported in the BMJ (British Medical Journal). The low energy diet helped them lose weight; overweight is a common cause of this sleeping disorder.

It is all about shedding the pounds.

Learn how, here.

Many Women Have Been On 'More Than 20' Diets

How are they working?

Badly.

Why? (e.g., see here, here, here and here)

Women are being warned about the dangers of yo-yo diets after a UK-wide survey revealed that more than one in five women have been on at least five diets and regained weight and many have been on at least 20 diets without keeping the pounds off.

The survey of more than 2,300 people, conducted by Slimming World and YouGov, reveals that 21 per cent of women have yo-yo dieted at least five times, 11 per cent have done it at least 10 times and six per cent have dieted and put the weight back on again more than 20 times.

Yo-yo dieting is explained here.

Obesity Epidemic Fuelled By Decrease In Workplace Physical Activity

Wrong.

Decrease in physical activity in many occupations over the last 50 years, and not just a change in calorie consumption, has contributed significantly to the obesity epidemic in the United States, according to a new study published this week in the journal PLoS ONE.

The study was the work of scientists from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, part of the Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge, and colleagues from other research centers.

Lead researcher Dr Timothy Church, who holds a John S. McIlhenny Endowed Chair at Pennington Biomedical, told the press that:

"Yesterday's jobs have been replaced by sitting or sedentary activity."

"In the last fifty years, we estimate that daily occupation-related energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories (sic) per day, and this reduction accounts for a significant portion of the increase in mean US body weights for women and men," he explained.

Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate mean body weight and job-related energy expenditure, Church and colleagues estimated that only 20% of jobs in US private industry today demand a moderate level of physical effort, compared with 50% in the early 1960s.

They also estimated that compared with 50 years ago, today's average American burns 100 fewer job-related calories (sic) a day.

It is overeating those "100 fewer job-related Calories a day" that causes overweight/obesity.

Overweight Is A High Risk Factor For Complications In Hip And Knee Replacement: Experts Urge Obese Patients To Reduce Weight Before Surgery

And if they don't, have them pay for the complications.

Obese patients face significantly greater risks following hip joint replacement than patients of normal weight. Defining obesity as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30, the risk is 3.3 times greater that infection will develop and 1.5 times greater that aseptic loosening will result (mechanical, as opposed to inflammation-induced). Obese patients also face twice as much risk of thromboembolism and artificial joint dislocation.

A BMI plus 10 increases the risk by as much as 284%. The data, presented today at the 12th Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) in Copenhagen, should put an end to the long lasting debate among specialists as to whether or not overweight and obesity influence the clinical outcome and complication rate in arthroplasty.

Fight back.

Ronald McDonald Stays, Despite Growing Childhood Obesity In The USA

The real clowns at fault are the parents.

Despite receiving a request from 550 healthcare workers to cease targeting children in its marketing campaigns of fast foods, Jim Skinner, McDonald's Chief Executive, said "Ronald McDonald is going nowhere."

Good.

Speed Of Sperm Cells Increased By Vitamin D

Whip-it-lash.

Vitamin D is important for optimal reproductive function in both animals and humans. It has long been known that serum vitamin D level is important for reproductive function in various animals, but now researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University Hospital have shown that this relationship can also be demonstrated in humans.

Does the cure du jour now make a man's head spin?

For Those With Diabetes, Older Drugs Are Often Best

Type 2 diabetes is fat person diabetes.

WHEN it comes to prescription drugs, newer is not necessarily better. And that’s especially true when treating diabetes.

One in 10 Americans has Type 2 diabetes. If the trend continues, one in three will suffer from the disease by the year 2050, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most Type 2 diabetes patients take one or more drugs to control blood sugar. They spent an estimated $12.5 billion on medication in 2007, twice the amount spent in 2001, according to a study by the University of Chicago. (That figure does not including (sic) drugs that diabetics are often prescribed for related health conditions, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.)

Fit people are not fat people.

Get fit. Save money. Free yourself from the drugs or reduce your chances of taking them.

Only Eight Percent Follow Restrictive Diets (e.g. Dukan, Atkins) Or Weight Control Programs (e.g. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers)

Because they are starvation diets, stupid. (e.g., see here, here, here and here)

Despite all the recent hype, restrictive diets such as the Dukan Diet and Atkins - and dieting programs such as Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers - appear at the bottom of the list of popular weight control methods, according to a new national survey released this week by the Calorie Control Council (CCC).

They will never work, except infrequently in the short term.

Being overweight 'linked to dementia'

More benefits to being fat.

Middle aged people who are overweight but not obese, are 71% more likely to develop dementia than those with a normal weight, according to research.

Previous studies have indicated a link between obesity and dementia.

But a study 8,534 of Swedish twins, in the journal Neurology, suggests just being overweight is also a risk factor.

