Weight Loss News

Medicare to Cover Weight Loss Surgery

Medicare has announced that it will cover three types of weight loss surgery: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding, and biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch.

Under the new rules, Medicare will pay for the surgery for obese patients who are suffering from other health problems related to their weight, as long as they undergo the procedure at centers that have been certified as well qualified by the American College of Surgeons or the American Society of Bariatric Surgery. (Washington Post)

Weight Loss Surgery Safety Debated

As more people abandon New Year's resolutions to lose weight and turn to obesity surgery, doctors are debating which type is safest and best. And researchers are uncovering some surprising trends. (MSNBC)

TV Ads May Encourage Kids to Overeat and Gain Weight

Food and beverage companies are using television ads to entice children into eating massive amounts of unhealthful food, leading to a sharp increase in childhood obesity and diabetes, a national science advisory panel said yesterday.

The Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academies, called on food and beverage manufacturers and restaurants to make more healthful products and shift their advertising emphasis to promote them. If the companies do not do so within two years, Congress should mandate changes, especially for broadcast and cable television ads, the institute said. (Washington Post)

Moderate Drinking May Lower Risk of Obesity

People who have an alcoholic drink or two a day may have a lower risk of becoming obese than either teetotalers or heavy drinkers, a study published Monday suggests.

Researchers found that among more than 8,200 U.S. adults, those who said they enjoyed a drink every day were 54 percent less likely than non-drinkers to be obese. Similarly, those who drank a little more (two drinks per day) or a little less (a few drinks per week) had a lower risk of obesity than teetotalers did. (Reuters UK)

Young Athletes at Risk Over Weight Control

Young athletes are at risk of engaging in unhealthy efforts to lose or gain weight and doctors need to give them guidance and "put pressure" on coaches to do the same, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.

In a detailed policy statement, the academy stresses that losing or gaining more than roughly one or two pounds weekly is dangerous. (Washington Post)

Risks of Bariatric Surgery

Given the rising rates of obesity in the United States, it's not surprising that more people are turning to bariatric surgery to treat the problem.

But several new studies in the Oct. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association point out some of the real risks associated with those surgeries. (forbes.com)

High Protein Diet May Help Women Lose Weight

A high-protein diet can make regular exercise more effective for women trying to lose weight - helping to build muscle while trimming body fat, a small study suggests. (Washington Post)

Large Heart Fails 750-Pound Man

John Keitz, 39, the vastly overweight Dundalk, Md., man who last spring began a physical therapy program, vowing to walk again after his extreme bulk had made him a prisoner of his bed for seven years, died yesterday of complications from an infection in a hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, his wife said. (Washington Post)

Obesity Rates Climbing

Obesity rates have continued to rise steadily across the nation, with the lone exception of Oregon, where they remained steady, the report by the group, the Trust for America's Health, said. (NYTimes.com)

Atkins Diet Taught Some Good Lessons

Many nutrition experts see the recent bankruptcy filing by Atkins Nutritionals Inc. as the proper outcome for a diet that seemed to encourage virtually unlimited consumption of steak, cream and pork rinds. After all, the eating plan was often at odds with the large body of nutritional research showing the benefits of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and a moderate or low percentage of fat ... But some also see value in the popularity of the weight-loss method, created by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, even if they don't agree with it.(Los Angeles Times)

Atkins Nutritionals Declares Bankruptcy

The once mighty Atkins Nutritionals, the multimillion-dollar company that produces the low-carbohydrate products that feed the diet craze, filed for bankruptcy protection in a New York court after recording a loss of $US340 millon ($446 million) last year. (smh.com.au)

Lindsey Lohan and Weight Loss

Lindsay Lohan is unhappy about tabloid reports speculating about her weight. The actress is tired of constant rumours that she has an eating disorder, and has decided to set the record straight. (Digital Spy)

Laughter and Weight Loss

Dieters looking for another edge might want to consider exercising their sense of humor scientists have found that a good laugh is a calorie burner not to be ignored. (ABC News)

Weight Watchers and Slim-Fast Are Top Diets

According to a recent analysis of diets by Consumer Reports magazine, Weight Watchers, with its support group meetings, and Slim-Fast, whose shakes let you opt out of cooking, are the top diets. (AP Medical)

Bill Clinton Heads Childhood Anti-Obesity Drive

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Tuesday launched a campaign to reduce obesity among American children, warning that today's youth could be the first U.S. generation to die younger than their parents. (Reuters)