What does Kool-Aid with sugar and fruit drinks with no added sugar like all-natural apple juice have in common? They may increase the risk of obesity in children, according to new research published in the February issue of Pediatrics.
Fruit juice does have vitamins, but the new U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that consumers switch to eating […]

A consumer watchdog group released last week new guidelines that call on food and beverage makers, broadcasters, restaurants, movie studios, and schools to reform the way drinks, snacks, fast-food meals, and other foods are marketed to kids.
The guidelines, from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, for instance, call on companies not to […]

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich last week signed the Common Sense Consumption Act that bans obesity lawsuits against the food industry including fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s.
“Obesity is a serious problem in Illinois. But, blaming a restaurant for weight gain is not the answer,” said Gov. Blagojevich said in a statement. “By signing this law, we are […]

After 40 years, Medicare has reversed its long-standing position that obesity is not illness.
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson last week announced a new Medicare coverage policy that would remove barriers to covering anti-obesity interventions if scientific and medical evidence demonstrate their effectiveness in improving Medicare beneficiaries’ health outcomes.
“Obesity is a critical public health problem in […]

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the so-called “cheeseburger bill” that prevents Americans from suing the food industry for making them overweight.
The “Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act” would require courts to dismiss certain lawsuits filed against manufacturers and sellers of any food product as well as the trade associations that represent them. The bill […]

Almost 1 million U.S. teenagers who are overweight are at increased risk for developing diabetes and premature heart disease later in life, according to researchers. Metabolic syndrome is a condition associated with being overweight and “is perhaps the earliest warning sign of developing health problems”, Washington Post reported.
“It’s frighteningly common,” said Michael Weitzman, director of […]

NEW YORK — In federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, attorney Samuel Hirsch filed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s on behalf of New York children who have suffered health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Hirsch argued that the high fat, sugar and cholesterol content of McDonald’s food is “a very insipid, toxic […]