Approximately 60 percent of American adults are considered overweight, according to the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center. Of the 60 percent, one fourth are considered obese, a condition in which body weight and body fat...
Morbid obesity increases a teen's risk for depression, heart disease and other life-threatening conditions. According to the Obesity Action Coalition, morbid obesity refers to body weight that exceeds a person's ideal weight by at least 100 lbs....
The statistics for extreme or morbid obesity are concerning, with the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealing that 5.7 percent of the adult Americans population is morbidly obese. A person with a body mass index of 40...
Sibutramine, or Reductil, is an anti-obesity medication. It contains the active ingredient sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate, which works by targeting chemicals in your brain to make you feel full and satisfied when eating lower amounts of...
Anti-obesity medication can get you on the road to successful weight loss when used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a limited number of drugs that suppress your appetite...
If you are obese, that means you have a body mass index of 30 or more. Body mass index is calculated using height to weight. Being obese increases your risk factors for multiple complications including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers,...
Phentermine is a prescription medication used to promote weight loss by working on the satiety center. This medication reduces appetite and increases autonomic nervous system activity and is often used to reduce the health risks associated with...
Weight loss takes place when you burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by restricting your food intake and partaking in physical activity on a regular basis. People that have tried multiple approaches and have found themselves...
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to assess how much fat is contained on the body relative to the height and weight of the individual. The BMI is an estimate used to evaluate the health of the person and determine if there is a risk factor for...
For the more than 1 billion overweight adults worldwide, no shortage of diet pills exists. Among them is hoodia, an over-the-counter supplement purported to help dieters shed excess weight by suppressing their appetite. While swallowing a pill...
People who turn to food for comfort and eat to suppress negative feeling are engaging in emotional eating. You eat to cope with feelings of anger, boredom, sadness, loneliness, fear and stress. The problem is, that this technique usually...
Binge eating disorder is an illness characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes during which a person eats excessive amounts of food. The binge eater feels helpless to control or change behaviors and often suffers from serious emotional and...
The use of human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, for weight loss is a highly debated practice. HCG is a hormone found in pregnant women. Over 50 years ago, Dr. Albert T. Simeons, a British physician, said HCG injections would enable dieters to...
Phendimetrazine is a prescription medication indicated in the short-term treatment of obesity. This medication is anorectic drug that acts by stimulating the central nervous system, which can lead to a decreased appetite and weight loss in treated...
Benzphetamine is an amphetamine-type drug for short-term treatment of obesity. This medication curbs your appetite, which can lead to weight loss. Closely related to amphetamines, benzphetamine bears a similarly high risk of abuse and dependency....
The term "Fastin" refers to several unrelated products. Originally Fastin was the brand name of an obesity medication based on the chemical phentermine. The Fastin brand of phentermine is no longer sold in the United States; however, there are...
Epilepsy is a seizure disorder whose causes are varied and not well understood. Research suggests that certain drugs used to treat epilepsy can result in substantial weight gain and lead to obesity. More recently, researchers have discovered that...
Hoodia gordonni is a cactus-like plant of South Africa. The indigenous San Bushmen there have used it as an appetite suppressant, and some manufacturers market hoodia as an over-the-counter supplement to help with weight loss. Research on its...
Designed for women, the SlimQuick line of diet supplements includes Ultra Fat Burner, Appetite Control, SlimQuick Hoodia and more. Hoodia gordonii is a common ingredient in weight loss supplements because it may have appetite suppressant effects....
With so many diet pills on the market, it can be confusing to know which ones are effective and even more importantly safe. Your best bet is to go with a prescription weight loss medication taken under medical supervision. All diet pills can cause...
Obesity affects many of our citizens and their health on a daily basis. It puts approximately 15 percent of the population at risk for health concerns such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, according to...
Morbid obesity is a rather depressing term, but it is also useful. By classifying serious obesity as a life-threatening disease, health care professionals and institutions in the United States are able to have Medicare or private health insurance...
In theory, the Hoodia gordonii weight loss supplements you can purchase online or over the counter sound like they should work, since there's so many of them to choose from. With such widespread popularity, you may wonder how hoodia supplements...
The medication phentermine, an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system, must be prescribed by your doctor before you add it to your diet plan. Although prescribed as an appetite suppressant, exactly how phentermine reacts with...
There is a strong link between diabetes and obesity, as many diabetics are also overweight or obese. There is a growing trend to treat or prevent these health problems using compounds derived or extracted from plants. Gymnema sylvestris is one...
A broad range of over-the-counter and prescription weight loss drugs are available to overweight consumers. While diet pills may provide benefits, such as reduced appetite or fat absorption, they may also cause side effects and place your physical...
Obesity is a serious medical condition requiring treatment from a qualified health professional. Part of your treatment may include prescription medications that work with a number of different mechanisms to help you lose weight. For example, such...
Obesity is a growing problem for the American population. Poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle s have contributed to the rising percentage of overweight individuals. In addition to diet exercise, many patients who are obese may turn to the...
The FDA has approved two groups of drugs to treat obesity: appetite suppressants, such as Meridia (sibutramine) and Didrex (benzphetamine), and fat blockers like Xenical (orlistat). All require a prescription and are not free of side effects, so...
GERD or gastro esophageal reflux disease is a condition in which stomach acid or, occasionally, bile flows back into your food pipe. The constant backwash or acid reflux can irritate the lining of your esophagus and cause inflammation. Learn about...
