The weight-loss industry in the United States is worth its share in billions of dollars. An impressive number, but unsurprising statistic, being that one in three Americans suffers from obesity. This is only the tip of the scale because the number does not account for all the ranges in between, from the overweight to the fad dieters who struggle with the same fifteen pounds. According to PRWeb.com, there are approximately 75 million dieters in the United States at any given time.

That’s a lot of people struggling with the same question. When did losing weight become so complicated? According to a recent New York Times article, two new studies have shown that exercise alone will not necessarily result in weight loss. Exercise cannot only be insignificantly effective in the fight against fat—it can actually lead to weight gain. Muscle weights more than fat.

Perhaps it’s a question of overestimating not only our workouts, but also ourselves. That euphoric feeling of satisfaction so brutally earned can lead us into thinking that, certainly, that second piece of cheesecake cannot be all that bad. We earned it.

What the studies showed is a fact easily forgotten amongst the Dukan diets and Insanity workouts that claim to resolve, but rarely keep in mind, the simplicity of weight loss: Weight loss is simple math. You only need to burn more calories than you consume: calories in, calories out. This may seem to oversimplify a daunting struggle, but it can be helpful to keep in mind and maintain realistic goals. You can work yourself to death, but if you are still eating more than you consume, then all that effort is moot. Exercise should not be used to compensate for past or future indulgences.

It turns out that contrary to popular belief, exercise can actually lower your metabolism. Our bodies can become accustomed to exercise. For example, you may be burning a large number of calories, but if your metabolism slows down, you may actually be burning less than you thought. You will lose fewer calories, rather than if your metabolism stayed the same.

What all of these findings best seem to illustrate is that moderation is key. Eating in moderation and exercising in moderation should eventually lead to weight loss. It may not be as fast as only drinking spicy lemonade for seven days, but it is far more effective and easier to stick to.

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Red Bank, U.S.A. – With more than 60 percent of women in the United States classified as overweight and one-third of those women being obese,[1] a new survey from HealthyWomen (HW) sheds light on women’s understanding of obesity and the options available to regain their health. The survey found that while women are knowledgeable about the heart health impact of obesity, they don’t understand other serious health consequences, namely cancer. When asked about the secondary health conditions associated with obesity, only 49 percent recognized the link between obesity and breast cancer, and 29 percent knew about the link between obesity and uterine cancer.

This lack of knowledge extended to weight-loss strategies as well. When women were asked about obesity-prevention actions available to them, more than half of the respondents (52%) did not know if their health insurance offered support. Only 10 percent believed their plans covered bariatric surgery, and only 6 percent thought their plans included prescription drug reimbursement. While plans vary, many do provide support for a range of weight-loss interventions.

“We were reassured to find that women understand some of the health consequences associated with obesity,” said Beth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of HealthyWomen. “However, the survey does show several gaps in knowledge, which tells us more needs to be done to offer support and access to tools that will help them lead a healthier lifestyle.”

The online survey of nearly 1,500 women was designed to assess their understanding and knowledge of obesity and related health consequences. It also included a self-assessment of their current weight status and their strategies for losing weight. More than three-quarters of respondents identified themselves as either overweight (47%) or obese (25%). Overweight is defined by medical experts as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, while obesity is associated with a BMI greater than 30.[1]

Asked how much weight they would need to lose to significantly reduce health risks associated with being overweight or obese, 30 percent of respondents said a 10 percent reduction was needed, followed by 28 percent who said a 5 percent reduction was needed. This is evidence that respondents understand that a modest amount of weight loss—5 to 10 percent of body weight—can produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugars.[2]

When it came to employing a weight-loss strategy, the largest group — 41 percent of women – stated that starting or increasing exercise was the one weight-loss strategy that was most effective for them, with 51 percent of respondents engaging in three to seven hours of physical activity a week. Managing caloric intake ranked second in popularity, favored by 25 percent of respondents. Additionally, when asked if a prescription weight-loss option were available as part of a long-term weight-loss plan, more than half of the women said they would be somewhat or very likely to try it (31% and 29%, respectively).

