overweight

overweight

Big health fears as more young people pile on the weight

Australians in their 20s and 30s are gaining weight at an alarming rate, increasing their risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, a study has found.

The trend has renewed calls for a debate on tougher interventions to tackle the obesity epidemic, such as a tax on junk foods and more subsidies for fruit and vegetables.

The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study of 11,000 adults over 12 years found that, on average, people between 25 and 34 stacked on 6.7 kilograms during the period - more than any other age group.

For those between 35 and 44, the average weight gain was 4.7kg, followed by 2.7kg for people 45 to 54 and 0.4kg for those aged 55 to 64.

While people over 65 lost an average of 2.1kg to 4.5kg over the 12 years, researcher and Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute associate director Jonathan Shaw said they were still expanding. The average waist circumference had increased between 0.8 centimetres and 2.7cm over the study period.

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The surprising reason why being overweight isn't healthy

overweight

(Health.com) -- It's shocking, but it's true: Being a woman who's more than 20 pounds overweight may actually hike your risk of getting poor medical treatment. In fact, weighing too much can have surprising -- and devastating -- health repercussions beyond the usual diabetes and heart-health concerns you've heard about for years.

Recent studies have found, if you are an overweight woman you:

• May have a harder time getting health insurance or have to pay higher premiums

• Are at higher risk of being misdiagnosed or receiving inaccurate dosages of drugs

• Are less likely to find a fertility doctor who will help you get pregnant

• Are less likely to have cancer detected early and get effective treatment for it

What's going on here? Fat discrimination is part of the problem. A recent Yale study suggested that weight bias can start when a woman is as little as 13 pounds over her highest healthy weight.

Our culture has enormous negativity toward overweight people, and doctors aren't immune.

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As nation gains, 'overweight' is relative (CNN Feature)

(CNN) -- The little number on the tag on a pair of pants that indicates size can mean a lot to a person, and retailers know it.

That's why, in recent years, as the American population has become generally more overweight, brands from the luxury names to the mass retail chains have scaled down the size labels on their clothing.

"You may actually be a size 14 and, according to whatever particular store you're in, you come out a size 10," said Natalie Nixon, associate professor of fashion industry management at Philadelphia University. "It's definitely to make the consumer feel good."

Research shows that, when it comes to self-perception, the concept of "overweight" may be relative.

A working paper from a group led by Mary Burke, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Massachusetts, suggested that people's perceptions of overweight have shifted, and "normal" is now heavier than it used to be.

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overweight

Big health fears as more young people pile on the weight

The surprising reason why being overweight isn't healthy

As nation gains, 'overweight' is relative (CNN Feature)