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The Battle over Smoking
Sleepless in America
War on Obesity
Sleepless in America : Analysis

Does sleep get better as we age?

Posted on March 2, 2012, at 4:51 PM

Scientists have long believed that older adults have trouble getting a good night's rest. A new study claims that's simply not true

War on Obesity : Instant Guide

Proof that the Nintendo Wii fails to make kids fit?

Posted on March 1, 2012, at 6:40 AM

So-called "active" video games might not do as great a job as we thought at making children more physically active

War on Obesity : Instant Guide
While Qnexa has the same potentially dangerous side effects as previously rejected weight loss drugs, the FDA reasoned that the risks posed by obesity were greater still.

Qnexa: Is the new anti-obesity drug too risky?

Posted on February 24, 2012, at 3:15 PM

The FDA hasn't approved a new weight loss drug in 13 years. Now, an advisory panel is endorsing a previously rejected diet pill. What changed?

War on Obesity : Fact Sheet
Chocolate cake for breakfast? New research suggests it might actually help you lose weight by reducing sugar cravings later in the day.

Can dessert for breakfast help you lose weight?

Posted on February 9, 2012, at 1:02 PM

New research suggests that, in the early morning, you can have your cake and shed pounds too

11 Comments
War on Obesity : Burning Question
A team of doctors is pushing for government regulation on high-sugar foods, even suggesting an age limit for the purchase of drinks with added sweeteners.

A drinking age for soda?

Posted on February 3, 2012, at 6:00 AM

Doctors argue that sugar is a potentially deadly poison like alcohol and tobacco — and that we ought to treat it like one

24 Comments
War on Obesity : Instant Guide
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.

Transforming school lunches: The 'historic' new rules

Posted on January 26, 2012, at 1:29 PM

The federal government is trimming the salt and fat in cafeteria meals. Will it help slim down America's students?

14 Comments
War on Obesity : Opinion Brief
After Paula Deen acknowledged this week that she has diabetes, many critics were quick to blame her illness on her rich, buttery recipes.

Paula Deen's diabetes: Don't blame Southern cooking?

Posted on January 19, 2012, at 6:28 PM

The down-home cooking guru has type 2 diabetes, and her critics insist that her creamy, buttery recipes made the diagnosis all but inevitable. Is that fair?

17 Comments
War on Obesity : Instant Guide
Scientists injected mice with a hormone that tells bad fat to turn into good, calorie-burning fat, and the rodents kept fit without stepping onto an exercise wheel.

The 'groundbreaking' workout you can inject

Posted on January 13, 2012, at 7:25 AM

Scientists identify an injectable hormone that mimics the after-effects of a workout. But don't cancel your gym membership just yet

6 Comments
The Battle over Smoking : Burning Question
Americans spend $1.5 billion per year on nicotine replacements, like the patch, but a new study suggests they're not much help kicking the smoking habit.

Are nicotine patches a waste of money? 

Posted on January 11, 2012, at 7:15 AM

A new real-world study takes a look at nicotine replacement products like gum and the patch, and finds they might not be much help to smokers hoping to quit

5 Comments
War on Obesity : Controversy
Print ads from Atlanta's "Strong 4 Life" campaign against childhood obesity.

Georgia's 'grim' anti-obesity ads

Posted on January 4, 2012, at 7:15 AM

A new provocative series of ads is trying to scare overweight children into shape. But do they do more harm than good?

29 Comments
War on Obesity : By the numbers
The average American consumed 31.4 pounds of cheese and 53 gallons of soda last year.

Americans' ton-a-year eating habit: By the numbers

Posted on January 2, 2012, at 1:00 PM

Vowing to eat less and exercise more in 2012? Try chewing on the details of the nearly 2,000 pounds of food each of us consumed last year

6 Comments
Sleepless in America : Fact Sheet
If you're the get-up-and-go type, you may have a specific gene that allows you to sleep for a significantly shorter periods of time than other people, new research suggests.

Do you have the 'morning person' gene?

Posted on November 29, 2011, at 1:03 PM

German scientists pinpoint a specific gene that may divide early risers from droopy-eyed nappers

5 Comments
Sleepless in America : Instant Guide
Brain chemicals associated with stress become inactive or slow down during the dream stage of sleep, suggesting that dreaming is a form of "overnight therapy."

Does dreaming help us overcome painful memories? 

Posted on November 28, 2011, at 4:05 PM

If you dealt with anything unsettling today, new research reinforces the theory that you'll feel better if you take a nap

War on Obesity : By the numbers
Between the turkey and all the sides, the average person will consume roughly triple his or her recommended daily intake of calories this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving's 'massive' calorie count: By the numbers

Posted on November 24, 2011, at 8:30 AM

Just how many calories are there in that heaping helping of stuffing? Read on, if you dare

9 Comments
War on Obesity : Instant Guide
An obesity drug tested on overweight rhesus monkeys "kills" fat cells, and succeeded in eliminating 27 percent of the monkeys' abdominal fat in just four weeks.

An obesity drug that 'kills' fat cells

Posted on November 11, 2011, at 2:03 PM

A new treatment helped corpulent monkeys shed 11 percent of their body weight in four short weeks. Coming to an infomercial near you?

11 Comments
War on Obesity : Opinion Brief
It came upon a midnight clear: Japan's holiday pizza-burger

Burger King's 'pizza-sized' burger monstrosity

Posted on November 3, 2011, at 3:34 PM

As an alternative to Christmas dinner, the fast food giant's Japanese division offers a shareable sandwich that's nearly 9 inches across

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