To support women with their weight-loss goals, HealthyWomen provides an array of resources that can help women tackle their toughest weight-loss issues at www.HealthyWomen.org/obesity. This month HealthyWomen will launch its new Online Community, providing women a venue to connect with medical experts on a variety of health topics, including weight loss, fitness and nutrition, as well as to share success stories and get support from other women just like them.

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Overweight, obesity and weight loss” Fact Sheet. Available at: http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/overweight-weight-loss.cfm#a. Accessed: April 23, 2012.

[2] NIH Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. “Fact About Healthy Weight” Fact Sheet. Available at:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/obesity/aim_kit/healthy_wt_facts.htm. Accessed: April 27, 2012

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Winston-Salem, U.S.A. – With nearly one-third of American children being overweight or obese, doctors agree that there is an acute need for more effective treatments. In many weight management programs, the dropout rate can be as high as 73%, and even in successful programs, the benefits are usually short term.

Although family-based approaches to pediatric obesity are considered the gold standard of treatment, theories of the family and how it functions have not been incorporated into effective interventions, according to a study published in the May issue of the International Journal of Obesity by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

“The field of family studies provides an innovative approach to the difficult problem of pediatric obesity, building on the long-established approach of family-based treatment,” said Joseph Skelton, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and director of the Brenner FIT (Families in Training) Program at Wake Forest Baptist, and lead author of the study.

Skelton and his research team reviewed medical literature published between 1990 and 2011 to identify the use of prominent family theories in pediatric obesity research. Of the 76 manuscripts found, 13 were selected for the study.

Wake Forest Baptist researchers found limited use of family theories in the study of pediatric obesity, particularly in weight management treatments. Family behavioral theories can provide valuable insight into the complexities of families, and increased use of these theories in both research and practice may help in the development of more effective treatments for childhood obesity, the study found.

“Traditionally doctors looked at the patient as the one in the family to focus on, but now we have to look at the entire family as the patient,” Skelton said.

“One of the problems we found was that there wasn’t even a clear definition of family in the literature. A two-parent household with a stay-at-home mother and working father is no longer the norm. Inability to define the family makes it difficult to apply a straightforward model of family function to child health and weight management.”

In the clinic setting, families are often represented by a child and a parent, typically the mother. However, this often does not accurately reflect family complexity and it doesn’t define which family members should be included in treatment, Skelton said.

A common theme in the field of family studies is that families are a system, made up of interdependent units. Intervening with one unit, such as a mother and a child, will influence other units. These interpersonal relationships influence the health behaviors of the child and the family as a whole, according to the study.

“The challenge is to find ways to incorporate the entire family in the process, while allowing for different schedules and different age kids with different health needs,” Skelton said. “If we don’t find more effective treatments and this epidemic continues, these children will likely go on to become obese adults, resulting in an entire generation with lower life expectancies than their parents’ generation.”

Skelton and his team at Brenner FIT have begun incorporating theories of the family into their research and in their treatment approach, and are finding ways to engage more members of the family in treatment.

Funding for the study was provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Duke Endowment and the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Foundation.

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Scotland, a nation known for its feats of strength, is gradually sliding in a self-created tomb of poor health. High alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of adequate exercise, and eating junk food is leading to atrocious levels of illness in Scotland. The chief medical officer of Scotland, Dr. Burns, has warned in his annual report that poor diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and high alcohol consumption is leading to increased health problems in Scotland.

He pointed to figures reported in the Scottish Health Survey which indicated that 27 percent of men and 18 percent of women exceeded the recommended weekly amount of alcohol consumption. Smoking among adults is decreasing, but 25 percent of adults still smoke cigarettes, and 63.3 percent of adults are either overweight or obese. Only 22 percent of adults met the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables a day, and only 39 percent of adults met the recommended levels of physical activity.

Despite a reported reduction in consumption of alcohol from 28 percent in 1995 to 22 percent in 2010, the level of those who exceed the daily amount of alcohol consumption has risen among men from 43 percent to 45 percent, and for women, it fell from 37 percent to 33 percent. He also noted that the data on alcohol consumption is conflicting, i.e comparing purchase data and consumption data.

However, alcohol purchase data indicates that consumption is on the increase. New hospital admissions due to alcohol-related conditions for people under 75 has increased by 18 percent in the last decade. Alcohol-related deaths for those aged 45-74 was also reported to be nine times more in deprived areas than in affluent areas.