About one out of every 20 people above the age of the 65 has dementia. The Alzheimer's Society said a healthy lifestyle could reduce the risk.

Those with a body mass index (BMI) - which measures weight relative to height - greater than 30, who are classified as obese, were 288% more likely to develop dementia than those with a BMI between 20 and 25, according to the study.

The clinically overweight, who have a BMI between 25 and 30, were 71% more likely.

Kudos, fatsos.

Atlanta Hospital Employee Exposed Hundreds to Tuberculosis

Fit people tend to be healthier than unfit people reducing the need for sick care, including hospitalization.

An infected employee exposed nearly 800 people to tuberculosis at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, the hospital confirmed today.

"At this time, there are 680 patients, and approximately 100 employees who have been identified as having been in contact with the infected individual," Lance Skelly, a spokesman for the hospital, said in a statement. "Each person has been contacted and provided proactive screening instructions. Post-exposure follow-up will also be provided free of charge through the patient's local county health department."

TB, a bacterial infection, can be transmitted through a cough or sneeze. And although it responds well to treatment when caught early, it can cause permanent lung damage, and even death if left untended.

"The vast majority of TB strains are quite susceptible to drugs," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. "If a patient is adherent to the treatment program, which can last nine months, they can be cured and quickly rendered safe for interaction with others."

Minimize your risks from the sick care system.

Get fit.

Food Intake In Teens Increased By Video Game Playing - Confirmed By Rigorous Study

Apparently Wii Wii is really Ca-ca.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 18% of US teens are obese. Although most experts agree that our growing obesity "epidemic" is driven by both inadequate physical activity and excessive caloric intake, implementing solutions is extraordinarily difficult. One area that has caught the attention of health researchers is the observation that trends in video game playing parallel obesity rates on a population basis. Furthermore, several studies have documented a positive association between how much time a child plays video games and his or her chance of being obese.

However, correlation does not necessarily imply causality, and controlled intervention studies are required to test whether playing video games causes children to increase their food intake and/or decrease their energy expenditure. In the first such study of this kind, Canadian and Danish researchers tested their hypothesis that video game playing is accompanied by increased spontaneous food intake...

The authors concluded that their results provide preliminary evidence that male teens playing video games for 1 h consume more calories in the short-term than they do after 1 h of rest. Moreover, overconsumption of food after playing video games occurs without changes in perceived hunger and appetite.

Yup.

Risk Of Fractures In Later Life Not Reduced By High Daily Calcium Intake

So much for going to Whore Foods and buying supplements.

The authors explain that there is still no clear advice on calcium intake. The debate on whether increased calcium intake might compensate for loss of calcium is still ongoing. Recommendations for the over 50s vary considerably around the world - authorities in the UK recommend 700mg per day calcium intake, while in the USA it is 1,200mg and in Scandinavia 800mg...

The researchers found that those who had been consuming approximately 750mg of calcium per day had the lowest risk of fracture. Those who started having more calcium (than 750mg) over time did not experience any improved risk, the authors added.

In fact, some evidence exists suggesting that perhaps a very high calcium intake may result in a greater risk of hip fractures.

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Losing More Than 15% Body Weight Significantly Boosts Vitamin D Levels In Obese Women

If you believe in the cure du jour, then here is a no-cost, avoid Whore Foods way to get more.

Overweight or obese women with less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D who lose more than 15 percent of their body weight experience significant increases in circulating levels of this fat-soluble nutrient, according to a new study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center...

Those who lost 5 percent to 10 percent of their body weight - equivalent to approximately 10 to 20 pounds for most of the women in the study - through diet and/or exercise saw a relatively small increase in blood levels of vitamin D (about 2.7 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/mL), whereas women who lost more than 15 percent of their weight experienced a nearly threefold increase in vitamin D (about 7.7 ng/mL), independent of dietary intake of the nutrient.

Lose the weight, lose the fat and the Vitamin D in your blood will not get stored away.

Elderly care costs could treble says OECD

Two words - Anabolic Clinic (sm) can overcome the trouble with trebles.

The cost of caring for the elderly could treble by 2050, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The body, which represents the most industrialised nations, estimates that 10% of people in OECD countries will be more than 80 years old by 2050.

That is up from 4% in 2010 and less than 1% in 1950.

The OECD report said member countries are spending 1.5% of GDP on long term care.

It predicts spending as a share of economic output will double or even triple in the next forty years.

Find out how anabolic substances can cut sick care costs and improve your life as you age.

You can do something to help yourself.

No one else will.

Experts Recommend Low Calorie Sweeteners As An Effective And Safe Way To Help Manage Weight

Bad source, reasonable conclusion.

