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If you're like us, you eat out more than ever -- and, as nice as it is to not have to cook, those meals out can actually feel like work. How do you navigate the minefields of huge portions, hidden fats, and sky-high sodium levels?
In 2005, the government's revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans introduced the term "nutrient density," which sounds complicated but simply refers to how much nutrition a food provides. For example, a slice of 100 percent whole-grain bread is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while a slice of regular white bread is lower in all three.
Hardly a week goes by without news of antioxidants' health-promoting benefits. Experts believe these nutritional substances may help prevent heart disease, fight certain cancers, ward off dementia, and even slow certain aging processes.
When Wal-Mart announced last week that its private label milk would be produced exclusively from cows that had been given no artificial growth hormones, it sparked nationwide concern about how milk is produced and how its production may affect your health.
Long gone is the era of four food groups and three square meals. It seems that every day brings a new revelation about which foods belong in a healthy diet. Eat this. Avoid that. If you feel a little overwhelmed, you're not alone.
Remember when vitamin C was hailed as the best, and maybe only, cold remedy? Then it became the Rodney Dangerfield of vitamins: It didn't get any respect.
I'm often asked how I got started on my weight loss journey. I wish I had a simple, perky answer, but the truth is, I had a lot of internal housecleaning to do first.
You are what you eat -- and what you don't eat. And so if you are like many of us, not quite hitting the entire food pyramid, you might be trying to outwit your body by giving it nutritional supplements to make up for the sins of food-group omissions.
Obesity is the No. 1 health crisis in the United States, and the nation could be at risk without immediate action, former President Clinton said at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit.
If you've been avoiding burgers, ice cream, and pizza thinking you're doing your waistline a favor, don't. They can actually help you lose weight -- and keep it off, too. Here are the hidden slim-down perks of five foods that get a bad rap and the best way to add each one back into your diet.
If you're like us, you eat out more than ever -- and, as nice as it is to not have to cook, those meals out can actually feel like work. How do you navigate the minefields of huge portions, hidden fats, and sky-high sodium levels?
In 2005, the government's revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans introduced the term "nutrient density," which sounds complicated but simply refers to how much nutrition a food provides. For example, a slice of 100 percent whole-grain bread is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while a slice of regular white bread is lower in all three.
Hardly a week goes by without news of antioxidants' health-promoting benefits. Experts believe these nutritional substances may help prevent heart disease, fight certain cancers, ward off dementia, and even slow certain aging processes.
When Wal-Mart announced last week that its private label milk would be produced exclusively from cows that had been given no artificial growth hormones, it sparked nationwide concern about how milk is produced and how its production may affect your health.
Long gone is the era of four food groups and three square meals. It seems that every day brings a new revelation about which foods belong in a healthy diet. Eat this. Avoid that. If you feel a little overwhelmed, you're not alone.
Remember when vitamin C was hailed as the best, and maybe only, cold remedy? Then it became the Rodney Dangerfield of vitamins: It didn't get any respect.
I'm often asked how I got started on my weight loss journey. I wish I had a simple, perky answer, but the truth is, I had a lot of internal housecleaning to do first.
You are what you eat -- and what you don't eat. And so if you are like many of us, not quite hitting the entire food pyramid, you might be trying to outwit your body by giving it nutritional supplements to make up for the sins of food-group omissions.
Obesity is the No. 1 health crisis in the United States, and the nation could be at risk without immediate action, former President Clinton said at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit.
If you've been avoiding burgers, ice cream, and pizza thinking you're doing your waistline a favor, don't. They can actually help you lose weight -- and keep it off, too. Here are the hidden slim-down perks of five foods that get a bad rap and the best way to add each one back into your diet.
Health magazine went to the top weight-control experts for their No. 1 tips to get the weight off now. Take a look.
Two new studies suggest that being overweight as a kid can lead to heart disease and greater risk of disease-related death in adulthood
Let's face it. We live in a time when a "Your Friends Make You Fat" story gets headlined and blogged 24-7 (no matter that it was just one study in a doctors' journal), while the recent discovery of two (two!) genes linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) rates nary a peep.
American adult obesity rates seem to have leveled off, at least temporarily, the government reported Wednesday
Drugs won't lead to dramatic weight loss, a study finds, but they do take off pounds and have other health benefits
You don't have to deprive yourself of what you love. Hollywood celebrities reveal their best tricks for how to drop pounds, conquer cravings, and have your bagel and eat it too
When cold and flu season comes around, many people head to their medicine cabinets in search of relief. But a trip to the kitchen may be the smarter move.
It's 9 p.m. and you know just where that bag of peanut M&Ms is -- it's stashed in the pantry behind the ultravirtuous oatmeal and seriously fortified cereal. Out of sight, but not out of mind.
Bad reputations tend to stick, even with foods. Continued negative press about a fruit, vegetable, or beverage is enough reason for many of us to banish it. Or maybe we indulge on occasion, but with a measure of guilt.
With cold and flu season comes time-honored traditions for relief and prevention: Feed a fever, starve a cold. Wear warm clothes. Eat chicken soup.
As a trained chef, restaurant owner, healthy-cookbook author, and confirmed food lover, I absolutely refuse to let the word diet hijack my life -- and I don't think you should, either. Smart eating is not about settling for less; it's about heaping more good stuff on your plate.
Q: Most of my husband's family has type II diabetes. How can I stop my children from getting it?
