A recent study proved what we all already know… that healthy living really does improve long-term health. A lot. The US-based study found that not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight (BMI <30), exercising regularly (3.5 hours/week) and eating a balanced diet (high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, low in meat) reduced the risk of developing chronic disease by nearly 80% over the course of the study. 80%! Just imagined if a new drug promised an 80% reduction in chronic diseases — it would be a wonder drug! People would be beating a path to their primary care providers, demanding a prescription. Shareholders in the manufacturers would never have to work again! Read more →

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically in the last several decades. Obesity is a significant public health problem in most developed countries and carries with it substantial morbidity and mortality. The most commonly implicated causes of obesity are well known: poor diet, lack of physical activity, and genetic predisposition. There are also other factors that contribute to obesity, including environment, cultural customs, seasonal changes, stress, and medication-related weight gain. However, a new theory provides another possible cause for obesity in some people: infectious disease. Read more →

Obesity is on the rise worldwide, and poor diet and lack of regular physical activity are often cited as culprits. Residents of many industrialized nations, including the United States, have diets that are high in fat, calories, and sweeteners that lead to overweight and obesity and the related metabolic syndromes. Lately, researchers have focused attention on fructose as an identifiable offender in the obesity epidemic. A new study in rats reveals that fructose may lead to leptin resistance, which, in turn, leads to overweight and obesity. Read more →

Memantine (Namenda) is approved to treat Alzheimer’s disease, but may also be effective in treating binge eating disorder. A new study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders demonstrates memantine’s effectiveness in a small group of patients with binge eating disorder.

Binge eating is a relatively newly recognized psychiatric disorder that involves recurrent episodes of binge eating without extreme behaviors to lose weight. Binge eating is the most common eating disorder, affecting up to 3% of American adults. It is most often seen in people aged 46 to 55 years. Read more →

If we as Americans do one thing well, it’s gaining weight. NIH data shows that two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and one-third are obese. Of course we have all heard the usual “lack of diet and exercise” mantra about weight gain. Data certainly backs up our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, such as the fact that the average United States household now spends roughly 8 hours a day with the television on. That being said, what if there was more to the story?

The United States is falling victim to a systematic elimination of the neighborhood. Shopping is occurring more and more at large retail chains (i.e. Walmart, Home Depot, Costco) which require tremendous real estate. Therefore city planners are favoring the creation of sprawling commercial centers where numerous such chains can be built in close proximity to one another, and allow for one-stop shopping. Read more →

Most people know the “typical” eating disorder patient: adolescent girl, over-achiever, perfectionist. This is an accurate description, since most patients with diagnosed eating disorders and patterns of disordered eating are females between the ages of 10 and 20. Currently, it is estimated that 1% of adolescent girls have anorexia. Nearly 30% of adolescent girls have disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, while not meeting the criteria for diagnosis of an eating disorder. Read more →