The desire to eat sweet things does not need to be suppressed, just managed, according to health and nutrition experts meeting at the International Sweeteners Association's conference in Brussels today. At the event, leading scientists in the field concluded that low calorie sweeteners provide an effective solution to fulfilling our natural desire for sweet tastes, without allowing us to over-consume calories and gain weight.

A strategy that can work.

Broiled Or Baked Fish Lowers Heart Failure Risk - Fried Fish Raises Risk

Sensational headline. Conclusion unsupported by the text.

Read the following and decide if it is the fish, the method of preparation, the age difference between the groups, the Calories...

Postmenopausal women who regularly eat broiled or baked fish have a 30% lower risk of heart failure compared to women who very rarely or never consume broiled/baked fish, while regular eaters of fried fish have a higher risk, researchers revealed in the journal Circulation - Heart Failure.

The authors explained that certain ingredients found in fish, such as fatty acids, EPA, DHA and ALA were found in previous studies to reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular disease by decreasing inflammation, improving blood pressure, cardiac and blood vessel function, and resisting oxidative stress.

Dark fish, also known as blue fish or oily fish provide much greater benefits than tuna or white fish. Examples of dark fish include salmon, sardines, mackerel and bluefish. Examples of white fish include cod, snapper and sole.

Those regularly eating fried fish, even if it is only once a week, had a much higher chance of developing heart failure.

Senior author Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Sc.M., said:

"Not all fish are equal, and how you prepare it really matters. When you fry fish, you not only lose a lot of the benefits, you likely add some things related to the cooking process that are harmful."

Frying fish raises the TFA (trans fatty acid) content of the food. TFA has been linked to a greater heart disease risk, the authors wrote. They stressed that their study did not find such a link.

Lloyd-Jones and colleagues gathered self-reported information from 84,493 women in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study - they were all postmenopausal.

The women were divided into the type of fish they ate, and how often they ate fish. They defined two types of fish consumption: Baked/broiled or fried.

Their data analysis covered the period 1991-2008. 1,858 cases of heart failure were recorded over an average 10-year follow up.

85% of the women were Caucasian, 7% African-American and 3% Hispanic. At baseline their average age was 63 years.

The baked/broiled fish consumers were healthier, younger than the fried-fish eaters. They were also physically fitter, did more exercise, had a higher educational level, had much lower smoking rates, as well as lower rates of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

Those in the baked/broiled fish group also tended to consume more fruit and vegetables, less saturated and trans fatty acids, and consumed better quality fats than the fried fish group participants.

The women in the fried fish group consumed more calories each day, had a larger BMI (body mass index), and consumed less fiber than those in the baked/broiled fish group.

It is not safe to believe all you read.

Be a critical reader.

Study Links Obesity To Increased Risk Of Developing Postoperative Infection Following Colon Surgery

Fat ass = sore, infected ass. (kinda)

Obese patients appear to have a significantly increased risk of developing a surgical site infection after colectomy (procedure involving either partial or full removal of the colon), and the presence of infection increases the cost associated with the procedure, according to a report published online today that will appear in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Cost more = pay more. (for sure)

Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy Can Lead To Long-Term Obesity

Not only in pregnancy.

Gaining more than the recommended weight during pregnancy can put women at increased risk of becoming obese and developing related health problems, including high blood pressure, later in life. These are the latest findings from researchers at the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)/Children of the 90s at the University of Bristol.

Best to lose the weight before getting pregnant, get pregnant, gain a "normal" amount of weight and then have the kid.

Obese Patients At Much Greater Risk For Costly Surgical-Site Infections

Have them pay the difference themselves.

Obese patients undergoing colon surgery are 60 percent more likely to develop dangerous and costly surgical-site infections than their normal-weight counterparts, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

These infections, according to findings published in the journal Archives of Surgery, cost an average of $17,000 more per patient, extend hospital stays and leave patients at a three-times greater risk of hospital readmission.

And if they refuse...enjoy your infection, fatso.

Heart-Healthy Omega-3s Not Healthy for Prostate: Study

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about or know what a "healthy" supplement is?

High levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in the blood may be associated with an increased risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer, while elevated levels of unhealthy trans-fatty acids may lower the risk, a new study suggests.

Researchers examined data from a U.S.-wide study of more than 3,400 men, and found that those with the highest blood percentages of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were two-and-a-half times more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those with the lowest DHA levels.

DHA is an inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in fatty fish. In the study, the men consumed the DHA primarily from fish rather than fish oil supplements.

The study also found that the risk of aggresive prostate cancer was 50 percent lower in men with the highest blood levels of trans-fatty acids, which are abundant in processed foods and associated with inflammation and heart disease.

Oops.

Medical Scientists Tackle Poor Eating Habits In Teenagers, UK

And up until now, what have they been doing?

Medical scientists at the University of Leicester are urgently tackling a rising tide of teenage dietary problems through an education programme for over 800 secondary school students.

