Computer Model Estimates Risks and Benefits of Bariatric Surgery for Severely Obese

And for those who will die sooner from the surgery, you should have thought about that before you became fat.

A computerized model suggests that most morbidly obese individuals would likely live longer if they had gastric bypass surgery, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, the best decision for individual patients varies based on factors such as age, increasing body mass index and the effectiveness of surgery.

An estimated 5.1 percent of the U.S. population is morbidly obese, often defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, according to background information in the article. Available evidence suggests that dietary, behavioral and pharmacologic treatments frequently do not result in meaningful weight loss for individuals in this group. Bariatric surgery appears to be the only effective therapy for promoting clinically significant weight loss and improving obesity-related health conditions for the morbidly obese. However, the procedure is not without risk, including in-hospital death.

Daniel P. Schauer, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, and colleagues used two nationally representative surveys and a recent large observational trial to construct a model estimating the benefits and risks of gastric bypass surgery for individuals with morbid obesity. The model included data from almost 400,000 individuals nationwide to estimate the risk of death from obesity and its complications; data from 23,281 patients undergoing bariatric surgery to calculate in-hospital death rates following the procedures; and outcomes from participants in a seven-year study to determine the effects of surgery on survival and to calibrate and validate the model.

According to the resulting model, an average 42-year-old woman with a BMI of 45 would gain an estimated additional three years of life expectancy as a result of undergoing bariatric surgery; a 44-year-old man with the same BMI would gain an estimated 2.6 additional years.

Additional analyses revealed that younger women with higher BMIs are projected to gain the most life expectancy from surgery. Younger men with higher BMIs might also gain more life expectancy after surgery, but the gain would be less for men than for women in each subgroup. "Younger patients have lower surgical risk and more time over which to realize the benefits of surgery," the authors write. "For older patients, the gain is smaller, and for some, gastric bypass surgery will decrease life expectancy."

For those extra 2-3 years, as long as the rest of us do not have to contribute a penny for this IMHO malpractice, go for it, fatsos.

Have a ball. And 2 ounce feedings.

Child fitness: Sneaky strategies aim to get kids moving

Another s**t for brains psychologist laughing all the way to the bank.

Is your rug rat becoming a sofa spud?

To get that texting, tweeting, gaming child up and exercising, a new book suggests parents try sneaking fitness into the day-to-day routine.

"This whole (childhood) obesity epidemic can be obliterated by the sneaky fitness method," she added.

Her book contains over 100 toddler-to-tween-targeted strategies, games and tips for exercising children. "Sneaky Fitness" is the fourth book in a series that sets forth what Lapine labels the sneaky lifestyle.

The best-selling "Sneaky Chef" cookbooks aimed to sneak good food into kids diets with recipes such as spinach-laced brownies and cookies with wheat germ folded in.

The matter really is "Why this whole (childhood) obesity epidemic wasn't obliterated by the Sneaky Chef method" if this crap worked.

The reason? This crap does not work in practice.

Should Obese, Smoking and Alcohol Consuming Women Receive Assisted Reproduction Treatment?

Finally, recognition of the early child abuse it really is.

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has published a position statement on the impact of the life style factors obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption on natural and medically assisted reproduction.

In a literature study the ESHRE Task Force on Ethics and Law summarised the negative effects of obesity, smoking and drinking on the natural reproductive potential of patients, on IVF results, pregnancy complications and outcomes and finally on the health of the future child. The paper is published online on 19 January 2010 in the journal Human Reproduction. The group made five recommendations.

1) In view of the risks for the future child, fertility doctors should refuse treatment to women used to more than moderate drinking and who are not willing or able to minimize their alcohol consumption.

2) Treating women with severe or morbid obesity required special justification. The available data suggested that weight loss would incur in a positive reproductive effect, although more data was needed to establish whether assisted reproduction should be made conditional upon prior life-style changes for obese and smoking females.

3) Assisted reproduction should only be conditional upon life style changes, if there was strong evidence that without behavioural modifications there was a risk of serious harm to the child or that the treatment became disproportional in terms of cost-effectiveness or obstetric risks.

4) When making assisted reproduction conditional upon life style modifications, fertility doctors should help patients to achieve the necessary results.

5) More data on obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption as well as other life style factors were necessary to assess reproductive effects. Fertility doctors should continue research in this area.

ESHRE acknowledged that this was a complex issue due to personal, patient, professional and societal responsibilities and also in terms of what these responsibilities meant with regard to safety of mother and child and fair and equitable access to treatment. The respect for patient autonomy needed to be balanced with the moral weight of the interests of society and the future child.

Obesity

According to the group obesity negatively affected reproductive potential through interference with hormonal and metabolic mechanisms leading to lower ovulation frequency and reduced chances of conception. The risk of gestational diabetes increased from twofold in overweight women to eightfold for morbidly obese women. The infants of obese mothers were at risk of perinatal death, congenital abnormalities such as neural tube defects (80% increase) and cardiovascular anomalies (30% increase).

The position adopted here, years ago, was that fat people should not be assisted in reproducing since their children are almost certain to suffer from, at the very least, nutritional child abuse. Further, fat pregnant people are, themselves, at risk for complications.

Later, this position was adopted by major hospitals and medical centers and medical organizations.

The next phase hopefully will, and should be, lawsuits against physicians who assist the fat in parenting kids whose lives are jeopardized by "wrongful lifestyle."

We can only hope that the march to save the kids continues.

Bariatric Surgery Can Break Obesity Cycle

In a pigs eye.

Obesity is a condition that often follows family lines, but bariatric surgery offers hope for breaking this generational pattern.

"Bariatric surgery is part of a transformational lifestyle change," said Christopher Still, D.O., director of the Geisinger Center for Nutrition and Weight Management. "Patients who are most successful after bariatric surgery must adapt to healthy diet and exercise, and many times this new lifestyle will rub off on family members, resulting in a healthier family unit."

While genetics can play a role in obesity, other familial factors can be major contributors to this health issue, said Dr. Still. A 2008 study in the American Journal of Sociology concluded that a family's lifestyle has a major impact on whether teenagers will end up overweight, and according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a person's environment and behavior play a large role in obesity.

"Oftentimes, obesity is caused by preventable factors such as poor eating habits or a lack of physical activity," said Dr. Still. "These tendencies are strongly influenced by the people around us. After bariatric surgery, a patient who begins exercising and eating healthier can impart new, healthy habits on their family and help break unhealthy behaviors and ultimately obesity."

If the people who had bariatric surgery were able to transform their lifestyles, they wouldn't be fat.

Serving a few ounces of food per meal is not the way to raise a family and virtually no family member will stand for that.

Plus, a substantial number of patients break through and get fat all over again.

However, to show you how far these IMHO liars will go to sell their miserable surgical fixes, note the garbage about "other factors [that] can play a role," i.e., Calories in vs. Calories out.

These are not "other factors." These are the only factors.

There is no genetics involved as there can be no genetics that ever defeats Calories in vs. Calories out.

If you have been the victim of fat person surgery, go here and then go see a lawyer.

Obesity linked to higher risk of kidney stones

Kudos, fatsos.

Obese people are more likely to develop kidney stones than normal weight individuals, but severe obesity doesn't seem to further increase risk, research in the Journal of Urology shows.

Kidney stones are solidified deposits of minerals and acid salts. "Passing" the stones in the urine can be extremely painful. Rarely, a person will require surgery or other types of treatment if they are unable to pass the stone on their own.

Studies have shown a rise in kidney stone disease paralleling the increase in obesity, Dr. Brian R. Matlaga of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and his colleagues write.

You can avoid the pain of responsible caloric intake but at the cost of getting the pain of voiding urine.

Smart choice, morons.

Prevalence of High Body Mass Index Among Children and Teens Remains Steady

Kudos, fatsos. You are keeping your kids in jeopardy.

The prevalence of high weight for length or high body mass index (BMI) among children and teens in the U.S. (i.e., at or above the 95th percentile), ranges from approximately 10 percent for infants and toddlers, to approximately 18 percent for adolescents and teenagers, although these rates appear to have remained relatively stable over the past 10 years, except for an increase for 6- to 19-year-old boys who are at the very heaviest weight levels, according to a study appearing in the January 20 issue of JAMA.

