Walking Rates Are Key to a Country's Obesity Levels

WEDNESDAY, July 12, 2017 --

People of the world, step it up!

As Your Weight Creeps Up, So Does Your Risk of Heart Failure

WEDNESDAY, July 19, 2017 -- Gaining even a little weight can increase your chances of developing heart failure, a new study finds.

Adding pounds can change the structure of your heart and its ability to pump blood. But losing weight can reverse this potentially deadly process, the researchers said.

Could Artificial Sweeteners Raise Your Odds for Obesity?

MONDAY, July 17, 2017 -- Artificial sweeteners may be less helpful than many believe in helping people lose weight and avoid health problems associated with extra pounds, a new evidence review suggests.

Aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and other artificial sweeteners did not lead to any significant weight loss in more than 1,000 participants in seven clinical trials, said lead researcher Meghan Azad. Clinical trials are considered the "gold standard" of medical research, added Azad, an assistant professor of pediatrics with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.

More Fruits and Veggies Can Slash Obesity Odds

FRIDAY, May 19, 2017 -- Eating lots of fruits and vegetables doesn't only boost your health, it can cut your risk of packing on extra pounds by almost half, researchers report.

"Our study suggests that plant-based diets are associated with substantially lower risk of developing obesity. This supports current recommendations to shift to diets rich in plant foods, with lower intake of animal foods," wrote the authors from the University of Navarra and the Carlos III Institute of Health, both in Spain.

2 Billion Worldwide Are Obese or Overweight

MONDAY, June 12, 2017 -- In a sign that the obesity epidemic has become more than just an American problem, a new study shows that 2 billion of the world's population is obese or overweight.

Meanwhile, a growing number of people are dying from weight-related health problems even though they are not technically considered obese.

1 in 5 Weight-Loss Surgery Patients Using Opioids Years Later

TUESDAY, June 6, 2017 -- About 20 percent of U.S. weight-loss surgery patients are still using prescription opioid painkillers seven years later, a new study finds.

The finding has importance, given the epidemic of opioid painkiller abuse currently affecting the United States, researchers said.