obesity

As obesity continues to plague the United States, many states have imposed a tax cost on some of the products that contribute to unhealthy weight gain, like soda. But experts believe that the current sales tax isn’t high enough to truly impact health and weight loss.

There has been a steady drop in in the cancer death rate in the United States, but obesity related cancers, such as kidney cancer, is on the rise, according to the American Cancer Society’s annual report.

Childhood obesity is soaring. In fact, about a third of US children are currently overweight or obese — and a new study may reveal one big cause. Researchers found toddlers who have a poor relationship with their moms could be twice as likely to be obese by the time they turn 15, possibly because they tend to turn to food as a substitute for motherly comfort.

The health risks of obesity are well-documented, but there’s a financial downside, too — data shows obese people also earn less money, especially women.

Is obesity contagious? A study back in 2007 seemed to indicate that, saying we get it from our friends. To back that up, researchers highlighted data showing members of social groups were likely to have similar rates of obesity. New research, however, seems to be changing all this by finding that social interactions may have little impact on body weight.

We never used to think of chubby kids as being anything other than adorable, but researchers are now more concerned about children’s eating habits now that more Americans are being considered obese. According to a new study, 40 percent of American children enter kindergarten with a body mass index (BMI) greater than the 75 percentile. Anything over the 85th percentile is considered “overweight,” a

Don’t worry if your waistline is expanding, because pretty soon, your luxury vehicle will expand with it.

In an effort to help stave off childhood obesity, McDonald’s announced Monday that its iconic Happy Meals are getting a healthy tune-up. Traditionally, the meals included a burger or chicken nuggets, fries and a soda. But starting this fall, a fruit or vegetable will also be in the shiny box.

A doctor has proposed putting severely obese children in temporary foster homes. Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children's Hospital Boston, made this recommendation Wednesday in highly respected 'Journal of the American Medical Association.'

Herkimer County, NY (WIBX) - Grant funding has been awarded to a Herkimer County organization to help people get healthier.