Content about Body shape

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The longer a person maintains a body mass index qualifying him or her as "obese," the greater risk he or she incurs in developing diabetes, a new study released Tuesday found.

NEW YORK — Half of U.S. adults will be obese by 2030, according to a new study published in The Lancet.

The research, part of a four-part series published in the journal this week, projected that the number of obese adults in the country would jump from 99 million in 2008 to 164 million by 2030, a 65.6% increase. What's more, the U.S. obesity rate will rise from 32% to about 50% for men, and from 35% to a range between 45% and 52% for women.

WASHINGTON — The rate of obesity among adults has increased across 16 states, with no states seeing a drop, according to a new report released by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report also found that 12 states now have obesity rates above 30%, versus four years ago when just one state had a 30% obesity rate, TFAH and RWJF said.

SEATTLE — Overweight or obese women who have less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D and lose more than 15% of their body weight experience significant increases in circulating levels of this fat-soluble nutrient, according to a study released last week by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — With more than two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, weight management undoubtedly is a critical health issue facing the nation. And the news that RediClinic now is offering a weight-management program speaks to a larger trend with the convenient care industry: expanding service offerings beyond acute care, which includes, for some operators, tools to tackle obesity.

NEW YORK — The "battle of the bulge" can be won by adding sleep and relaxation to diet and exercise, according to a new study.

Published in the International Journal of Obesity, a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente researchers found that among 472 obese participants with body mass indexes of 30 to 50, weight loss significantly correlated with decreased stress levels.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — In an effort to encourage healthy lifestyles among consumers, CVS/pharmacy and Weight Watchers have developed a mutually beneficial rewards program.

Members of CVS' ExtraCare loyalty program will be given the opportunity to save money on CVS/pharmacy purchases when they join Weight Watchers meetings. Conversely, Weight Watchers members will receive CVS/pharmacy ExtraBucks offers on such health-related items as blood-pressure monitors, blood-glucose testing equipment, healthy snacks and more.



Sales of diet-aid and weight-loss solutions for the past year have been relatively flat, but a confluence of factors — childhood obesity approaching “epidemic” status combined with the real need to reduce escalating healthcare costs connected to obesity — could become a real driver behind weight-loss products in the coming year. 


NASHVILLE, Tenn. Heading into the 2010 holiday shopping season, Americans appear ready to repeat unhealthy eating and exercise habits, according to the latest Gallup-Healthways well-being index released Thursday.

NEW YORK New research by Duke University found that obese workers cost U.S. employers $73.1 billion a year.

ATLANTA The number of states with an obesity prevalence of 30% or more tripled in two years to nine states in 2009, according to a CDC Vital Signs report issued Tuesday.

In 2000, no state had an obesity prevalence of 30% or more. The report, "State-Specific Obesity Prevalence Among Adults – United States, 2009," also found no state met the nation's Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15%.