On a positive note, the mortality rates due to Scotland’s big three killers: cancer, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke for people under 75 have continued to decline. Premature death rates due to cancer, CHD, and stroke have been reduced by 22 percent, 60 percent, and 54 percent respectively .

Premature mortality rates due to all other cases for those under 75 have been reduced by 28 percent ( from 507 per 100,000 in 1995 to 365 per 100,000 in 2009). Increased survival rates from cancer have been influenced by effective treatment, early diagnosis, and more people have been cured of cancer. Five year survival from cancer over the last two decades rose from 26 percent to 44 percent for men and from 36 percent to 51 percent for women.

Less affluent areas were shown to display more of these risky behaviors. Mental health problems are also becoming worse in deprived areas and among the working class. The lower display of risky behavior among the affluent is largely due to available information from health promotion campaigns which has, for some reason, remained largely ignored in the other sections of the society. Dr. Burns warned, “Scotland continues to have a higher level of ill health than most of our immediate neighbors in Europe.”

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The invention of the steam engine at the end of the 18th century was the beginning of evolution in transportation. This development allowed people to move heavier loads faster. A hundred years after, since the motor car was created, people were able to travel long distances without using a lot of effort.

By the end of 20th century, and continuing today, he computer is the main source of communication for the vast majority of people in the world. In last 10 years, the average growth of Internet usage in the world grew by 480 percent. This increase shows that people are becoming more addicted to online communication, and the need to physically interact with people has become limited.

The absence of the necessity to walk and do other physical activities in order to complete daily tasks is one of the leading causes of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century: obesity. Obesity is defined as a body having  excessive body fat, which causes health problem and reduces the life expectancy of a person.

Moreover, it increases the probability of having various diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is caused by many factors. One reason could be the person’s genes, which usually explains 25-40 percent of a person’s weight. The remaining percentage of your body condition comes from that person’s culture, way of life, and environment. 

With the development of technology and transportation, the cost of goods has decreased, and most people are able to afford junk food, which is sold everywhere. Moreover, there is no need to go to the grocery stores as often since fast food services, such as pizza deliveries, are readily available. Such services are becoming more popular, especially among the younger generation.

The problem of obesity is more global than we think. It was estimated that Americans spend more than $33 billion annually on weight loss. Additionally, the cost of health care to treat obesity is $120 billion. The World Health Organization predicts that there will be 2.3 billion people with weight problems by 2015, which is almost a quarter of the world’s population. At the present, nearly a third the US population is obese.

How people should deal with obesity problem?

First of all, a person who is obese must understand his/her own problem and consciously decide to deal with that issue. It was recommended to use a positive criticism in order to build self-confidence, which means that criticism must be seen as a way to correct oneself, but not as an irritating factor.

As soon as an obese person is certain about his/her situation, a balanced diet must be chosen. When the goal is to lose weight by decreasing the amount of food, the body should still get all essential nutritients, since it is vital for physical health and appearance. In addition, it is important to have a habit of counting calories.

Whenever food is bought, all the labels must be read to know how many calories the product contains. If extra calories were consumed, exercise can help balance it. In conclusion, it is necessary to avoid ignoring small things. If you already decided to have a diet and be healthy, it should last for as long as possible, and must not depend on any events, such as wedding or birthday party.

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According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health conducted by doctors at the University of Michigan, one in two women of childbearing age in the United States is considered overweight or obese.

Weight-related complications during pregnancy are commonplace and healthcare providers are trying to dismiss the idea that pregnant women need to “eat for two” by doubling their caloric intake. Working with a healthcare provider, overweight women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant can find a strategy to a healthy weight gain that works for them.

Increased risk of developing gestational diabetes is a crucial reason for overweight women to closely monitor how much weight they gain during pregnancy. Gestation diabetes causes the hormones released from the placenta, the baby’s support system, to be blocked by the woman’s body.

The result is that her body is unable to process insulin. High blood glucose levels build in the mother’s system and stream to the baby through the placenta causing the baby to grow rapidly and gain unnecessary weight.

Overweight pregnant women are also at risk of developing high blood pressure. This condition tightens the blood vessels in the uterus that supplies the baby with oxygen and nutrients. It also puts the mother at risk for having a heart attack or stroke resulting in a greater likelihood that she will deliver her baby early.

