Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine was recently made fun of by for insisting that hot dogs are addictive. And recent research coming by way of universities and government facilities suggests there may actually be more truth to the claim than The Daily Show gave the PCRM credit for; and even adding to the list a number of processed and sugary foods and beverages that can cause addictive behaviors on par with alcohol, tobacco and other serious drugs like cocaine.

Americans are exposed to anywhere from 10 to 20 different types of antibiotics during childhood, which can reduce our resistance to the medications and decrease our ability to fight off certain antibiotic-resistant infections. This overexposure may also lead to our concurrent rise in obesity, diabetes, allergies and asthma according to new research published in the journal Nature.

A story appearing on the ABC news website on June 21 reveals that major U.S. snack companies are paying experts to "debunk" scientific research studies linking their products to negative health effects like the rising number of cases of childhood obesity and diabetes.

In a recently leaked EPA document, the pesticide, Clothianidin, was revealed to be extremely toxic to honeybees causing their drastic and potentially irreversible decline in recent years.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to ban the use of food stamps for soda purchases is still under U.S. Department of Agriculture review.

Some critics, however, believe regulations are no substitute for education.

“In search for yet another ‘quick fix’ to obesity, legislators and politicians nationwide have been trying to regulate what we eat and drink, and this latest proposal is no different,” says Pat Baird, author of The Pyramid Cookbook: Pleasures of the Food Guide Pyramid (right). “As a registered dietitian who advises clients on a daily basis, I know that telling people they can’t have something does not teach them how to make healthier choices. Education is key to cracking obesity. People need information to help them make healthy lifestyle changes.”

As many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One in 10 U.S. adults currently has diabetes. The prevalence is expected to rise sharply over the next 40 years because:

1. An aging population is more likely to develop the disease.
2. Ethnic populations at high risk for type 2 diabetes are expected to grow.
3. Better treatment allows diabetics to live longer.

As with humans, dogs and cats can develop diabetes—a condition in which the body’s blood glucose levels are not properly regulated.

Here’s the basic biology: The pancreas secretes insulin, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels. When there’s a surplus or shortage of insulin, variations in glucose levels can lead to a host of damaging conditions.

Ask your veterinarian to run a blood workup if your dog or cat exhibits any of the following signs:

1. Increased panting
2. Increased water consumption
3. Increased urination

As I reported Friday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (right) wants to prevent food-stamp recipients in the Big Apple from using them to buy soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

New York Times reporter Anemona Hartocollis has since put Bloomberg in an awkward position by revealing that his company, Bloomberg, L.P., offers free Coke, Pepsi, Fanta orange soda, ginger ale and Mountain Dew to its employees.

Critics are debating whether Bloomberg’s food-stamp proposal makes him a hypocrite or hero. In the meantime, New York City obesity stats remain alarming:

As the New York Times reported on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to bar residents who receive food stamps from using them to purchase soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

His goal: to help combat the obesity epidemic—a move supported by the state and city health commissioners.

Fast-food chains love to argue that their menus don’t make us fat, but a Journal of Nutrition study reveals high consumption over a long period leads to weight gain, as well as increased cardiovascular and diabetes risks.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina studied 3,643 young adults over a 13-year period (from ages 7 to 20) to identify how they ate when away from home.

Those who ate the most fast food weighed more, had larger waists and triglyceride levels, and showed signs of metabolic syndrome—a precursor to diabetes, heart disease and possibly cancer.