Weight is controlled by numerous environmental and genetic factors, many of which have yet to be determined. Obesity is both epidemic and carries numerous health risks. Body mass index, or BMI, is commonly used as a measure for ideal weight. It is...
Calories in food provide needed energy for body functions and activities. A balance of energy consumed and energy burned is necessary for healthy weight maintenance. When extra calories are consumed, the balance is disturbed, and consequences...
Weight Watchers is a diet program popular since its creation in the 1960s that promotes a safe and steady weight reduction. It bases its philosophy on ongoing scientific research to determine the types and amounts of nutrition, foods, servings and...
Being obese increases your chances for premature death and disability. Your body mass index is a numerical estimate of the amount of body fat that you have. As your body mass index rises, so does the prevalence of serious medical conditions. These...
Fast foods contribute to poor diets in two ways -- they are often served in excessive portions and contain more detrimental nutrients than beneficial. In certain quantities, salt, cholesterol, sugar and fat harm rather than help metabolism, taking...
The massive diet industry is a testament to America's struggle with fat loss. The way fat cells behave in the body may help researchers find a way to intervene in cases of obesity and help reduce total body fat percentage permanently. Learning how...
The effects of fast food on health rarely mark an improvement. Most drive-thru selections are full of the fat, sugar, cholesterol and salt that the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans state contribute to the poor diets of many children and...
Your body mass index, a figure derived from your weight compared to your height, provides an approximate indication of your total body fat. High BMIs indicate health risk particularly when linked to certain patterns of fat distribution, weight...
A very low-calorie diet is a treatment plan for seriously overweight people or severe obesity. Although minor side effects from a very low-calorie diet, or VLCD, commonly include fatigue, constipation, nausea and diarrhea, these conditions usually...
Magnesium is an important nutrient that you need to consume every day. Most Americans are overweight or obese, and most Americans have a mild-to-moderate magnesium deficiency. That's no coincidence. Scientists think a magnesium deficiency may play...
Green tea is among the most popular beverages worldwide, especially in Asia. Extensive research on green tea in humans, animals and laboratory tests demonstrates that green tea may lower cholesterol and blood sugar; help prevent atherosclerosis,...
The 10 deadliest diseases in the U.S. in 2007 were heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, flu and pneumonia, kidney disease and septicemia, according to the...
Walking a dog provides exercise and bonding for the human and the dog in a society where more than two-thirds of humans and nearly half of canines are considered overweight or obese, according Dr. Ernie Ward and the Association for Pet Obesity...
Weight impacts people physically, socially and psychologically. The inspiration to lose weight develops from a variety of reasons. Motivation for weight loss often stems from a fear of premature death. Other people are motivated to lose weight to...
Over 26 percent of Americans are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity increases people's risk for chronic disease and early death. For people to be able to lose weight and keep it off they need to find the...
Eight percent of people in the United States currently had diabetes in 2010, the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, reports. Weight loss remains on the front line of diabetes treatment as it is safe and effective. However, that doesn't mean...
Lack of exercise can cause physical as well as psychological health problems, according to Ohio State University. In a 2004 study, older adults with lung disease completed a 10-week exercise program followed by a self-administered home exercise...