Archive for August, 2013

Lost Sleep Makes Men Bad Grocery Shoppers

August 13, 2013 — Lost sleep is becoming ever more tightly linked to obesity. In a new publication by Colin Chapman and colleagues, we have one more reason to believe the connection is real: bad food choices. The study appears online in the journal Obesity. Chapman showed in his controlled study that men bought more calories and more grams of […]

Obesity Surgery Standards at Risk

August 12, 2013 — The proposal to eliminate obesity surgery standards by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will put the safety of vulnerable patients at risk, according to a coalition of the major professional and patient groups advocating for people with obesity. At present, only facilities certified as centers of excellence can be paid for obesity […]

Obesity’s Impact on Access to Medical Care

August 11, 2013 — The barriers that limit access to medical care routinely encountered by people with obesity bear consideration for a full understanding of obesity and health. When a recent study prompted broad attention to the fact that doctors treat slender patients with more respect, comments flooded discussion forums that brought this finding to life. Said one reader […]

Irrationality, Health, and Libertarian Paternalism

August 10, 2013 — Irrationality describes many aspects of healthcare and health behaviors that create vexing problems for health policymakers. Label a food “healthy” and people will consume it in unhealthy quantities. People will insist on getting prescriptions and tests they might not need, but all too often, they don’t follow through with needed tests and prescriptions. Douglas Hough […]

Low-income Preschool Obesity Down Slightly — Why?

August 9, 2013 — Preschool obesity rates in a low-income population declined in 19 of 43 states studied, according to a new report from CDC published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Obviously, this is good news, but what does it mean and what’s causing this trend? The truth is, we can’t be sure. But that doesn’t constrain […]

Privacy and Integrity Questions About Workplace Wellness

August 8, 2013 — Issues of privacy and integrity in workplace wellness programs are surfacing as more employers are preparing to implement incentives and penalties for health. Programs for two large public institutions — one for Penn State employees and one for Nebraska state government employees — are under fire. The program at Penn State will impose a $100 […]

Weight Watchers Losing Ground to mHealth

August 7, 2013 — Weight Watchers has lost a quarter of its market value over the last six months and, on Friday, lost its CEO — all presumably due to mHealth trends that were leaving Weight Watchers behind. Will Weight Watchers join Slim-Fast and Ayds in the dustbin of weight management history? Or will the brand enjoy the kind […]

Connecting the Dots: Stress, Inflammation, and Obesity

August 6, 2013 — Research is helping to connect the dots between various kinds of stress, inflammation, and obesity. Psychological stress has long been linked to obesity through activation of the sympathetic nervous system and by seeking comfort from fatty, salty, and sugary foods associated with weight gain. Obesity itself seems to cause physiological stress responses. Those responses in […]

U.S. Fails on Measuring Obesity Prevention

August 5, 2013 — The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has just issued an unusually blunt assessment of the U.S. failure on measuring obesity prevention efforts. Right up front, the report identifies a gap between the substantial investment in prevention and in evaluating the fruit of those efforts, saying: The nation still lags behind international efforts in providing the leadership, […]

Obesity and Diet Top Americans’ Health Concerns

August 4, 2013 — Obesity, weight, and diet are the top personal health concerns of Americans according to a national survey of 1,219 adults conducted by Hart Research Associates in June and released Friday by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association. The study also identified obesity as one of the top three health research priorities for Americans. Overall as […]