obese

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Man Thought He Could Eat His Way Out of Military Service

South Korean man who hoped to avoid combat intentionally made himself obese

(Newser) - A South Korean man who packed on the pounds in an effort to dodge mandatory military service will have to serve his country regardless, or face jail. The unnamed 26-year-old, who ate and ate until he was considered too obese to serve in a combat role, was convicted of trying...

Obese Kids Claim Higher Risk for MS Than Others
Obese Kids May
See More Risk of MS
NEW STUDY

Obese Kids May See More Risk of MS

Children with obesity had more than double the risk of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis than slimmer kids

(Newser) - Scientists have long suspected that childhood obesity could play a role in the development of multiple sclerosis down the line, but now they appear to have verification, according to a new study. Per the Guardian , research out of Sweden's Karolinska Institute has found that kids who were obese had...

Think Your Lab Is Too Chunky? There's a Reason
For These Dogs, a 'Double
Whammy' on Chonking Out
NEW STUDY

For These Dogs, a 'Double Whammy' on Chonking Out

Labradors, other flat-coated retrievers have genetic mutation that predisposes them to obesity

(Newser) - Every pet owner has to take care to keep their furry friends happy, healthy, and at a safe weight. For those who have a Labrador or flat-coated retriever in their charge, however, that last task might prove a bit more difficult. That's due to a "double whammy" with...

Fat Acts as a 'Reservoir' for COVID
Fat Acts as a
'Reservoir' for COVID
in case you missed it

Fat Acts as a 'Reservoir' for COVID

Research may show why obese, overweight people are at greater risk

(Newser) - A recent study found obese people with COVID-19 were 113% more likely to end up in a hospital, 74% more likely to be admitted to an ICU, and 48% more likely to die than people of a healthy weight, per Science . New research might explain why. The study, posted online...

Heavy Consequences for NFL Players Told to 'Bulk Up'

Obesity is a major issue among former players, prompting serious health problems

(Newser) - What some NFL players may have to look forward to in their retirement years: football signings, endorsement deals, and broadcasting contracts. What others may find in the cards: diabetes, cardiac issues, and hypertension. Thanks to years of being told to "bulk up" in the name of the game, former...

My 600-lb Life Star Dies at 50
My 600-lb Life 
Star Dies at 50

My 600-lb Life Star Dies at 50

Lisa Fleming is 'no longer in pain, stuck in that bed' daughter says

(Newser) - The daughter of a TLC reality star bears sad news about her mom. TMZ reports 50-year-old Lisa Fleming, who appeared on the network's My 600-lb Life in the winter, died on Thursday. Deadline reports Fleming died at her home in Texas, of unknown causes. Danielle Fleming posted about her...

What the World's Fattest Man Did to Lose 700 Pounds
700 Pounds Lost, a New
Life of 'Wonder' Gained
LONGFORM

700 Pounds Lost, a New Life of 'Wonder' Gained

But Paul Mason, once the world's heaviest man, still faces major struggles

(Newser) - He once weighed almost 1,000 pounds, ate nearly 20,000 calories a day, and had become a laughingstock in his native UK. Today Paul Mason, once the heaviest man in the world, is a new man, and Justin Heckert reports on his amazing transformation for GQ . It was seven...

Don't Blame 'Obesity Gene' for Failure to Lose Weight

Study finds the gene does not prevent carriers from losing weight

(Newser) - Carriers of a specific form of the FTO gene, known as the "obesity gene," are 70% more likely to be obese , tend to have a bigger appetite , and weigh an average of 6.6 pounds more than non-carriers. But, a new study finds, carrying the gene does not...

8th-Grader Refuses to Share Her 'Perfect' BMI
 8th-Grader 
 Refuses to 
 Share Her 
 'Perfect' BMI 
in case you missed it

8th-Grader Refuses to Share Her 'Perfect' BMI

She instead pens an essay arguing the index is outdated

(Newser) - An Indiana 8th-grader's refusal to complete a school project as assigned is making headlines . The unnamed girl was asked to calculate her body mass index and give the definition for BMI , which is found by multiplying one's weight by 703 and dividing by squared height in inches. But...