The study is being published early online because of its public health importance.

"High BMI among children and adolescents continues to be a public health concern in the United States. Children with high BMI often become obese adults, and obese adults are at risk for many chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers," the authors write. "Since 1980, the prevalence of BMI for age at or above the 95th percentile (sometimes termed 'obese') has tripled among school-age children and adolescents, and it remains high at approximately 17 percent. However, the prevalence of BMI for age at or above the 95th percentile among children and adolescents showed no significant changes between 1999 and 2006 for both boys and girls or among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican American individuals."

Of course, the AMA, publisher of JAMA, is nowhere near blameless.

It, like the other stakeholders with a vested interest in keeping us fat, has prevented the public from losing weight by making impossible weight loss suggestions.

See here, here, here, here, here, here and here, for examples.

To put it and the others out of business while helping yourself succeed at weight loss, go here, here, here, here, here and here.

Then go here to start complaining and here to fight back even more.

Take 10 Steps To Weight Loss Success In 2010

Nine too many and an IMHO scam to get you to needlessly hire a dietitian.

Forget the fads and 'Take 10' small steps to weight loss success - that's the message from dietitians to the thousands of Australians who will make losing weight their goal in 2010.

Launching the third annual Australia's Healthy Weight Week (January 24 to 31), Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) CEO Claire Hewat said: 'Fad and quick-fix weight loss programs often promise easy, no-effort weight loss. The reality is these programs can set people up to fail and damage their self esteem in the process.' ...

'An Accredited Practising Dietitian can work out the best approach to achieve your weight loss goals and help keep you motivated, especially if you hit a plateau, by helping to fine tune your approach.'

Like many people battling excess weight, Sydney-based nurse Nicole Simpson has tried many exercise and diet regimens, losing a few kilos only to regain them soon afterwards. But with the guidance of an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Nicole is now watching her portion sizes and making better food choices.

'With the help of a dietitian you know you always have support there, and if you have a bad day, week or month they will help you get back on track and not make you feel bad for being human! I now find I have so much more energy and can walk into a shop to buy clothes - and feel great in them,' said Nicole.

Associate Professor Collins' 'Take 10 in 2010' tips for achieving or maintaining a healthy weight:

1. Eat breakfast
2. Include vegetables or salad with lunch and dinner
3. Choose fruit as a snack
4. Replace full-fat food and drinks with reduced-fat alternatives
5. Choose wholegrain foods instead of more refined foods
6. Eat smaller serving sizes by using smaller plates and cups
7. Eat slowly and stop when you are satisfied, not stuffed full
8. Eat when you genuinely feel hungry, rather than for emotional or other reasons
9. Swap sweetened drinks such as cordial, soft drink and juice with water
10. Eat your evening meals at a dinner table with the TV turned off.

Although, these IMHO crooks offered nine too many, and not even the right one among the full ten, for those of you who need ten tips, here are mine:

1. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
2. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
3. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
4. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
5. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
6. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
7. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
8. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
9. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.
10. Eat fewer Calories than you burn.

Your kitchen may be making you fat

More crap from the morons at MSNBC in partnership with the IMHO cons at Prevention, the magazine with more drug company ads than you can shake wheatgrass at.

The kitchen is the heart of your home, but it might also be at the heart of your unwanted weight. Everything from the size of your plates to the wattage of your bulbs has a direct effect on what and how much you eat, according to research in the Annual Reviews of Nutrition. Here are signs that your kitchen is sabotaging your waistline — and simple fixes to get the scale moving in the right direction.

According to these idiots, it is the plate, it is the light, it is the counter, it is the glass you use, it is the pantry, it is the cookie jar, it is the size of your kitchen.

F**k you, MSNBC and Prevention.

It is too many Calories and, IMHO, insane, predatory weight loss articles by you two (and others).

Do us all a favor and go out of business quickly.

Self-control — or lack of it — is contagious

Another reason why kids should not have fat friends.

When you restrain from scarfing down unhealthy foods or hold back on that extra drink, others may deserve some of the credit. Self-control is contagious, a new study suggests.

In a series of studies in a lab setting, researchers found that watching or even thinking about someone with good self-control makes others more likely show the same restraint.

And they found the opposite also holds true — people with lousy self-control influence others negatively. The effect is so powerful, in fact, that just seeing the name of someone with good or bad self-control flashing on a screen for 10 milliseconds changed the behavior of volunteers.

Duh.

Rising obesity prompts higher antibiotic doses call

Kudos, fatsos, you are too fat for human-sized dosing of medications.

Patients may have to be prescribed higher doses of antibiotics because of rising rates of obesity, say doctors.

The standard "one-size fits all" dose may not clear infection in larger adults and increases the risk that resistance will develop, they argue.

More work is needed to guide GPs on how and when to alter doses, an editorial in The Lancet to accompany the study by doctors from Greece and the US says.

GPs said it was an interesting theory but may end up being expensive.

Around one in four adults in England is classified as obese - an increase from 15% in 1993.

Given the fact people are getting larger, use of standard doses of antibiotics in all adults, regardless of size, is outdated, argue two doctors from Greece and the US.

Size and even the proportion of body fat a person has, can effect the concentration of antibiotics in the body, potentially reducing how effective they are in larger patients, they say.

And failure to clear an infection because too small a dose is given may raise the risk of resistance - already an increasing problem for doctors.

And you are putting the rest of us at risk, to boot.

Pay for your sick care? Not a chance.

Fight back, normal-sized people. Fight back.

This February, Make Creativity The Heart Of Your Fitness Routine

Wrong.

For Judy Hinderliter, taking care of friends means refusing to talk to them on the phone.

Instead, when friends want to chat, Hinderliter, a dietitian and personal trainer at the UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont, encourages them to join her for a brisk, heart-healthy walk.

That's just one of the creative strategies for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system that Hinderliter and her husband, Alan, a cardiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, share with their patients.

Despite advances in medical care, heart disease has remained the leading killer of Americans for the past 80 years. Each year, about 650,000 Americans die from heart disease, a term that refers to problems such as heart arrhythmias, heart failure and coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks...

But he cautioned that the rise in obesity and diabetes, important risk factors for heart disease, has cut into these gains. Meanwhile, children exercise less than they did in previous generations, thanks to the prevalence of video games and cuts to physical education classes.

If you want to succeed at your fitness routine, make COMMITMENT the heart of it.

And stick with it.

Diabetes ups risk of dementia for mildly impaired

Triple whammy.

Diabetes may hasten progression to dementia in older people with mild thinking impairment, new research shows.

So-called mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, increases a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. But aside from a person's severity of mental impairment, there is currently no way to predict which people with MCI will go on to develop full-blown dementia.

Diabetes has been tied to mental decline and dementia in aging, but it is not currently known whether people with MCI who have diabetes are at greater risk of future dementia.

To investigate, Dr. Latha Velayudhan of the Institute of Psychiatry in London and her colleagues followed 103 men and women with MCI over age 65 for four years, during which time 19 developed dementia. Most of these individuals had "probable or possible" Alzheimer's.

The 16 individuals in the study with diabetes were nearly three times as likely to develop dementia as the study participants without diabetes, the researchers report in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Fatsos have higher incidences of diabetes, dementia and cognitive impairment than intended-size humans.

In women, exercise may keep high pulse in check

Not "exercise," but training.

A speedy ticker could increase your chances of suffering a fatal heart attack, according to a new study. But in women, regular workouts might help keep the risk low.

Based on more than 50,000 healthy adults, researchers from Norway found that with each increase of 10 beats per minute in resting heart rate, a woman's risk of dying from a heart attack climbed by 18 percent up to the age of 70 years. For men, the risk rose by 10 percent.

A healthy heart beats about 60 to 70 times a minute, with some normal variation on either side. If the rate exceeds 80 for an extended period, doctors start to worry -- that is, if they notice, because an elevated pulse may go undetected in otherwise healthy people, said Javaid Nauman of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, who was involved in the new study.

Training is the way to decrease your heart rate.

Battle of the bulge a global issue - poll

Lip service (between chews and swallows) alert!

Brazilians feel the most pressure to be thin, the Finns are acutely aware of the dangers of obesity and Americans have the toughest struggle to lose weight, according to a global survey.