And the reason they didn't do something earlier so there would be no need to do it "urgently" is?

Osteoarthritis -- More Common As Obesity Rises

Oh, my achin' joints.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and the most common cause of disability today. It was once considered a problem of the old but it is now commonly diagnosed in those as young as the mid-twenties and early thirties. According to the Arthritis Foundation, about four million, quality-adjusted life years are lost due to knee osteoarthritis alone. They further conclude that those who are obese are also more likely to develop advanced, end-stage disease than those who maintain a healthy weight. Both the incidence of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, along with obesity have all risen dramatically in the past fifty years.

Lose the weight, save/improve the joint.

It's Time To Put Potatoes Back On The Table

They're good again.

Hungry for a meatloaf cupcake with mashed potato frosting? How about potato tacos? Or a loaded baked potato pizza? With the popularity of low-carb diets waning, potato-based dishes are turning up on more dinner tables and restaurant menus as a healthy addition to almost any meal.

The "Ingredients" column of the April 2011 issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), examines the history of the spud as well as some of the innovative ways it can be prepared and new products on the market that showcase the healthy advantages of potatoes.

"Compared by some to a blank slate, potatoes can effectively work with a wide range of different flavors and ingredients," writes author Donald E. Pszczola, senior editor of Food Technology and author of the magazine's "Ingredients" column.

Actually, they were never bad.

There are no "healthy" foods.

There is only eating healthily.

Still, with all the brouhaha over "white foods," you would think they were devils.

Now that the circle is coming around to the opposite conclusion, do you still think they have any idea what they are talking about?

Simple Fitness Test Could Predict Long-Term Risk For Heart Attack, Stroke In The Middle-Aged

Reason to train.

In two separate studies, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found that how fast a middle-age person can run a mile can help predict the risk of dying of heart attack or stroke decades later for men and could be an early indicator of cardiovascular disease for women.

No better time to start than now.

Calcium Supplements Appear To Raise Heart Attack And Cardiovascular Event Risk

Two words: Anabolic Clinic (sm).

Calcium supplements, which are often prescribed to postmenopausal women, appear to raise the risk of cardiovascular events, especially heart attacks in older females, researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, revealed in the BMJ (British Medical Journal). Older women take calcium supplements to maintain good bone health - the authors suggest that doctors should consider reassessing their use.

Calcium has almost no effect on osteoporosis, which is NOT a disease of low calcium.

Learn how anabolic substances can help you.

Thumbs Down For Heart Tick, Australia

So much for giving the fat more information so they can make "healthy" food choices. (There are no "healthy" foods. There is just eating healthily.)

Young and/or healthy people are less likely to use the Heart Foundation's Tick of approval to make food choices in the supermarket, according to a study conducted by CQUniversity.

Healthy food researcher from CQUniversity Dr Susan Williams said the survey of 1435 adult Australians, conducted late 2009, revealed that the Tick program was rarely used by younger people and those who had not been previously diagnosed with a chronic health condition.

"Overall, 76% of those surveyed said they looked for the Tick at least occasionally and more females than males looked for the Tick," Dr Williams said.

"However our study also showed that more Australians never looked for the Tick (24%) than those who regularly use the Tick (19%).

"The males who frequently looked for the Tick were almost twice as likely to be overweight or obese, more than three times more likely to have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, and nearly twice as likely to have been diagnosed with hypertension."

The study also showed that females who frequently looked for the Tick were three times more likely to be over 65 years of age and more likely to live in a rural area or town.

Of those who never use the Tick, 41% said they never looked for dietary symbols or logos to make choices with grocery items, 10% said they did not trust the symbol or organisation, while 4% considered themselves healthy and did not need to worry about diet.

"Overall, this study highlights that the use of food product signposting (such as the Heart Foundation Tick) currently has a limited market.

Yup.

Obese Americans Are In Denial About Their Own Health And Doing Little To Change Their Destiny

Cut the fat f**ks loose and stop paying for their sick care. Then watch the denial go away.

Most Americans who are overweight or obese - even those who are well-educated - see themselves as being in good health even though they appear to be well aware of the dangers of obesity, a new study finds.

Their level of concern about the danger their weight poses to their health is reflected in their exercise patterns, according to the study. More than half either don't exercise at all or merely engage in naturally occurring exercise, such as walking up the stairs in their own home.

The study, conducted by Catalyst Healthcare Research, a nationally recognized leader in healthcare research, found that 60 percent of Americans say obesity is the number one threat to public health, far outdistancing cancer, in second place with 16 percent. Researchers interviewed 1500 Americans ages 18 to 65.

Of those considered to be obese or overweight, 11 percent of those who responded to the survey considered themselves to be in excellent health, and an additional 61 percent said they were in good health.

