Just as a recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that rates of obesity in the U.S. are not declining, the New York Times reports that major transit operations are working to increase the size of commuter seating to accommodate the number of obese Americans.

What's easier than dieting, less strenuous than exercising and helps you lose weight? A research team from Harvard Medical School claims it's a pill that contains a hormone that could have the same effect on your body as exercise… without the workout. Really.

The British Journal of Cancer recently published a review that links cancer rates in the UK to various lifestyle and environmental factors including diet, exposure to hormones and radiation, and tobacco and alcohol use, among others. While the reviewing doctors emphasize that lifestyle choices aren’t the only determining factor in cancer risk, it’s hard to ignore the indications of personal choice. Lead author of the review, Prof. Max Parkin, points out that cancer is not strictly in the genes, and that “over 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change.”

]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/health/new-study-finds-over-40-of-cancers-due-to-lifestyle/feed/ 0 http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/are-you-addicted-to-processed-food-new-research-says-you-might-be/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/are-you-addicted-to-processed-food-new-research-says-you-might-be/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:28:12 +0000 Jill Ettinger http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=10483

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.

Women exposed to pesticides and plasticizers are more likely to have fertility problems and lower birth-weight babies, says a new study.

Plasticizers (or phthalates) are chemical additives used to increase plasticity and softness of materials like plastic, clay, cement, and concrete. Bisphenol A - notoriously known as BPA - is found in some plasticizers.

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.