The Reader Digest poll also revealed that Russians smoke the most to try to drop excess weight, and along with Germans and Indians they are most likely to blame genetics for their penchant for piling on the pounds.

"Our poll makes it clear that people around the world are struggling with their weight," said Peggy Northrop, the vice president and global editor-in-chief of the magazine.

"People are both very concerned about weight and think that people pay too much attention to weight," she added in an interview.

About 1.6 billion people around the world are overweight or obese. Excess weight also contributes to 2.5 million deaths globally each year, according to the WHO.

But people are trying to lose weight.

Note - they are not succeeding.

For the reasons and the cure, see here, here, here, here and here.

Sticking to Diets Is About More Than Willpower -- Complexity Matters

Stop the presses! You mean the harder something is, the harder it is?

Many people think the success of dieting, seemingly a national obsession following the excesses and resolutions of the holiday season, depends mostly on how hard one tries -- on willpower and dedication. While this does matter, new research has found that a much more subtle aspect of the diets themselves can also have a big influence on the pounds shed -- namely, the perceived complexity of a diet plan's rules and requirements.

Cognitive scientists from Indiana University and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin compared the dieting behavior of women following two radically different diet plans and found that the more complicated people thought their diet plan was, the sooner they were likely to drop it.

Whoa! Radical!

No wonder they needed "cognitive scientists" to sort this one out.

If you want a simple, must work diet go here, here, here and here.

If you want to fail miserably at a diet, IMHO go to any of Oprah's experts. (see e.g., here, here, here, here and here)

Obesity Linked to Common Form of Kidney Cancer and Each Extra BMI Point Increases Risk

That food was to die-alysis for!

Being obese could lead to a greater risk of developing the most common form of renal cell cancer, according to research in the January issue of the UK-based urology journal BJUI.

US researchers found that obese patients with kidney tumours have 48 per cent higher odds of developing a clear-cell renal cell cancer (RCC) than patients with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30. And the odds increase by four per cent for every extra BMI point.

Just when you thought it was safe to pee, again.

Kudos, fatsos.

Economic, health worries make 35 the new 40: report

Kudos, fatsos.

Worries about the economy and healthcare are pushing people into middle age earlier, making 35 the new 40, according to a new report.

Research by the Philips Center for Health and Well-Being showed that 40 was previously widely considered as the milestone that defined middle age but this has been lowered to 35.

"Thirty five is the new 40 as Americans feel the pressures of middle age earlier than ever," the Amsterdam-based center said in a statement.

You are getting sicker and causing the rest of us to pay more.

Hence, the health and economic worries.

Obesity Overtakes Smoking as Health Burden in US

It has got to be genetic.

"The morbidity-mortality curves for smoking and obesity in the US have crossed as the latter appears to have become the greater health threat, at least as measured by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) lost, suggests an analysis published online January 5, 2010 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The prevalence of smoking the US declined 18.5% from 1993 to 2008, with most of the loss occurring in the past six years; during the same period, the proportion of obese people (body-mass index >30 kg/m2) rose by a steady 85%, according to the analysis by Dr Haomiao Jia (Columbia University, New York, NY) and Dr Erica I Lubetkin (City College of New York, NY), slated for the journal's February 2010 issue."

I mean, what else can explain the 85% increase in six years?

Clearly that is why we are seeing other genetic changes resulting in 85% increases in people with wings and fins, three nostrils and one eye smack dab in the middle of the forehead.

Yep, it has got to be genetic.

Sedentary TV Time May Cut Life Short

Interesting numbers.

Couch potatoes beware: every hour of television watched per day may increase the risk of dying earlier from cardiovascular disease, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Australian researchers tracked the lifestyle habits of 8,800 adults and found that each hour spent in front of the television daily was associated with: • an 11 percent increased risk of death from all causes, • a 9 percent increased risk of cancer death; and • an 18 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death.

Compared with people who watched less than two hours of television daily, those who watched more than four hours a day had a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes and an 80 percent increased risk for CVD-related death. This association held regardless of other independent and common cardiovascular disease risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, unhealthy diet, excessive waist circumference, and leisure-time exercises.

How much do people watch per day?

The Nielsen Co.'s "Three Screen Report" -- referring to televisions, computers and cellphones -- for the fourth quarter said the average American now watches more than 151 hours of TV a month. That's about five hours a day and an all-time high, up 3.6% from the 145 or so hours Americans reportedly watched in the same period last year.

That gives the average American a 55% increased risk of death from all causes, a 45% increased risk of cancer death and a 90% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.

Why aren't more people dropping like flies?

Probably need more research.

Race, Obesity Affect Outcomes Among Diabetics Following Prostatectomy

Kudos, fatsos.

Obese white men who have both diabetes and prostate cancer have significantly worse outcomes following radical prostatectomy than do men without diabetes who undergo the same procedure, according to research from Duke University Medical Center appearing in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Of course, you might not be diabetic if you weren't so fat.

Hey, but what are more life and your fertility really worth when you can have more donuts?

And no, the rectal exam that found your big ol' prostate cannot be used to clear out the food from your body. The Calories have already been absorbed.

D'oh no!

Holistic Weight Loss - A Non-Diet Approach To Good Health

Another crooked Yale-related MD, IMHO. Read this crap which is gorged with medical sounding, technobabble bulls**t.

"When your New Year's resolution to lose weight crumbles as fast as the cookie touching your lips, it's time to admit that diets don't work. More successful is a holistic approach to losing weight that lets you feel good about feeding your body the nourishment it craves.

'By understanding the whole person, including emotional reasons for eating, stress triggers, medical history and physiological factors, we help each individual approach food in a whole new way,' said Henri Roca, MD, medical director of Greenwich Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Roca, board-certified in Family Medicine and Holistic Medicine, works with the Center of Integrative Medicine's registered dietitian and epigenetic nutritionist to help people understand why they eat what they do...

Cutting back on calories and adding or increasing exercise are proven to assist with weight loss..."

Assist?

Those are the ONLY ways to lose weight, i.e., eat fewer Calories than you burn.

Which is either fewer Calories in or more Calories out.

"The Center of Integrative Medicine's unique holistic approach begins with a medical evaluation, assessing a person's overall health (physical, mental, emotional and energetic) and determining what, if any, metabolic, hormonal, gut, allergy or immune dysfunction may exist, since this can have a profound effect on weight loss. Auricular (ear) acupuncture is provided at each session to control cravings. A nutritionist listens to your personal goals, evaluates your body type, and then customizes a program that includes nutritional counseling, meal planning, exercise advice and stress management techniques. General acupuncture, health coaching and advice on dietary supplements are offered. Personal training is offered in conjunction with the neighboring Greenwich Water Club, and the importance of physical activity is emphasized for long-term weight loss success."

Yep, that "auricular acupuncture" is the key.

For more "integrative medicine" BS, go here.

Take away this person's medical license and do people a favor.

Weight Is a Prickly Problem: Key Role Found for Hedgehog Signaling in Controlling Fat Storage

When they look to hedgehogs for help in controlling weight, the war has been lost.

"Obesity is a widespread condition in humans and has many serious consequences. Not only are overweight people faced with surcharges on airplanes but they also have a much higher risk of contracting a number of potentially fatal diseases. A considerable amount of research effort is currently focussed on the problem of weight control but to date genetic screens for factors that cause obesity have been hampered by the lack of an appropriate system.

Putting it bluntly, yeast do not become overweight. However, fortunately (for us) flies do and this has provided scientists in Josef Penninger's group at the IMBA (Institute of Molecular Biotechnology) in Vienna with a unique handle on the process. Their initial and highly surprising results are reported in the present issue of Cell...

Application of the screen resulted in a total of about five hundred genes that seemed somehow to be involved in fat metabolism. Many of these had been previously implicated in the process, which confirmed that the method yielded plausible results. Some of the genes identified were found to be active in neurons, suggesting strongly that fat storage in flies can be regulated by neuronal genes: it is clearly the case in mammals that feeding behaviour is under the control of neuronal genes. And some of the candidate regulatory genes worked in muscles: this too is similar to the situation in mammals...

But perhaps the most significant result of the work was the finding that genes associated with the so-called "hedgehog" signalling pathway are involved in the regulation of fat storage. Hedgehog is one of the "pattern" genes in the fly, responsible for ensuring that developing cells assume the correct identity.