"These results suggest that many Americans are living in denial about their health status," said Dan Prince, president of Catalyst Healthcare Research. "Health advocates face a much deeper problem than merely persuading people of the benefits of losing weight -- they must find ways to help people face the hard truth about themselves."

And until that time comes, which it will not without incentive, the rest of us have to pay for their diseases of choice.

In Texas schools, a picture's worth 1,000 calories

It's Calories, not calories.

Health officials trying to reduce obesity and improve eating habits at five San Antonio elementary schools unveiled a $2 million research project Wednesday that will photograph students' lunch trays before they sit down to eat and later take a snapshot of the leftovers.

A computer program then analyzes the photos to identify every piece of food on the plate — right down to how many ounces are left in that lump of mashed potatoes — and calculates the number of calories each student scarfed down.

The project, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, is the first of its kind in the nation. The cameras, about the size of pocket flashlights, point only toward the trays and don't photograph the students. Researchers say about 90 percent of parents gave permission to record every morsel of food their child eats.

"We're trying to be as passive as possible. The kids know they're being monitored," said Dr. Roger Echon, who works for the San Antonio-based Social & Health Research Center, and who is building the food-recognition program.

Here's how it works: Each lunch tray gets a bar code sticker to identify a student. After the children load up their plates down the line — cole slaw or green beans? french fries or fruit? — a camera above the cashier takes a picture of each tray.

When lunch is over and the plates are returned to the kitchen, another camera takes a snapshot of what's left. Echon's program then analyzes the before and after photos to calculate calories consumed and the values of 128 other nutrients. It identifies foods by measuring size, shape, color and density.

Parents will receive the data for their children, and researchers hope eating habits at home will change once moms and dads see what their kids are choosing in school. The data also will be used to study what foods children are likely to choose and how much they're eating.

Useless.

The problem is the Calories eaten outside the school.

Another problem is the gross stupidity of researchers:

Researchers warn that obesity is not always the result of children eating too many calories. A previous study by the nonprofit center reported that 44 percent of children studied consumed calories below daily minimum requirements, but nearly one-third were still obese. Seven percent screened positive for type 2 diabetes.

In the absence of too many Calories in, overweight/obesity is impossible.

These folks are just plain idiots.

No hope.

Obesity Creates Wimpy Rats

Just as it does in non-sapient homo sapiens.

Obesity appears to impair normal muscle function in rats, an observation that could have significant implications for humans, according to Penn State researchers.

"Our findings demonstrate that obesity involves more than accumulating excess fat and carrying excess weight," said Rudolf J. Schilder, American Physiological Society postdoctoral fellow in physiological genomics, Penn State College of Medicine. "We show that, during the development of obesity, skeletal muscles fail to adjust their molecular composition appropriately to the increasing body weight. Consequently, the muscles of obese mammals are not properly 'tuned' to the higher body weight they carry."

Mental, emotional and physical weenies.

Weight Loss Experts Comment On NHS Drug Trial For Obese Pregnant Women, UK

Unusually almost lucid comments from an "expert" on the UK's drug-the-pregnant policy.

Women rightfully feel "uneasy" that the NHS has embarked on a trial in which overweight pregnant women are being given a drug to prevent them having obese babies, says Alison Wetton, CEO of Britain's fastest growing weight loss organisation, All About Weight.

"No mother-to-be likes to take medication, and the fact that the widely-used diabetes pill, metformin, is being trialled to prevent obese babies being born to overweight mothers is disturbing to me, and I am sure most other women as well," said Mrs Wetton.

She was commenting on news that 400 obese, non-diabetic women are taking part in a study at hospitals in Liverpool, Edinburgh and Coventry in which half will take metformin up to three times a day from 12 weeks gestation, and the other half will be given dummy drugs.

The treatment is designed to reduce the food supply to the baby, rather than make the expectant mother lose weight herself. Doctors behind the trial are hoping it will prevent the birth of over-large babies, thereby reducing the need for caesarean sections and the instance of pre-eclampsia, which is a potentially fatal complication in pregnancy common to overweight mothers.

Mr Will Williams, scientific advisor for All About Weight, said that although there were "reasonable grounds" for the trial, it was "a shame that it is needed at all".

"We know that being obese and having high blood glucose and insulin levels is bad for the mother and baby. We also know that obese mothers tend to have children who go on to become overweight and obese and have associated health complications in later life. Metformin is safe in pregnancy and has no negative effects on the child up to 2 years, but there is a lack of studies on older children," said Mr Williams.

He said women wanting to conceive could instead lose weight by following a healthy weight loss plan, including diet and exercise, and "thus achieve all the things that the Metformin trial is hoping to do, without the risks or costs of adding a drug with uncertain long term effects."

