That too much fondness of fast food can cause weight problems is old news. But the idea that nearly all types of restaurants dish up meals that can expand your waistline has not been as widely discussed -- until now.

Two separate studies, one from the University...

It's a proven fact that most people change their eating habits and lifestyle choices only after a serious health scare such as a heart attack or a diabetes diagnosis. Still, in many cases that may not be enough. Old habits tend to die hard, but often there are also not...

Do you feel energized, restless and impatient? You may have spring fever. Are you irritable, weary, listless and unable to concentrate? You may have spring fever. Or are you in a constant state of tiredness and exhaustion? It may be spring fever as well. Why so many different symptoms that...

I practice a special kind of meditation on an almost daily basis. Perhaps meditation isn't the right word since it doesn't require me to sit in silence with my eyes closed and legs crossed or anything like that. It's more a form of taking stock of where my life is...

I clearly remember a scene when my then two-year-old granddaughter participated in her first Easter egg hunt. We were invited to the home of a friend whose beautiful garden offered endless hiding opportunities for treats. My granddaughter had never been to such an event and was a little overwhelmed by...

Less salt in our food supply could save at least half a million Americans from dying prematurely over the next ten years, according to separate studies conducted at three universities, one Canadian and two American.

If the average daily salt intake were to drop to 1,500 milligrams, as recommended...

People get fat from eating too much and exercising too little. At least that's the most widely held explanation for the growing obesity crisis around the world. But it's not that simple, says Dr. Achim Peters, a professor of neurology at the University of Lübeck in Germany and author of...

While regular physical activity has long been regarded as an important component of healthy aging, its impact on mental health has remained less explored -- until now. Several new studies on the role of exercise for the prevention of mental decline in older adults have been presented at...

A growing preference for Western-style fast food in Asian and Southeast Asian countries already shows an impact on their populations' health, and not in a good way, according a newly released study by the University of Michigan.

Researchers of the university's School of Public Health found that Chinese...

Yo-yo dieting, a.k.a. "weight cycling," a continuing pattern of losing and regaining weight, can be one of the most frustrating experiences people with weight problems may experience.

The term, first created by Dr. Kelly D. Brownell of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, refers...

Working parents may have a harder time putting healthy food on the table than those who are part-time employed or stay at home, a recent study found. While parental employment provides many important benefits for families, work-related stress can negatively affect eating habits at home.

"An increasing number...

Driving long distances on congested roads is part of the daily grind for millions of Americans. Commuting between the home in the suburbs and the workplace downtown has been a common phenomenon since the 50s and 60s and the hassle has only become worse ever since.

In a recently published...

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a number of targets for reducing so-called non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25 per cent by 2025. NCDs are chronic illnesses largely caused by dietary and lifestyle factors. They include obesity, heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancers and chronic respiratory illnesses...

It was only a matter of time, of course, before the health and fitness industry discovered its next big thing. "Brain fitness" is the new fad -- and not only among the aging baby boomers. It's never too early to exercise your brain, we're told. If we can fight our...

Lack of time is the number one reason why people say they don't exercise enough. Long commutes, stressful jobs, household chores and family commitments make it almost impossible to squeeze in even a minimal amount of daily physical activity. No matter how you feel the need for it,...

I went on a cruise to Alaska. It wasn't my first trip up there, but I realized again how deeply in love I am with this part of the world. Of course, the wilderness experience was dramatically tamed by the comfort of being on a cruise ship. These floating cities...

Managing your weight is a health issue, period. It has nothing to do with being attractive or sexy or being able to wear certain types of clothing -- although some of these perks can be great motivators. Staying within your healthy weight range has much greater value in and of...

A common argument why Americans don't eat better is that healthy food costs too much. A new study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) attempts to dispel this widely held belief by comparing the prices of healthy and less healthy foods. When analyzing costs per calorie, per...

Obesity rates may be on the rise worldwide, but thinness continues to be the standard for physical beauty and attractiveness. Conversely, obesity is often linked with poor body image and low self-esteem, which only adds to the struggle with weight and weight-related health problems.

"Modern Western culture emphasizes thinness, denigrates...

When it comes to weight loss, quick fixes are naturally more attractive than long-term strategies. Diet plans that promise immediate results and don't require too much effort enjoy the highest popularity. The problem is that fast results are rarely sustainable over time.

The word "diet" itself suggests only a "temporary"...