The desire to lose weight fast and a lot of it can rid us not only of the extra pounds but of our own health as well. Here is the list of the most dangerous diets. Full story

According to researchers from the University of Texas, if a pregnant woman suffers from obesity, the results of fetal ultrasound examinations may be impaired. In the first place, it elevates the risk of overlooking major fetal abnormalities. Full story

“Fat Controller” in the intestines could be the key to preventing obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, scientists claim. They identified an enzyme responsible for whether the fat we eat is converted into energy or stored as extra pounds, Daily Mail reports. Full story

Scientists found calcium consumption promotes successful weight loss by dieting and maintains normal body weight. Angelo Tremblay and his team from Laval Medical School reported the results of 15 weeks long weight loss program. Full story

Scientists have offered us yet another explanation why we gain excessive weight. It turned out that the propensity to adiposity is proportionally linked to how much of dopamine is produced in our "feel good” brain zone. Dopamine levels affect how much pleasure we get out of tasty food. Full story

An internal condom has nothing to do with contraception. The novelty is designed to reduce the absorption of nutrients in small intestine, thus promoting weight loss. The US-based GI Dynamics has developed a new way to treat obesity which could be cheaper and safe alternative to the current surgical methods of weight reduction. Full story

Gastric bypass surgery performed by British surgeons on a 17 year old British teenager who weighed nearly 476 pounds helped the young girl lose 280 pounds which was actually more than a half of her weight. The misfortune for Malissa Jones of Selby, England, came as she reached the age of two when she began to gain weight very quickly and the kid's problems only aggravated as she grew up. Full story

A group of American neurophysiologists lead by Gene Wang from Brookhaven National Laboratory studied the brain activity of 23 healthy men and women after they stayed off-food for 17 hours. After the "diet" the scientists asked the participants either to think about the most delicious food, or to mentally suppress thoughts about food. The study used positron emission tomography to examine the brain activity. Who do you think found it easier to complete this task? Full story

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a popular measurement used to determine if a person is below, within, or above a healthy weight range. BMI does not measure fat mass but measures appropriateness of a person’s weight in relation to their height. To calculate your BMI you need to divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height squared (in meters), just use the formula on the picture. The resulting is the number of kilograms per square meters of body surface and is compared to reference ranges to indicate your weight status. Full story

International research group discovered six genes responsible for excessive weight. In the course of large-scale study, they studied the genome of 90 thousand people. As a result, the scientists found six genes that are somehow responsible for packing on extra pounds. Five out of six genes regulate appetite and have nothing to do with metabolism. Full story

The concerns about healthy diet are growing as the mankind packs on more pounds. Worldwide obesity plague drives scientists to seek out new ways to fight excessive weight. The scientists in their crusade against obesity encountered many eye-opening experiences. For example, Shropshire doctors revealed why almost all people had been neat and healthy long time ago. Full story

South Korean scientists discovered that tangerine consumption reduces obesity, liver fat, and lowers fat accumulations in abdominal cavity. Researchers observed obese school students for two months. The students were given tangerine drinks on a regular basis. The participants also engaged in gymnastics as part of the study. Full story

Isn't it great just to swallow a pill and get slim! Dutch pharmacists came up with new remedy against excessive weight. Scientists claim their weight loss pill (tesofensine) is twice as effective as current slimming pills. The remedy helps control your appetite and, as a result, allows you to lose two sizes in six months. Full story

If you liked “Simon’s Cat” animations you will definitely like “Simon’s Sister’s Dog” too, as it was made by Simon Tofield who created “Simon’s Cat”. This cartoon shows not only a funny story of a dog with a good appetite, but also has an underlying message. Full story

The study published by US biologists in Science magazine says that it is now possible to extract cells that become the fat tissue from the walls of blood vessels. New findings will help in the treatment of diabetes and obesity as well as improve wound healing. Progenitor cells of the fat tissue are mature stem cells. Unlikely embryonic stem cells that turn into any cell type, they can develop into different cell types within only one tissue – fat tissue in this case. Full story

It turned out that our body weight is directly linked to the reproductive power. “Failure” of genetic mechanism responsible for appetite and weight “turns” fertility off. The discovery was made by American biologists. Their study has been published in Nature Medicine Journal. Authors of the article, scientists from Salk Institute for Biological Studies, were studying appetite regulation involving the gene known as TORC1. Full story

Guess what country has the highest obesity rate? Most people would mistakenly name the United States. The study at Baker Heart Institute showed Australia has a higher proportion of obese people than the US. According to scientists, 4 millions of Australians (26% of population) are overweight. The US obesity rate is 25%. Full story

If you want to lose weight, make it the rule to eat in front of a mirror stark naked. Matt Roberts who is a personal fitness trainer of Madonna, Sting and other celebrities gave this advice to obese Brits. Obesity problem became so acute in Europe that the topic is now being daily discussed in press and on TV. The media is competing to tell obese Europeans how they can keep their appetite at bay. The Telegraph newspaper, for example, put together expert opinions about different weight loss tricks. Full story

As early as in the 60’s Russian doctors discovered that the time food stays in our stomach depends on its temperature. Warm food is digested within 2-3 hours, meaning proteins are fully broken down into amino acids. Cold food leaves the stomach faster, resulting in incomplete digestion. But does it mean you should never eat ice-cream or have iced drinks? Full story

Dieticians claim that it is better not to start a sport if you don't mean to take regular exercises because irregular exercises promote obesity. Actually, experts at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have come to that point. They discovered that irregular physical exercises with long intervals resulted in putting on weight faster than if a person wouldn't do them at all. Full story