"This would be far preferable to popping a pill that may help pregnancy outcomes but is unlikely to break the cycle of an unhealthy lifestyle leading to overweight children and the continuing rise of obesity and diabetes in the general population," said Mr Williams.

The "almost lucid" part is that if these women really cared about their kids, they would lose the weight prior to conceiving.

But they do not.

They would rather sicken their kids.

Kings Fund: Waiting times in England at three-year high

"I am romantic about the NHS; I love it. All I need to do to rediscover the romance is to look at health care in my own country." Donald Berwick, MD, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Hospital waiting times in England are at their longest for three years, an independent health think tank says.

The Kings Fund says statistics for February show 15% of patients waited over 18 weeks for treatment, the longest time since April 2008.

Oops.

Calcium Supplements and CV Events: New Data, More Debate

Two words - Anabolic Clinic (sm).

A new, expanded analysis of the cardiovascular risks associated with calcium supplements suggests that a previously reported 30% risk of myocardial infarction (MI) linked to calcium supplements alone extends to people who are also taking vitamin D.

Calcium and vitamin D are taken in combination, as supplements, by millions of people in the hopes of reducing the risk of fractures, but this strategy should be reconsidered in the face of evidence pointing to a roughly 20% increased risk of both MI and stroke in people taking both calcium and vitamin D, according to Dr Mark Bolland (University of Auckland, New Zealand) and colleagues.

Learn more about how anabolic substances can help prevent or reverse osteoporosis - things which calcium and Vitamin D cannot do.

The value of Vitamin D and calcium in osteoporosis is a myth.

What New Research Shows About Liposuction

Not a fix. Just a temporary distraction.

Liposuction has become one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the country. It has been around since 1974 and there are now more than 450,000 operations a year. But does the fat come back? A recent study by Teri L. Hernandez, PhD, RN and Robert H. Eckel, MD, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that the fat eventually returns within one year, and is redistributed to other areas of the body, especially the upper abdomen. There was further redistribution around the shoulders and triceps of the arms.

The real fix?

Here.

Very Obese Teens Take Bigger Risks

"Take bigger risks"? They are at bigger risk just from being obese.

Extremely obese teens seem just as likely to engage in some risky behaviors as their normal-weight peers -- but sometimes in more dangerous ways, a national survey found.

For instance, even though very obese teenage girls were at much lower risk for ever having sexual intercourse (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.85), they were significantly more likely to have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs during their last sexual encounter (OR 4.57, 95% CI 1.18 to 17.61), according to Meg H. Zeller, PhD, and colleagues from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Imagine how much their partners had to intoxicate to do the deed.

The study, based on a survey of more than 9,000 high school students, also suggested that very obese girls were twice as likely to have had sex before age 13, although the result was not statistically significant (OR 2.08, 95% CI 0.48 to 8.97), the researchers reported in the May Pediatrics.

"These findings were a surprise to us," Zeller told MedPage Today.

"We had thought that, because of their social isolation and the stigma associated with extreme obesity, these kids would be engaging in fewer risky behaviors than typical adolescents," she said in an interview.

Previous studies of obese adolescents, those with a body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile for their age and gender, have shown they are equally or even less likely to engage in certain risky behaviors, Zeller and colleagues noted in their background material.

At the same time, those studies found that obese girls were more likely to take certain risks, such as engaging in sex before age 13, having multiple sexual partners, and not using contraceptives.

However, little is known about risk-taking behaviors among extremely obese adolescents, those with a BMI ≥99th percentile for age and gender.

To address this, Zeller's group analyzed data from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a school-based survey administered by the CDC every two years to a nationally representative sample of students in grades nine to 12.

Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI for the teens.

The study analyzed YRBS data for 410 high school students who were extremely obese and 8,669 students of normal weight.

In addition to early sexual activity, Zeller and colleagues found that very obese girls were more likely than their healthy-weight peers to engage in these risky behaviors:

Ever tried cigarette smoking, OR 2.04 (95% CI 1.31 to 3.20)
Current cigarette smoking, OR 2.28 (95% CI 1.19 to 4.37)
Current smokeless tobacco use, OR 4.56 (95% CI 1.22 to 17.15)
Ever used steroids without a prescription, OR 3.59 (95% CI 1.03 to 12.44)
Very obese boys also were more likely to have ever tried smoking (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.01) and to have smoked cigarettes before age 13 (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.96).

"Obese adolescents are already at greater risk for the development of additional chronic health conditions, the likes of which may be exacerbated by cigarette smoking, resulting in compound health risk," Zeller and colleagues wrote.

The likelihood of serious consideration of suicide was increased for both very obese girls (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1 to 2.92) and boys (OR 1.61, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.61).

The results of nutritional child abuse.

Drug trial to prevent obese kids

Will not work.

Obese pregnant women are to be given a drug to reduce the risk of obesity in their children as part of an NHS trial.

Overweight women supply too much food to a growing baby which can lead to health problems for mother and child.

Doctors want to try to control this with metformin, which is used to treat diabetes.

Weight Concern said it was an intriguing idea, but ideally women should reach a normal weight before pregnancy.

The researchers leading this study say 15% of pregnant women arriving at many UK hospitals are obese.

It can increase a woman's risk death, pre-eclampsia and of their babies being stillborn or large.

Larger babies are more likely to be obese later in life.

It is thought that obese pregnant women are more resistant to the hormone insulin, which prevents blood sugar levels from getting too high.

Metformin reduces insulin resistance.

It is hoped this will reduce the amount of sugar going to the baby so it is born at a normal size.

The sows will overfeed their kids and that will result in their overweight/obesity - as it does now.

Better that the fat should not reproduce until the weight is lost and they have learned how to control Calories.

Body Fat Percentage: The Best Measurement Of Your Health Risks Say Authors

Almost certainly true:

Did you know that a large belly carries a risk equivalent for coronary artery disease comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes daily or having high cholesterol? People with coronary artery disease and expanded waistlines are at more than twice the risk of dying, including those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the normal range.

These conclusions result from a large study by the Mayo Clinic, involving almost 16,000 people from five countries around the world. Authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel, of the new book TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (BSH, 2011), claim, the problem is deeper. It is not just the fat you see. "Even more dangerous is the visceral belly fat that resides in the abdominal cavity and surrounds the internal organs. This internal fat actually makes up a large proportion of the waist measurement," say the Griesels.

Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can produce hormones and other substances that have a negative impact on your health including increasing the risk of serious health problems like heart disease; high blood pressure; stroke; type 2 diabetes; metabolic syndrome; some types of cancer; and sleep apnea.

Clearly something happens when people exceed their intended size.

Definitely untrue:

Contrary to common thinking, BMI is not the best measurement for overall risk because many people with readings in the normal range still have dangerous levels of (hidden) visceral fat. BMI is just a measure of weight in proportion to height.

BMI is the best since it is available to all, simple, cannot be easily fudged and offers a roadmap to weight loss.

Perfect it is not.

But very good - you bet.

Selenium 'does not prevent cancer'

Say it ain't so.

Taking a daily supplement of selenium will not ward off cancer, say experts who have reviewed the available evidence.

The Cochrane group looked at 55 studies that included over a million people.

Despite anecdotal reports of selenium's cancer powers, the investigators found no proof of a protective effect against skin cancer or prostate cancer.

And taking selenium over a long period of time could have toxic effects, they found.

Oops.

Study Suggests That 'Bad' Cholesterol Is Not As Bad As People Think

Salt, now "bad" cholesterol.

The so-called "bad cholesterol" - low-density lipoprotein, commonly called LDL - may not be so bad after all, shows a Texas A&M University study that casts new light on the cholesterol debate, particularly among adults who exercise...

Riechman and colleagues examined 52 adults from ages to 60 to 69 who were in generally good health but not physically active, and none of them were participating in a training program. The study showed that after fairly vigorous workouts, participants who had gained the most muscle mass also had the highest levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, "a very unexpected result and one that surprised us.

"It shows that you do need a certain amount of LDL to gain more muscle mass. There's no doubt you need both - the LDL and the HDL - and the truth is, it (cholesterol) is all good. You simply can't remove all the 'bad' cholesterol from your body without serious problems occurring.

Cholesterol is found in all humans and is a type of fat around the body. A person's total cholesterol level is comprised of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol.

LDL is almost always referred to as the "bad" cholesterol because it tends to build up in the walls of arteries, causing a slowing of the blood flow which often leads to heart disease and heart attacks.

HDL, usually called the "good cholesterol," often helps remove cholesterol from arteries.

"But here is where people tend to get things wrong," Riechman says.

"LDL serves a very useful purpose. It acts as a warning sign that something is wrong and it signals the body to these warning signs. It does its job the way it is supposed to.

"People often say, 'I want to get rid of all my bad (LDL) cholesterol,' but the fact is, if you did so, you would die," the Texas A&M professor adds. "Everyone needs a certain amount of both LDL and HDL in their bodies. We need to change this idea of LDL always being the evil thing - we all need it, and we need it to do its job."

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about?

The only reliable "health" friend you have is fitness.

Schools battling childhood obesity

And losing. Not the weight. The battle. The war.

One reason why, is the IMHO lawbreakers mentioned in this article, i.e., mandatory reporters who are not reporting.

Gregory and Sharon Gardner sat in a church parking lot, waiting for their "walking school bus" to depart for Bunnell Elementary School.

The 10-year-old twins joined more than 100 parents and students, part of a school-driven effort to get kids active.

Unlike previous generations, few children walk to school. Many don't get much exercise at all...

Schools are in the trenches in the battle against this epidemic. Children spend six hours or more each day there, often eating one or two meals in the cafeteria. Physical education and health classes can teach students about fitness and nutrition.

While schools can't single-handedly reverse the trend, their role is important, officials say.

Ormond Beach pediatrician James White said he's worried about what lies ahead, considering how little kids get outside to play and how much fast food they eat.

"The biggest problem we're facing today is the weight," he said.

He said he sees far too many future heart attacks and diabetes cases sitting pint-sized in his office.

"If we could get a handle on the obesity, the health care costs in this country would just plummet," he said.

Here are the laws they are breaking:

Florida

Child Abuse and Neglect

Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
To better understand this issue and to view it across States, download the PDF (665 KB) of this publication.

Physical Abuse
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Abuse means any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental, or sexual injury or harm that causes or is likely to cause a child's physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. Abuse of a child includes acts or omissions...


Neglect
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Neglect occurs when a child is deprived of, or is allowed to be deprived of, necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment or a child is permitted to live in an environment when such deprivation or environment causes the child's physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired or to be in danger of being significantly impaired...


Emotional Abuse
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Mental injury means an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced by a discernible and substantial impairment in the ability to function within the normal range of performance and behavior.


Standards for Reporting
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

A report is required when a person knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Responsible persons include the child's parent or legal custodian, or, in the absence of the parent or legal custodian, the child's caregiver. The term caregiver includes the parent, legal custodian, adult household member, or other person responsible for a child's welfare.

Other person responsible for a child's welfare includes:

The child's legal guardian or foster parent
An employee of a private school, public or private child daycare center, residential home, institution, facility, or agency
A law enforcement officer employed in any facility, service, or program for children that is operated or contracted by the Department of Juvenile Justice
Any other person legally responsible for the child's welfare in a residential setting
An adult sitter or relative entrusted with a child's care


Exceptions
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Corporal discipline of a child by a parent does not in itself constitute abuse when it does not result in harm to the child.
It shall not be considered neglect if failure to provide for the child is caused primarily by financial inability unless actual services for relief have been offered to and rejected by the parent.

A parent legitimately practicing religious beliefs in accordance with a recognized church or religious organization who does not provide specific medical treatment for a child may not, for that reason alone, be considered a negligent parent. This exception does not preclude a court from ordering medical services or other treatment to be provided when the health of the child so requires.

Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
To better understand this issue and to view it across States, download the PDF (380 KB) of this publication.

Professionals Required to Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

The following persons are mandated reporters:
Physicians, osteopaths, medical examiners, chiropractors, nurses, or hospital personnel
Other health or mental health professionals
Practitioners who rely solely on spiritual means for healing
Teachers or other school officials or personnel
Social workers, daycare center workers, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional workers
Law enforcement officers or judges


Reporting by Other Persons
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected shall report.

Standards for Making a Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

A report is required when:
A person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected.
A person knows that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative immediately known and available to provide supervision and care.


Privileged Communications
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.204

Only attorney-client and clergy-penitent privileges are permitted.

Inclusion of Reporter's Name in Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

Professionals who are mandated reporters are required to provide their names to hotline staff.

Disclosure of Reporter Identity
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 39.201; 39.202

The names of reporters shall be entered into the record of the report but shall be held confidential. The name of the reporter may not be released to any person other than employees of the Department of Children and Family Services responsible for child protective services, the central abuse hotline, law enforcement, the child protection team, or the appropriate State attorney, without the written consent of the person reporting.
This does not prohibit the serving of a subpoena to a person reporting child abuse, abandonment, or neglect when deemed necessary by the court, the State attorney, or the department, provided the fact that such person made the report is not disclosed.

Higher Coffee Consumption Not Linked To High Blood Pressure

Reality check. Why it is better to be fit than not.

If they are unsettled on matters as omnipresent as coffee and blood pressure, do you really think they are of any value when it comes to the tough stuff, e.g., prescription drug interactions, genetic interventions, etc.?

There is no evidence that regularly drinking three or more cups of coffee a day is linked to high blood pressure, according to a new analysis of data pooled from several published studies, although the researchers did find a slight link with lower levels of consumption...

The researchers concluded their results suggest that habitual consumption of more than three cups of coffee a day is not linked to increased risk of high blood pressure compared to drinking less than one cup per day, but it looks like there is a "slightly elevated risk" for light to moderate consumption of 1 to 3 cups per day...

The relationship between coffee drinking and blood pressure may be complicated for several reasons, including the possibility of different effects in different people, perhaps due to genetic differences that make it safe for some to drink a lot of coffee but not others, according to one of the authors quoted by Reuters Health.

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about?

Why risk it?

Fit people tend to be healthier people with less need to interact with the woefully unknowing sick care system.

Get fit.