The idea that hedgehog also plays a part in controlling fat levels in flies was extremely interesting as it was consistent with previous findings that inhibition of hedgehog signalling protects mice from gaining weight...

Taken together, these results confirm a role in mice -- and thus presumably in man -- for hedgehog signalling in the production of white but not brown adipocytes...

The finding that the hedgehog signalling pathway inhibits the formation of white adipose tissue while leaving brown adipose tissue intact is of enormous potential therapeutic importance.

No, it's not.

Finally, an Excuse for Pregnant Women to Eat Bacon and Eggs

It is not "finally" that you have an excuse.

If you're pregnant and looking for an excuse to eat bacon and eggs, now you've got one: a new research study published in the January 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal by a team of University of North Carolina researchers shows that choline plays a critical role in helping fetal brains develop regions associated with memory. Choline is found in meats, including pork, as well as chicken eggs.

It is the same excuse you have been using to get too fat before you were pregnant - you have s**t for brains.

Dietary Fiber May Help Prevent Body Weight, Waist Circumference Gain

This is huge. HUGE!

"Dietary fiber may help prevent gain in body weight and waist circumference, according to the results of a prospective cohort study reported online in the December 16, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

'Dietary fiber may play a role in obesity prevention,' write Huaidong Du, from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, and colleagues. 'Until now, the role that fiber from different sources plays in weight change had rarely been studied.'

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship of total dietary fiber, cereal fiber, and fruit and vegetable fiber with changes in weight and waist circumference. The study cohort consisted of 89,432 European participants, aged 20 to 78 years, without cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes at baseline. Validated, country-specific, food-frequency questionnaires were used to obtain dietary information. Average duration of follow-up was 6.5 years. In each center studied, multiple linear regression analysis was performed, and estimates were combined with random-effect meta-analyses, after adjustment for follow-up duration; other dietary variables; and baseline anthropometric, demographic, and lifestyle factors.

There was an inverse association of total fiber intake with subsequent change in weight and in waist circumference. For each 10-g/day increase in total fiber intake, the pooled estimate was –39 g/year (95% confidence interval [CI], –71 to –7 g/year) for weight change and –0.08 cm/year (95% CI, –0.11 to –0.05 cm/year) for waist circumference change.

For each 10-g/day increase in fiber intake from cereals, there was a weight change of –77 g/year (95% CI, –127 to –26 g/year) and change in waist circumference of –0.10 cm/year (95% CI, –0.18 to –0.02 cm/year). Fruit and vegetable fiber was not associated with weight change. However, the association of fruit and vegetable fiber intake with change in waist circumference was similar to that seen for intake of total dietary fiber and cereal fiber."

So if you eat a total of 3650 grams of cereal fiber more per year (careful, no fruit or vegetable fiber if you care about weight change), or 8.04 POUNDS, you can lose, on average, a whopping 2.71 OUNCES from your body and decrease your waist circumference an astounding 0.04 inches per year!

Make that total fiber and you DECREASE the weight loss by 49% and the reduction in waist circumference by 20%.

"Limitations of this study include difference in methodologies used to collect anthropometric data at follow-up because weight and waist circumference measurements at follow-up were self-reported instead of measured at 4 of 6 study centers. In addition, dietary information was collected only once at baseline, which precluded investigating the concurrent association between changes in fiber intake and changes in weight and waist circumference."

Now how could there be any "limitations" to such an important study? What could possibly go wrong with "self-reported" data? Especially when the precision in measuring is so exact.

Note that at the low end of waist circumference, the study participants could measure 0.02 cm/year or a difference of .0078 inch. They must have been using low-altitude, laser-guided GPS (gordo positioning sensor) technology with advanced flux capacitance.

"'Our finding may support a beneficial role of higher intake of dietary fiber, especially cereal fiber, in prevention of body-weight and waist circumference gain,' the study authors write. 'Although the observed effect was rather small in our study when judged on the individual level, the effect of fiber on weight change observed in our study may be of public health relevance.'"

Not in a million years.

Good work, researchers!

(There are 2.54 cm per inch There are 454 grams in a pound.)

Kids like veggie choices, but may not eat them

Really?

"Offering young kids a vegetable choice at dinner may not prompt them to eat more of these healthy foods, hint findings from a Dutch study."

Don't offer a "choice."

Put them on the plate.

Do not supplement with other Calories.

Done.

Otherwise:

"Overall, the children 'enjoyed the act of choosing,' de Graaf and colleagues note in their report.

In post-meal surveys, 75 percent of the kids given a pre-meal choice said they were happy with this level of autonomy, whereas 62 to 63 percent of the other kids expressed happiness over their choice offering."

...So what?

A Lifetime Of Inactivity Be (sic) The Result Of Having A Negative Phys Ed Teacher

"A Lifetime Of Poor Language Usage Be The Result Of Having A Negative English Teacher." Poor, fat babies.

"Humiliation in physical education class as a child can turn people off fitness for good, according to a University of Alberta researcher.

Billy Strean, a professor in the U of A's Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, says a negative lifelong attitude towards physical activity can be determined by either a good or a bad experience, based on the personal characteristics of the coach or instructor. For example, negative experiences may come from a teacher who has low energy, is unfair and/or someone who embarrasses students.

During his research, Strean heard from individuals who opened up about negative experiences with coaches and instructors, some from many years ago."

Teacher not nice to you? You blamey your fatso problems on someone not nice? You show them with harm to yourself, smartie-big-waistband-pants.

Shut-up, whiners.

Setting the Record Straight on Weight Loss

Still wrong.

"It's time to set the record straight. The only reliable way to lose weight is to eat less or exercise more. Preferably both."

The only reliable way to lose weight is to eat fewer Calories than one burns or burn more Calories than one eats.

There is a difference.

You can "eat less" of higher Calorie food and "exercise" more, but at a lower metabolic cost.

Either will result in weight gain, not loss.

"Sydney scientists have demonstrated that mice genetically altered to burn fats in preference to carbohydrates, will convert the unburned carbohydrates into stored fat anyway, and their ultimate weight and body composition will be the same as normal mice."

This part is true.

The Calories you consume have to go somewhere.

There is only one somewhere in this game.

That somewhere is called "your body."

The best way to lose weight? Control your Calories in.

The best place to go for information on how best to accomplish this?

Here.

1 Solution To Obesity: Muscles That Act As An Energy Drain

Here is a "solution" that does not exist. This is par for the weight loss course.

"Many people have traded in their gas-guzzling old 'clunkers' for newer and more efficient models or cut back on energy use at home by opting for Energy Star appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs. But, when it comes to our muscles, a little less efficiency might be just what the doctor ordered, suggests a report in the January Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication.

The researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Iowa have new insight into an important 'fuel gauge' in muscle. They've also uncovered evidence in mice that treatments designed to disrupt those so-called sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels specifically in muscles might allow us to control our weight by increasing the number of calories our muscles will burn with regular activity or exercise....

The researchers conclude that 'sarcolemmal KATP channels govern muscle energy economy, and their downregulation in a tissue-specific manner could present an anti-obesity strategy by rendering muscle increasingly thermogenic at rest and less fuel efficient during exercise."

If you want to lose weight, just hold the Mayo - all forms.

Making Healthy Food Choices On A Budget

Lookie here. It is another s**t for brains dietitian offering stupid advice.

"The current economic climate has impacted every aspect of our lives, even our health. Many turn to fast food or unhealthy selections because it seems to be easier on the wallet. But it is possible to make healthy food choices on a budget.

'It is simple and inexpensive to develop healthy eating habits. Following some basic guidelines will provide a foundation for a diet that is rich in all the basic food groups,' said Karen Bird, RD, a registered dietitian at Geisinger Medical Center."

Yes, but not by following her recommendations.

"Pastas and rice are inexpensive and healthful pantry staples that offer diversity in the kitchen.

'Again, these are items that have a long shelf life and there are many different ways to utilize them. These are the foods that are on the base of the food pyramid, which means the bulk of your diet should be comprised of these grains, which are inherently less costly,' said Bird. 'Meats - which are more costly - are higher on the pyramid and should be limited in their consumption, another money-saver.'"