560-Lb Man Biking Across US to Save His Marriage

 560-Lb Man 
 Biking Across 
 US to Save 
 His Marriage 
in case you missed it

560-Lb Man Biking Across US to Save His Marriage

He blames soda and a whole lot of sitting around

(Newser) - Eric Hites recently hit 40 and decided it was time to make some serious lifestyle changes. Having reached 560 pounds thanks to soda and a whole lot of sitting around, the DJ says both his health and his marriage are at stake, reports the Newport Daily News . Unfortunately, after getting...

Study: 99% of Obese Will Still Be Obese Next Year

Less than 1% of obese men, women return to normal weight annually

(Newser) - A new study offers some rather depressing news for those of you who are obese: You’re probably going to stay that way. Researchers at King's College London monitored the weight of 278,982 Brits, including 176,000 who were obese, from 2004 to 2014. Excluding those who had...

Colombia's Fattest Baby 'Rescued'

Santiago Mendoza is 8 months, weighs what a 6-year-old does

(Newser) - "Grossly obese" is a phrase that should never sit alongside another one: "8-month-old." But that is apparently indeed the case in Colombia, where a baby has been "rescued" from his family by a charity—at his own mother's request. Santiago Mendoza weighs a staggering 44...

Got an Obese Mom? You May Die Earlier

 Got an Obese Mom? 
 You May Die Earlier 
study says

Got an Obese Mom? You May Die Earlier

Study finds those born to obese mothers more likely to die young

(Newser) - Bad news if your mother was obese or overweight while she was pregnant with you: You're more likely to die young, according to a new study. Researchers looked at health records for more than 37,000 people born in Scotland who are now between the ages of 34 and...

New Diet Device: Eat, Then Suck Food From Stomach

Weight-loss pump intended for the morbidly obese

(Newser) - You'll need an, uhh, strong stomach to make it through this story: The latest in dieting is a device dreamed up by Segway inventor Dean Kamen that's designed to suck food right out of your stomach 20 minutes after you've feasted on it. Kamen and a team...

Yo-Yo Dieter? You Can Still Lose Weight
 Yo-Yo Dieter? 
 You Can Still 
 Lose Weight 
study says

Yo-Yo Dieter? You Can Still Lose Weight

New study finds no lasting negative effects of 'weight cycling'

(Newser) - Heartening news: No matter how many times you've lost and then re-gained weight, a new study suggests it's never too late to shed the pounds once more. Previous studies have found that so-called "yo-yo dieting" can have a negative impact, but the new study of overweight and...

Canned Obese Employee Sues, Gets $55K

680-pound Ronald Kratz II says he was fired for being fat

(Newser) - When 680-pound Ronald Kratz II got fired from his job, he was pretty sure it was for being too fat. Now his old company is giving him $55,000 and six months of outplacement services in a legal settlement, reports the Houston Chronicle . With the help of the US Equal...

FDA OKs First Diet Pill in 13 Years

Arena's Belviq is intended for the obese

(Newser) - For the first time in 13 years, the FDA has approved an anti-obesity pill. The medication, called Belviq, targets a section of the brain responsible for regulating hunger, reports Bloomberg . Sales could hit $2 billion in 2020, predicts an analyst. “Two-thirds of the people in this country are overweight...

Texas Hospital Won't Hire Obese

Is ban discrimination on the overweight?

(Newser) - If your BMI is over 35, Citizens Medical Center in Texas won't hire you. The hospital policy, instituted last year but getting some attention thanks to a recent article in the Texas Tribune , requires that potential employees not be obese. (For reference, a 5'5" person would have to...

US Obesity Rates Leveling Off
 US Obesity Rates Leveling Off 

US Obesity Rates Leveling Off

After 30 years on the rise, rates appear to be stabilizing

(Newser) - After rapidly rising for three decades, obesity rates in the US are apparently stabilizing—finally, the Los Angeles Times reports. New data shows just a slight rise in obesity rates since 2005, and many experts say this flattening reflects the success of efforts such as healthier school lunches and nutritional...

Frank Bruni: Chris Christie's Weight Has Nothing to Do With His Ability to Be President
 Chris Christie 
 Is Fat—So What? 
OPINION

Chris Christie Is Fat—So What?

'Girth doesn't equal character,' writes Frank Bruni

(Newser) - Sometimes, size does matter, such as in spelunking or squeezing into a middle seat on economy class flights. "But the presidency? That’s ludicrous," writes Frank Bruni in the New York Times , referring to recent sneering coverage of the portly Chris Christie and his presidential amibitions. There are...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser