Medical Animation Fitness

Getting A Good Deal On Gym Membership
New Year is the time when many people decide to join a gym, or revisit a neglected gym membership, and in the current economic climate, gym owners will be concerned not only to attract new members but also to hold onto their existing ones, so now is a good time to get a good deal on your gym membership. According to some of the media reports from the US, gym companies are "slashing prices" (LA Times, 5 Jan 09).

Study Links Obesity To Elevated Risk Of Ovarian Cancer
A new epidemiological study has found that among women who have never used menopausal hormone therapy, obese women are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared with women of normal weight. Published in the February 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the research indicates that obesity may contribute to the development of ovarian cancer through a hormonal mechanism.

Trying To Eat Less Becomes More Important To Fend Off Middle Age Weight Gain
Lots of experts disagree over the seemingly obvious notion of keeping weight off by trying to eat less a debate that centers on whether the practice backfires, leading to binging and weight gain. Now a new study shows that practicing restraint becomes more important with age. Women who participated in the study had more than twice the risk of substantial weight gain if they did not become more restrained in their eating.

Debunking The Detox Myth
A group of over 300 young UK scientists and engineers who investigated the evidence behind claims made for products and diets, have started a public awareness campaign by publishing a dossier that shows the word "detox" has no meaning outside of the clinical treatment of drug addiction and poisoning. Called the "Detox Dossier", the report describes the findings of the investigation by the Voice of Young Science (VoYS) network of over 300 early career researchers.

Keep Your New Year's Resolution To Lose Weight
With the sumptuous food and treats available during the holiday season, it's easy for us overdo it - even while we are adopting a New Year's resolution to lose weight and be active. "Making a resolution to lose weight today is an important first step to a long and healthy life," said Department of Health Services Secretary Karen Timberlake.

Connecticut Department Of Public Health Urges Residents To Consider Their Health When Choosing A New Year's Resolution
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging people to consider resolutions for a healthy lifestyle for the New Year. Whether your resolution is to take better care of your general health, lose weight, or quit using tobacco, the DPH offers tips and resources to help you succeed in leading a healthier lifestyle.

Can't Chalk It Up To "Baby Fat"
Despite recent widespread media attention given to studies that have indicated one-third of American children have a weight problem, a new study shows just one-third of children who are overweight or obese actually receive that diagnosis by a pediatrician.

Minimizing Obesity's Impact On Ovarian Cancer Survival
Obesity affects health in several ways, but new research shows obesity can have minimal impact on ovarian cancer survival. A study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center found ovarian cancer survival rates are the same for obese and non-obese women if their chemotherapy doses are closely matched to individual weight.

New Strategies For The New Year: Resolving To Break An Addiction? Help From Harvard Medical School
Addiction affects people from all walks of life-presidents struggling to stop smoking, doctors dependent on pain pills, elderly widows who gamble too much, and teenagers abusing stimulant drugs. Nearly a quarter of Americans have a nicotine addiction at one point or another, and more than one in seven grapple with a drug or alcohol use disorder.

FDA Warns Consumers About Tainted Weight Loss Pills - Agency Seeks Recall Of Products That Pose Serious Health Risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide not to purchase or consume more than 25 different products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may put consumers' health at risk.

Treadmill Desks Improves Cognitive Function, Unlike Low Carb Diets
America's fixation on low carb diets has been shown to be ineffective over the long term for dieters however study results released today suggests it may have harmful effects on brain function as well. The study out of Tufts University focused on women aged 22 to 55 engaging in low carb diets similar to the Atkins Diet. Participants were found to have significantly diminished memory scores than the control groups consuming a normal diet.

Weight Loss Surgery Patients Face Holiday Eating Challenges Head On
For most of us, the holidays are a non-stop food fest that challenges our resolve to eat healthy. From office parties and cookie exchanges to holiday parties and tasty gifts, the temptations are all around. Holiday challenges are even greater for people who have undergone weight loss surgery. "Because people who have undergone weight loss surgery can only eat a half cup of food at a time, they have to focus on portion control," said Gregory Barnes, M.D.

Overweight In Children Starting School
Immigrant children have a greater risk of suffering from overweight and obesity. This is the result of a study from Augsburg with 2306 children examined on starting school. Elisabeth Weber and her coauthors present the results in the current issue of Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztbl Int 2008; 105 [51-52]: 883-9). The doctors recorded not only the age, sex, weight, and height of the children, but also their mother tongue.

Who Are You Kidding? Overweight Or Obese Mums Who Underestimate Their Weight Status Are More Likely To Over Gain During Pregnancy
Women who misperceive their body weight are more likely to gain too much weight during pregnancy. A study published today in the open access journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth has shown that a poor estimation of one's own size at the beginning of pregnancy is associated with excessive gestational weight gain, in both normal weight and overweight or obese women.

Joint Statement From ACC, ADA And AHA Revises Recommendations For Glycemic Targets For Some Patients
Some people with diabetes may require less stringent glycemic control than previously recommended, but most should stick with the target goal of less than 7 percent long advised for reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications, according to a position statement issued joint