The best way to eat healthily has to do with eating fewer Calories since too many Calories in results in the most common illnesses that rob you of your health.

And the best way to do it on a budget, is to start here.

Then, if you want to change the foods you eat, assuming you want to, go here.

Federal Funding Key To Success Of States' Obesity Prevention Programs

Not in a million years.

"States that received funding from two obesity prevention programs founded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention implemented more than twice as many obesity-prevention policy initiatives as states that did not receive funding, according to a study by researchers from RTI International.

The study, published in the January-February issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, compared the number of policies implemented by states that receive federal funding and those that do not."

Note not a single word about effectiveness.

Why? Because conventional diet approaches must fail which is why they do.

For explanations, see here, here, here, here, here and here.

Deception of the highest order, this article, IMHO.

Who is it from? A CDC study leveraged by RTI International.

RTI claims,

"Our staff of more than 2,800 provides research and technical expertise to governments and businesses in more than 40 countries in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory and chemistry services."

IMHO, trust nothing from these folks.

Restaurant And Packaged Foods Can Have More Calories Than Nutrition Labeling Indicates

Perfection is a very tough standard.

"With obesity rising markedly, reliance on the accuracy of food labeling is an important weight management strategy. Since people who are trying to reduce their weight are encouraged to choose meals labeled as "lower in calories" or "reduced-energy" in restaurants and supermarkets, it is essential that the listed data are accurate. In a study published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from Tufts University found that some commercially prepared foods contained more calories than indicated in nutritional labeling.

Measured energy values of 29 quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods averaged 18% more calories than the stated values. Likewise, measured energy values of 10 frozen meals purchased from supermarkets averaged 8% more calories than stated on the label.

The commercially prepared restaurant foods and supermarket frozen convenience meals were obtained in the Boston, MA, area. The energy content was measured and compared with nutrition data stated by the vendor or manufacturer. The restaurant chains included both quick-serve and sit-down establishments with broad distribution throughout the United States."

However, those that did well were the big chains and they were off by only single-digit percentages.

Over time, a few Calories too much, then a few too few will average out.

And the big chains will always do better than the mom and pop places or how you will do at home.

If you are serious about weight loss and want to eat fast food, see here.

Healthy diet may benefit women's mental health

C'mon, what could possibly cause women with "bad" diets to feel "depression and anxiety"?

Women who suffer from depression and anxiety may want to take a look at their diet as possible contributors to these conditions, study findings hint.

Surely not looking like this:

or this:

or this:

Surely not.

Researchers Find Obesity Key

This is it. This is the key. Really.

"Mayo researchers collaborating with investigators at the University of Iowa, University of Connecticut and New York University (NYU) have discovered a molecular mechanism that controls energy expenditure in muscles and helps determine body weight. Researchers say this could lead to a new medical approach in treating obesity. The findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The energy-saving mechanism is controlled by ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the "energy currency" utilized by cells in the body. These particular channels can sense ATP pools and regulate heart and skeletal muscle performance accordingly. Animals lacking this energy-saving mechanism burn more stored energy by dissipating more heat when at rest or when normally active.

As in humans, excess energy from food is stored as glycogen or fat that could be converted into ATP according to energy demand. Eliminating the KATP channel forces the body to use energy less efficiently, consuming more and storing less gaining low weight, even when on a high-calorie 'Western' diet."

Just kidding.

Here is another of the many "keys" to obesity.

Obesity rates idle as most of us are already fat

Maxed out?

America’s rapid rise in obesity appears to have leveled off, with new government figures showing no significant increase in a decade.

But there's little reason to cheer. More than two-thirds of adults and almost a third of children are overweight, and there are no signs of improvement.

Experts say they’re not sure whether the lull in the battle of the bulge can be attributed to more awareness and better diets — or whether society has simply reached a maximum level of tubbiness...

Not only are the vast majority of adults — 68 percent — overweight, 34 percent are obese; and 17 percent of children are obese. Even the youngest Americans are affected — 10 percent of babies and toddlers are precariously heavy.

We will have to see.

I bet on not likely if the fat continue to reproduce and they do it at the same or higher rate than intended-size humans.

Commentary: Obese Pregnant Women Should Gain Less Weight Than Currently Recommended

More about them having no idea what they are talking about.

"Recent recommendations by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) call for women who are overweight or obese to gain more weight than they should, a Saint Louis University obstetrician wrote in a January commentary for Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Joined by several colleagues, Raul Artal, M.D., chair of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at Saint Louis University who has conducted extensive research on weight gain during pregnancy, did not endorse the IOM's May 2009 recommendation. The IOM, a non-governmental, independent, nonprofit organization, provides advice that is designed to improve health to national decision makers and the public.

'The recently published IOM recommendations for gestational weight gain are virtually identical to those published in 1990 with one exception: obese women are now recommended to gain 11 - 20 pounds compared to the previous recommendations of at least 15 pounds,' Artal said.

'Recommending a single standard of weight gain for all obese classes is of concern since higher BMI levels are associated with more severe medical conditions and have long-term adverse health implications.'

Artal recommended obese women eat a nutrient-rich diet of between 2,000 and 2,500 calories a day, which would cause them to cap their weight gain at 10 pounds, and in some cases, lose weight."

This last paragraph, the weight gain cap of 10 pounds, is impossible to predict and plainly wrong.

Whatever.

The point remains that for years women have been told how much weight to gain when pregnant and they still do not have it "right" and there still remains disagreement.

Things that are established, and correct, are not open to disagreement and revision.

That is why there is little controversy over the sum of 1 + 1.

Better not to be a fat pregnant woman to begin with.

Study: New Yorkers Eating 6 Percent Fewer Calories at Starbucks Since Calorie-Posting Law Went Into Effect

This is considered a victory.

"Calories per transaction fell on average to 232 from 247, the study found."

So is this. "Mr. Obama’s secretary of homeland security, Janet Napolitano, said Sunday that 'the system worked...'”

'nuff said.

Bariatric Surgery Can Act As Cure For Diabetes

Wrong. It is weight loss that acts as the cure for diabetes. This is irresponsible advertising, IMHO, from "Geisinger Health System."

"Bariatric surgery is a procedure designed to help patients lose weight, but an unexpected side effect is that it can also help rid patients of diabetes...

The procedure is most effective against type 2 diabetes. It hasn't proven to be a cure against type 1 diabetes, but it can improve a patient's condition, Dr. Still said. By resolving diabetes via surgery, patients are able to avoid medications and insulin injections...

In order to ensure that patients stay diabetes-free following surgery, Dr. Still stressed that patients must dedicate themselves to maintaining their new body weight."

Well, if they could do that, they would not have been fat Type 2 diabetics in the first place.

Breastfeeding Is Not As Beneficial As Once Thought

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

"Feeling guilty that you didn't breastfeed your children enough or at all? Relax. New research shows that breast milk is not as important for either the mother or the child's health.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that the association between breastfeeding and healthy children is not as strong as has previously been believed. It is true that breastfed infants are slightly healthier than bottle-fed babies. But apparently it is not the milk that makes the difference. Instead, the baby's overall health is all determined before he or she is born. So why do so many studies associate breastfeeding with better health for young babies. The answer is simple: If a mother is able to breastfeed, and does so, this ability is essentially proof that the baby has already had an optimal life inside the womb."

The same people who cannot cure toenail fungus and want to mess with your genetics haven't even figured out breastfeeding and that has been around ever since mammals came into being.

Trust them at your own risk.

Surgeon General Exclusive: 'I Struggle With My Weight' Like Most Americans

Another leading example from the folks in Washington, a la, "Mr. Obama’s secretary of homeland security, Janet Napolitano, said Sunday that 'the system worked...'”

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin said for the first time today that like millions of Americans, she battles the scale and wants to "work together" to fight the U.S. obesity epidemic..."

Really? Duh.

Who's she been working with till now?

"I'm just like 67 percent of Americans. I struggle with my weight just like they do," Benjamin said in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts today. "So I understand. And I want to have them help me, and I'll help them, and we'll work together to try to become a healthier nation...

"I'm a woman. Just like everyone else, I want to be attractive. You don't want to see those negative things -- people calling you names. So it was very hurtful," Benjamin said.

Well, at least she admits that overfat is not "attractive." Good luck explaining that to the public.

Try learning from this guy how to spin: (from here)

Leno asked the president whether the White House bowling alley had been "burned and closed down" in light of Obama's gutter ball embarrassment on the campaign trail last year.

Obama replied, "No, no. I have been practicing . . . I bowled a 129."

The audience roared with laughter, and the late-night talk show host assured Obama "that's very good, Mr. President." To which Obama interjected, "It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something."

The audience laughed. But the White House didn't let the comment linger without clarification.

"The president made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics," White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters flying aboard Air Force One after the taping of the show, according to a transcript released by the White House. "He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world."

Moo-ve over Barack. Way over. Benjamin is a big'un.

"I have to make America my patient," Benjamin told "Good Morning America." "The 300 million Americans are now my patients. And I hope to treat them, and I hope I can deal with the trust that a doctor has with their patients. I want to do that with the American people."

Physician, heal thyself.

The real problem with this unqualified person, is that she is a health illiterate.

Health literacy is not simply the ability to read. It requires a complex group of reading, listening, analytical, and decision-making skills, and the ability to apply these skills to health situations.

Clearly, she has neither the ability nor the skill to apply whatever she has learned to her own health situation.

She is, an embarrassment and a Surgeon General worthy of today's Washington.

Overweight, Obesity up CV Risk Regardless of Metabolic Markers in Long-Term Study

It is about the fat. Nothing else.

"Middle-aged men with the metabolic syndrome are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death regardless of their body-mass index (BMI), new research shows. On the flip side of that combination, investigators also showed that overweight and obese individuals without the metabolic syndrome are at an increased risk of cardiovascular events and death.

Publishing their results online December 28, 2009 and in the January 19, 2010 issue of Circulation, Dr Johan Ärnlöv (Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden) and colleagues say the 'data refute the notion that overweight and obesity without the metabolic syndrome are benign conditions.'"

Lose the weight and shut-up already about being fit and fat.

Weight Concerns Affect Responses To Weight Loss Spam E Mails

Just like insufficient funds affect responses to Nigerian bank spam emails and insufficient penises affect responses to grow your Johnson spam emails.

"Young adults who believe they have a weight problem are more likely to receive, read, and respond to spam e-mail for weight loss products, reports a study in the January Southern Medical Journal, official journal of the Southern Medical Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy."

Idiots.

Is the fat acceptance movement bad for our health?

Yes.

"Deb Lemire has always been 'short and square,' a figure she inherited from her grandmother and passed on to her child. So when Lemire took her daughter in for a wellness visit and the well-meaning pediatrician pulled her aside to talk about her daughter's weight, the 47-year-old burst into tears 'because I was the 10-year-old being told I was overweight.'"

Poor cow, she has to harm her daughter because she is traumatized.

"She took her daughter to a nutritionist, who said her dietary habits were good. So Lemire decided not to push the issue. 'I have spent my whole entire life dieting and feeling like my worth was attached to my weight,' says Lemire. 'I wasn't going to tell her she has to change who she is. But we're going to encourage healthy behaviors [and] not worry about translating that into a size that's 'OK.' That message is not going to come from me -- she'll get that enough from other people.'"

Too late, nutritionally child abusing fatso, you lost the "encourage healthy behaviors" battle when you and your kid blimped-up.

"Lemire also happens to be president of the Association for Size Diversity and Health, a group that advocates that people can be healthy at any size. Her group is just one of several in a growing trend sometimes called the fat acceptance movement."

We accept that you are fat. We just do not accept responsibility for your rescue.

"From the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, which portrays underwear-clad women who tend to be larger than the average model, to the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, which fights size discrimination, many organizations and businesses are championing a new definition of beauty -- one that is not dictated by waist size..."

This has nothing to do with beauty. Your article is supposed to be about health.

"In fact, experts have recently found that the decades-long efforts to limit one serious heart risk -- smoking -- is expected to pay off with longer life spans. Unfortunately, the rise in obesity will likely undercut that progress."

Yep. Though the real unfortunate part is that all of us are expected to pay for this.

"Can you be fat and fit?"

No.

"Expert opinion is pretty much unanimous: Being overweight is bad for your health, particularly for your heart.

'Obesity is probably the only risk factor that has such a global negative impact on so many risk factors for the heart,' says Barry Franklin, Ph.D., the director of the Cardiac Rehab Program and Exercise Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan."

See.

And if they choose heart disease, then we should be able to choose not to pay for their rescue.

Fight back.

Low selenium tied to throat, stomach cancers

It's good, bad and now good, again.

"Getting enough selenium in your diet could help protect you from cancer of the esophagus, a large new study suggests.

People with the highest levels of this antioxidant mineral were at the lowest risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, Dr. Jessie Steevens of Maastricht University Medical Center in The Netherlands and her colleagues found."

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

Folic acid in late pregnancy tied to child asthma

Folic acid is good and now bad, again.

"Young children whose mothers took folic acid supplements in late pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing asthma, a new study hints.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, appear to be the first to link mothers' use of folic acid in pregnancy to their children's later asthma risk."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Research Shows That Weight Loss Products Advertised In Spam E-Mail Are Purchased By Young Adults With Weight Problems: Psychological Stress Implicated

It is not stress - it is STUPIDITY.

"Forty-one percent of college students with weight problems opened and read spam e-mail advertising weight loss products and 18.5 percent bought these weight loss products, according to a new study published in the January issue of the Southern Medical Journal. The research was conducted by Joshua Fogel, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of the Business Program at the Department of Economics at Brooklyn College , and Sam Shlivko, B.S., a former Brooklyn College student and currently a student at New York Law School.

In additional analyses considering the impact of a number of relevant variables, those with weight problems as compared to those without weight problems, were three times more likely to open/read and also three times more likely to purchase weight loss products from this spam e-mail. Also, increased psychological stress was associated with an increase in purchases of these weight loss products advertised in spam e-mail.

As lead investigator, Dr. Fogel analyzed data from a survey of 200 college students, who were asked if they had weight problems and if in the past year they received, opened/read, or purchased products from spam e-mail about weight loss topics. Psychological stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale."

Flunk 'em.

Plate weighing device 'can curb childhood obesity'

The scale can't and that is a "weighing device."

"A talking, computerised weighing device that tracks how quickly food is gobbled off the plate could be a solution to childhood obesity, researchers say."

Even if it did work for a while, it probably has an "off" switch.

You can bet that it will get more use than the "on " switch.

Sort of like the "close door" button on an elevator gets used more than the "open door" button.

Caffeine Linked to Reduced Liver Fibrosis

Caffeine is good, again.

"Caffeine may help reduce hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease, a cross-sectional study showed.
Those who consumed more than 308 mg of caffeine a day -- equal to about 2.25 cups of coffee -- were 75% less likely to have advanced fibrosis than those who consumed less (P=0.006), according to Jay Hoofnagle, MD, of the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues.

The two-cups-plus appeared to be a threshold, the researchers reported in the January issue of Hepatology."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Fight against fat goes high-tech with new devices

Some of these make sense since fat people lie about how much they eat and how much they move.

"The fight against fat is going high-tech. To get an inside look at eating and exercise habits, scientists are developing wearable wireless sensors to monitor overweight and obese people as they go about their daily lives.

The experimental devices are designed to keep track of how many minutes they work out, how much food they consume and even whether they are at a fast-food joint when they should be in the park. The goal is to cut down on self-reported answers that often cover up what's really happening."

Still won't work, though.

Study: Antidepressants, Placebos Near Equally Effective

More truth with a shelf-life.

"A new analysis found that commonly prescribed antidepressants had little effect on people with cases of mild to severe depression compared to those treated with placebos.

The analysis, published in the Journal of the American Medical Assocation, combined the findings of six different previous studies of two commonly prescribed treatments -- paroxetine, similar to common Paxil, Prosac and Zoloft, and imipramine, an older antidepressant drug."

Trust fitness, not the "experts."

New Research Suggests Fat Mass Helps Build Bone Mass In Girls

She's/he's not fat. She's/he's big-boned. Nope. She's/he's both.

"According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), fat mass is important in increasing bone size and thickness, but this effect appears to be stronger in girls than boys.

Lean mass is one of the strongest determinants of bone mass throughout life. Until now, it has been unclear whether fat mass and lean mass differ in how they influence bone development in boys and girls. Findings from previous studies have been inconsistent regarding whether fat mass has a positive or negative impact on bone development. This new study shows that fat mass is a strong stimulus for the accrual of cortical bone mass (hard outer layer of bone) in girls."

Better to get the bones from lean.

The Potent Antioxidant Vitamin E May Do More Harm Than Good, TAU Research Suggests

Antioxidants are bad, again.

"Vitamin-fortified foods and dietary health supplements can ease health worries. But what kinds of vitamins are right for you? And how much of them should you take, and how often?

A research group from Tel Aviv University has done the most comprehensive and accurate study of clinical data on Vitamin E use and heart disease to date, and it warns that indiscriminate use of high-dose Vitamin E supplementation does more harm than good. Their results were recently reported in ATVB, a leading journal of cardiology, and discussed in the journal BioFactors."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

If you do, see here.

New Eating Device Retrains Dietary Habits and Helps Children Lose Weight

First, just about anything works better than standard weight loss advice.

"A new computerised (sic) device that tracks portion size and how fast people eat is more successful in helping obese children and adolescents lose weight than standard treatments, according to research published online in the British Medical Journal.

The Mandometer device, a portable computerised weighing scale, was developed at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. It helps to retrain individuals to eat less and more slowly by providing real-time feedback during meal times. The device plots a graph showing the rate at which food actually disappears from the plate, compared to the ideal graph programmed in by a food therapist.

Childhood obesity is an increasing global problem and there is little evidence to support one specific treatment programme. While it is unknown whether specific eating patterns are common in all obese people, in this study the patients ate large portions very quickly.

Researchers at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the University of Bristol, led by Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, carried out a randomised controlled trial of 106 obese patients aged between 9-17 years.

One group of participants received Mandometer therapy to lose weight and the other were provided with standard care. Both groups were encouraged to increase their levels of physical activity to 60 minutes of exercise a day and to eat a balanced diet based on the Food Standards Agency 'eatwell plate.'

Participants were assessed after 12 months and followed up at 18 months. During the research period they were also regularly monitored and offered telephone support and encouragement.

After 12 months, the Mandometer group not only had a significantly lower average body mass index and body fat score than the standard care group, but their portion size was smaller and their speed of eating was reduced by 11% compared with a gain of 4% in the other group. Levels of 'good cholesterol' were also significantly higher in the Mandometer group.

The improvement in body mass index was maintained six months after the end of treatment, suggesting an element of longer term behavioural change, add the authors."

Second, there are reasons these "studies" are really short-term - six months is not "longer term" - because they simply fail over time.

A better eating device to help kids lose weight is holding parents accountable for their fat kids.

G-Spot Study: Erroneous or Erogenous Zone?

The G-reat debate continues.

"The mother of three says she learned to find her G-spot with the help of Ava Cadell, a Los Angeles sex counselor and founder of Loveology University, an online school that offers G-spot certification among other courses in female sexuality.

Cadell is one of many sex educators and researchers who are refuting a study published this week by King's College London that questions the existence of the notorious G-spot -- a debate that has swirled for more than a half century.

The G-spot -- to those who believe in the anatomical phenomenon -- is a ridged patch that responds to gentle stroking, located 1.5 to 3 inches up on the anterior wall of the vagina, somewhere between 11 and 1 o'clock if noon were the navel."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Remember: these are the same people who cannot cure toenail fungus and want to interfere with your genetics to get you to lose weight.

Many ignorant on 'waist fat' risk

This is from many of the same people who would rather die than "exercise."

"Almost nine in 10 people are not aware of the risks of carrying extra fat around their waistline.

A survey of 12,000 Europeans found most had no idea that a thick waist was a sign of a build-up of a dangerous type of fat around the internal organs.

The report from GlaxoSmithKline, who make weight loss drug Alli, said this "visceral fat" is strongly linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Most people would lose weight once they found out the risk, the survey found."

Bulls**t.

Remember, this "study" is from the makers of Alli, the pill that makes you fart fat in your undies.

Besides, it will make no difference anyway.

As if the brontosapiens think that the fat they have is "healthy" because they do not know it is visceral.

Shut up!

Finding the G-spot: Is it real?

Not a fitness article, but another example of truth with a shelf life, if if ever had any life at all.

"Can you find the G-spot?

Women everywhere have read or heard that they may possess a secret pleasure zone inside their bodies that, if stimulated correctly, yields intense pleasure and even orgasm.

But this so-called G-spot has never been precisely identified as a concrete biological entity. Scientists are still arguing over what it is and whether it exists at all.

Researchers at King's College London in the United Kingdom have brought the elusive G-spot to the forefront with a study of more than 1,800 female twins. The study suggests that there is no genetic basis for the G-spot and that environmental or psychological factors may contribute to whether a woman believes that she has a G-spot. The new study is published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine."

'"Tis a consummation... Aye, there's the rub."

Hat tip to The Bard.

Body Mass Index Predicts Left Atrial Thrombus in Atrial Fibrillation

Kudos, fatsos.

"In patients with atrial fibrillation, a body mass index (BMI) of 27.0 kg/meters-squared or higher increases the risk for left atrial/left atrial appendage (LA/LAA) thrombi, according to a report in the December 15th American Journal of Cardiology.

Obesity is associated with poor prognosis in patients with atrial fibrillation, the authors point out, with some studies suggesting that obese patients with atrial fibrillation could face a high risk of thromboembolic complications."

When more than just your fat starts shakin', beware.

Childhood Metabolic Measurements May Predict Diabetes Development Years Later

News Flash! Piglet kids become porky adults.

"A child's blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose level and other laboratory tests and simple office measures may predict the risk of developing type 2 diabetes nine and 26 years later, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."

Old news.

More nutritional child abuse.

Happy Same As All The Other Years.

Survival of the fittest: exercise 'can fight ageing'

Might work for some. I am not a believer in "anti-aging." I think it is a marketing scam.

"Long-term physical activity has an anti-ageing effect at the cellular level, a German study suggests.
Researchers focused on telomeres, the protective caps on the chromosomes that keep a cell's DNA stable but shorten with age.

They found telomeres shortened less quickly in key immune cells of athletes with a long history of endurance training."

Now, they have to explain Jim Fixx (and others).

Fitness can, however, add life to your years.

Quitting smoking may up diabetes risk temporarily

More bad from fat.

"Middle-aged adults who quit smoking may see their risk of type 2 diabetes increase for several years -- at least partly because of the weight gain that can come with quitting, researchers reported Monday."

Kudos, fatsos.

Of course, it is not fair to blame quitting smoking on getting fat.

"Proof?," you ask. (see here)

Your query, my command:

Mayo Clinic diet book promotes healthy weight loss

First they IMHO tried to kill you online. (e.g., see here, here, here and here) Now the book-buying public is at risk.

"Confused by the myriad of diet books that promise to help you melt away those excess pounds to produce the body of a supermodel?

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota have produced a weight-loss program based on clinical research and experience that they say will help people lose weight and keep it off permanently."

Caveat emptor.

Obesity Now Poses as Great a Threat to Quality of Life as Smoking

Kudos, fatsos.

"As the US population becomes increasingly obese while smoking rates continue to decline, obesity has become an equal, if not greater, contributor to the burden of disease and shortening of healthy life in comparison to smoking.

In an article published in the February 2010 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from Columbia University and The City College of New York calculate that the Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) lost due to obesity is now equal to, if not greater than, those lost due to smoking -- both modifiable risk factors."

They did not include how paying for fat people threatens the quality of the lives of the rest of us.

Fight back.

Even with fewer risk factors, heavy men die earlier

As in before noon?

"Overweight middle-aged men may have a higher risk of heart problems and strokes and die earlier than their thinner peers -- even in the absence of some traditional risk factors, a new study suggests.

Some past research has suggested that when obese and overweight adults do not have the so-called metabolic syndrome, their risks of diabetes, heart disease and stroke are no higher than those of normal-weight people.

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

In the current study, which followed more than 1,700 Swedish men for 30 years, overweight and obese men had increased risks of conditions including heart attack and stroke, even when in the absence of metabolic syndrome.

Among all men without metabolic syndrome, those who were overweight were 52 percent more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, and other complications than normal-weight men were, while obese men had nearly double the risk."

Apparently, they mean at a younger age.

Still, the clock is running.

High Fat Diet Increases Inflammation in the Mouse Colon

Red meat does not cause cancer. Yes, it does. Red meat is good for you. No, it's not:

"'There is convincing evidence that increased intake of red meat, processed meat and alcohol can increase risk of colorectal cancer, whereas greater consumption of dietary fiber, milk and calcium might decrease risk,' says Peter Holt, a senior research associate in the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism at Rockefeller."

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

Sleep loss may affect health by curbing exercise

Happy New Year for Excusinators!

"A number of studies have linked chronic sleep deprivation to a heightened risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Now, a small study suggests that low levels of physical activity during the day may partly account for the connection.

In a study of 15 healthy men, researchers found that a couple nights of grabbing only four hours of sleep caused the men to curtail their physical activity compared with days where they had gotten the standard eight hours the night before.

In contrast, there was no evidence that sleep loss altered blood levels of appetite-regulating hormones or caused the men to eat more the next day -- effects that have been seen in a number of previous studies."

Figures.

Hey, toughen up, fatsos.

Train and maybe you will be too tired to eat and more tired for sleep.

Another study finds no MMR-autism link

More truth with a shelf life.

"A new study provides further evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of autism.

Concerns that the MMR shot could cause autism were first raised a decade ago by British physician Andrew Wakefield, who, based on a study of 12 children, proposed that there was a link between the vaccine and bowel disease and autism.

That research has since been widely discredited, and numerous international studies have failed to find a connection between MMR vaccination and autism."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

Get fit. Stay fit. Tune out the noise.

Live a good life.

Obesity May Hinder Optimal Control Of Blood Pressure And Cholesterol

Kudos, fatsos.

"Obese patients taking medications to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels are less likely to reach recommended targets for these cardiovascular disease risk factors than their normal weight counterparts, according to new research presented at the 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada."

Now your heads can explode from the blood pressure just like your pants do from your waistline pressure.

Energy Gap Useful Tool For Successful Weight Loss Maintenance Strategy

The Gap is Crap.

"Americans continue to get heavier. Most weight control methods short of bariatric surgery are generally considered ineffective in preventing obesity or reducing weight. The term energy gap was coined to estimate the change in energy balance (intake and expenditure) behaviors required to achieve and sustain reduced body weight outcomes in individuals and populations."

It is all about fewer Calories in than out.

That is the only gap that matters.

The rest of this trash is needlessly complicated and confusing.

Restless legs syndrome, erectile dysfunction linked

Restless legs, limp foot (if you know what I mean).

"Two disorders that seem completely unrelated except that each is the focus of massive drug company ad campaigns may actually have something in common: Older men who suffer from restless legs syndrome at night are almost twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction as those without restless legs, researchers report.

Dr. Xiang Gao, of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and his colleagues studied more than 23,000 male dentists, optometrists, veterinarians and other health professionals, who would complete health-related surveys at regular intervals.

In 2000 and 2004, the men were asked to rate their erections on a five point scale from very poor to very good. In 2002, the men answered questions related to restless legs syndrome symptoms. None of these men had diabetes or arthritis, which can both increase the risk of restless legs.

About four percent -- 944 -- of the men reported symptoms of restless legs syndrome. These men had an average age of 70, while those without restless legs were on average about two years younger, tended to exercise more, and were less likely to smoke.

Of those who reported restless legs, more than half -- 53 percent - also reported trouble with their erections, compared to 40 percent of those who did not complain about restless legs."

Stay tuned.

Ginkgo extract doesn't slow cognitive decline-study

How can this be? At least there is good news with the bad news.

"The widely used herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not appear to slow the rate of cognitive decline in healthy older people or those with mild cognitive impairment, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Their study involved 3,069 people age 72 or older from four U.S. communities who were tracked for an average of six years. Half of them took twice-daily doses of 120 milligrams of extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree and half received a placebo.

Compared with study participants who received a placebo, the use of Ginkgo biloba did not slow cognitive decline in those with normal conditions or those with mild cognitive impairment, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The findings suggest that Ginkgo biloba -- one of the top-selling herbal supplements used with the aim of improving memory and preventing age-related cognitive decline -- had no effect on subtle changes associated with early symptoms of dementia or normal aging, the researchers said."

The bad - the whole year and the rest of your life are ruined because ginkgo doesn't work.

The good - take ginkgo and you won't remember why.

Menu labels spur diners to trim calories

More conflicting data. This time from a suspect source - Yale. (note image at bottom of post)

"Restaurant menus that include calorie information do seem to encourage diners to exercise some restraint, a new study suggests.

What's more, researchers found, menus that give added information -- namely, the number of calories the average adult should get in a day -- could prove even more effective at curbing appetites.

The findings, reported in the American Journal of Public Health, give some weight to the growing movement to require restaurant chains to place calorie information on their menus and menu boards.

In 2008, New York City became the first U.S. city to mandate such changes at fast-food and coffee chains. That law became a model for California and other U.S. states and cities that have since implemented or are considering similar measures.

And soon the federal government may be stepping in; provisions for menu labeling are part of the healthcare reform legislation currently before Congress.

The intention is to help combat the nation's obesity problem by raising consumer awareness of just how many calories lurk in their burgers, sandwiches, fries and desserts.

But questions have been raised about the effectiveness of menu labeling.

In October, an independent study of New York's law concluded that menu labeling had done nothing to change consumer habits in the city's low-income neighborhoods. Shortly thereafter, the city's health department released preliminary data from a larger study suggesting that New Yorkers had, in fact, started buying fewer calories at 9 of 13 fast- food and coffee chains included in the research...

The setting was experimental, and not "real world," but that allowed the researchers to show cause-and-effect, noted Christina Roberto, a doctoral candidate at Yale who led the study."

Yale is home to uber-fatty Kelly Brownell and one of Oprah's IMHO uber-whores, David Katz.

Here is a picture of Kelly:

You decide on the value of what comes out of Yale.

Nerve stimulation ineffective for low back pain

Another medical "truth" bites the dust.

"People with chronic low back pain who seek relief with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation or TENS are wasting their time and money, according to a report published today...

According to the new TENS practice guideline -- issued by the American Academy of Neurology and published in the academy's journal Neurology -- TENS is "ineffective" for the treatment of chronic low back pain but is "probably effective" in reducing pain from diabetic neuropathy.

Research on TENS for chronic low back pain has yielded conflicting results. The new guideline stems from a comprehensive review of the scientific literature."

Still think they have any idea what is going on?

TV ads implicated in childhood obesity

No changes in sight for 2010 - blame anything or anyone except the parents.

"Studies have linked TV time to children's risk of obesity, but new findings suggest it might not be the sitting around that's the problem, but the exposure to commercials.

Researchers found that for children younger than 7, the amount of time spent watching commercial TV was related to weight gain over the next five years."

How many kids "younger than 7" up to 5 years from their starting age have the resources to buy what they see on TV?

Really.

A burger or fried chicken with a side of diabetes?

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about? (See the post that follows)

"Avoiding "fast food" burgers and fried chicken may cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes -- the kind closely linked to obesity, new research hints."

They don't.

Do what works.

Subway Had Jared, Now Taco Bell's Got Christine

Still think they have any idea what they are talking about? (See the preceding post)

"Just in time for the post-holiday gorge in front of the TV, Taco Bell is unleashing a weight loss advertisement campaign that is the first to compete with Subway's Jared Fogle.

Meet Christine: A woman who lost 54 pounds in two years by choosing the low-fat "Fresco" menu items at Taco Bell in place of her old daily fast food choices.

The counterintuitive and controversial pitch that fast food can be good for weight loss won Subway billions of dollars over its competitors in 2000. The before and after footage of Fogle, who lost 245 pounds in a year, boosted Subway's per store sales growth to seven times the industry average in 2000 and nearly doubled their previous year's sales, according to "Market Busters: 40 Strategic Moves That Drive Exceptional Business Growth," published by the Harvard Business School Press.

But dieticians are on the fence about whether these campaigns ultimately hurt or help a nation where more than a third of meals are eaten in restaurants and more than a third of the population is obese."

They don't.

Do what works.