Having regular checkups before becoming pregnant may help prevent obesity related complication during pregnancy. The March of Dimes recommends, “If you’re overweight or obese, your health care provider or a registered dietitian can help you lose pounds so that you reach a healthier weight before trying to get pregnant. They will talk with you about exercise and eating healthy.”

What is the correct amount of weight gain? The amount a woman’s health care provider recommends will depend on her pre-pregnancy weight. If she has a normal weight and a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range (between 18.5 and 25) then she should gain between 25 and 35 pounds.

Underweight women, with a BMI less than 18.5, should try to gain between 28 to 40 pounds. Overweight women, with a BMI between 25 and 29.9, should gain between 15 to 25 pounds and obese women, those with a BMI greater than 30, should limit their weight gain to between 11 and 20 pounds.

Women who are overweight or obese should not intentionally try to lose weight while they are pregnant however it is not uncommon for plus-sized women to lose weight while pregnant without dieting. Morning sickness can contribute to weight loss because its diminished affect on appetite and associated vomiting can cause a loss of calories.

Even so, a developing baby will still get nourishment if a mother is not dieting because overweight women have an extra reserve of calories stored in fat.

Healthy eating should be a goal of every pregnant woman, regardless of her pre-pregnancy weight. Setting a goal for how much weigh to gain with a health care provider is the key to ensuring a successful, healthy pregnancy.

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Environment News Network (ENN) states that “more than 1.9 billion people worldwide were overweight in 2010, a 25 percent increase since 2002.” Doctors have found that people throughout the world are getting fatter with the possible exception of East Asia.

Overall, 24 percent of men and 27 percent of women seeing their doctors in a typical day are obese, and another 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women are overweight. This trend is strongly correlated to rising income and to an increase in preventable health problems.

The trend over the last decade toward heavier populations cuts across regions and income levels. In India, 19 percent of adults are overweight, up from 14 percent in 2002. In Mexico, the figure has risen by 8 percent since 2002, while Brazil’s is up by 7 percent and the rate in the U.K. is up by 5 percent. East Asia has seen a 4 percent increase over the period. The United States leads all industrialized countries with 78.6 percent of the adult population overweight.

That analysis shows that some 75 percent of adults in the 10 richest countries are overweight, while in the 10 poorest, only 18 percent are. On a regional level, the correlation between income and being overweight holds reasonably well. Europe generally has elevated levels, for example, while low-income sub-Saharan Africa averages lower body mass index (BMI) levels.

At a national level, however, the situation is more complex. A comparison of percentages of overweight people in all countries and their GDPs reveals a positive but weak correlation, with cultural, societal, and possibly genetic factors playing heavily into the mix.

People with a BMI between 18-24 are considered healthy. A BMI of 25 or greater is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or above is labeled “obese.”

Only about 7 percent of people in eastern Asia were obese, compared to 36 percent of people in Canada, 38 percent of women in the Middle East, and 40 percent in South Africa. In Northern Europe, men had an average BMI of 27 and women 26, just into the overweight category. Southern Europe, Australia, and Latin America had similar averages BMI of 28.

However, these are the calculations of those people who were all seeing doctors at the time of the study. While the poorest people in industrialized countries tend to be among the most overweight, this is not the case in the developing world, where the poorest have a very little chance of seeing a doctor, not to mention they are often undernourished.

People who are overweight and obese have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer. Exercise alone will not cut the risk of heart disease unless they also slim down.

“Even high quantities of physical activity are unlikely to fully reverse the risk of coronary heart disease in overweight and obese women without concurrent weight loss,” said Dr. Amy Weinstein of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

In a study conducted by Weinstein, active women with normal weight had the lowest risk of developing heart problems while there was a slightly higher risk for those with normal weight who were not active. The risk was next highest for active women who were either overweight or obese, and the highest for similar women who were inactive.

Weinstein explained that fat cells produce chemicals that can speed up hardening of the arteries and increase inflammation, harming blood vessels. On the other hand, physical activity makes for healthier blood vessels and reduces the risk of blood clots.

Before trying any exercise or diet regiment, Weinstein and other researchers urge people to visit their doctors first. Only with the right method and with someone watching over them can people lose weight and maintain it.

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