More than any other meal, breakfast is an investment in good health. Eating in the morning helps you stay focused and energized through busy days. Breakfast increases the likelihood of meeting recommended daily doses for essential vitamins and minerals that help prevent disease. And recent research makes the idea of a morning meal even more appetizing. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that individuals who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight -- and more likely to exercise -- than non-breakfast eaters.
If you want to know where American food traditions are headed, look back. Many of today's most healthful eating trends bear a strong resemblance to yesterday's: Nearby farms offering nutritious, peak-of-season produce; slow-cooked dinners that foster leisurely family meals; an emphasis on meatless dishes and minimally processed foods.
It's lunchtime at Café Sunflower in Atlanta, Georgia. The kitchen is humming as the chef prepares the most popular item on the menu: sesame chicken. That's not what you'd expect at a vegetarian restaurant. But the so-called chicken is actually a seasoned soy product made to taste like the real thing. "It's a treat for vegetarians who miss meat," says restaurant owner Edward Sun.
Record the CNN Special Investigations Unit Classroom Edition: Fed Up: America's Killer Diet when it airs commercial-free on Monday, October 1, 2007, from 4:00 -- 5:00 a.m. ET on CNN. (A short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program.)
The growing obesity problem doesn't exclude pets.
If you're searching for a villain in America's obesity epidemic, most nutritionists tell you to put one picture on the wanted poster: a cold, bubbly glass of soda pop.
You've been told for years that popping a multivitamin every day might help you live longer. But the daily multi habit has been getting a bit of bad press lately.
If you've vacationed in an international destination, you know that learning about its food is one of the best ways to become familiar with a new culture. But lately, Americans have also taken greater interest in global cuisine because of health benefits attributed to certain styles of eating.
Burger King pledged Wednesday to offer healthier fast-food items for children under 12, with plans to sell and market flame-broiled Chicken Tenders and apples cut to resemble thick-cut french fries.
A new report says gestational diabetes is strongly linked to childhood obesity -- but there's a lot you can do to treat the condition
According to a new study by the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention, Mississippi is the first state where more than 30 percent of adults are considered obese.
Americans are already among the fattest people in the world, and they just keep packing on the pounds. A new report finds that obesity rates have swelled during the last year in 31 states with not one state reporting that its obesity rate shrank.
Typically, men think about their health at one time -- during a crisis. But the problem with that wait-and-treat approach is that men are constantly responding to health emergencies rather than preventing them.
Two new studies show that the surgery, while not for everyone, reduces the risks of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases
In the buffet of reasons for why Americans are getting fatter, researchers are piling more evidence on the plate for one still-controversial cause: a virus.
New research suggests that consuming low-calorie food and drink may actually increase your tendency to overeat
When you snack, you can fill in nutritional gaps, boost your intake of fruits and vegetables, keep your mood on an even keel, and help with appetite and weight control.
Being overweight is bad for kids' health, but a new study finds it's also bad for their education
Research shows that who you're friends with can have a profound impact on whether you're overweight
Depressed and tired of trying diet after diet, Andy Sorrells began a faith-based weight loss program.
Creating custom food plans for patients isn't the hard part of Bethany Thayer's job. For the Michigan-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, one of the most difficult aspects of her work is helping patients interpret the often-contradictory health news they hear each day.
Here are some secrets on how some people get thin and stay thin.
In the battle against fat, the heroes achieve what most of us only long for -- lasting weight loss. They're so unusual, they've become the subjects of ongoing research by scientists trying to finger just what it is that makes them stand out from the rest of dieting humanity.
Hopes that a diet low in fat and chock-full of fruits and vegetables could prevent the return of breast cancer were dashed Tuesday by a large, seven-year experiment in more than 3,000 women
The name sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, but omega-3 fatty acids are a necessary part of our diet. "Every cell in the body requires omega-3 to function normally," says Dr. Andrew Stoll, author of "The Omega-3 Connection." "They are a class of fats, good fats that are actually as essential as vitamins to our health."
The goal is to wean Chris completely off the mayo.
It's estimated that half of all American adults take a daily vitamin supplement. Yet, in spite of the popularity of the pills, many wonder whether they're good for our health.
New research shows that bariatric surgeries, like gastric bypass, are safer and more effective than originally thought, especially for teenagers and seniors. But patients have to be sure to watch their alcohol intake
With so many alternatives to conventional medicine, how do you know what works and what's just old-fashioned snake oil? Money Magazine takes a close look.
In 2005, the government's revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans introduced the term "nutrient density," which sounds complicated but simply refers to how much nutrition a food provides. For example, a slice of 100 percent whole-grain bread is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while a slice of regular white bread is lower in all three.
Diet soda or skim milk? While a diet soda has few, if any, calories, milk has more nutrients. An 80-calorie, 8-ounce cup of fat-free milk contains nearly 30 percent of the RDA for calcium, 8 grams of high-quality protein, almost a third of the daily needs for riboflavin, about one-tenth of the needed potassium, and a bit of magnesium.
Could work actually make you fitter? You might think it unlikely as you sit in your office slumped in front of your computer, but a new desk designed at the Mayo Clinic could give you a proper work out.
Every morning, Dr. Frank Pinto pops not one or two vitamins, not just a handful, but more than two dozen dietary supplements, washing each one down with a sip of water.
Every morning, Dr. Frank Pinto pops not one or two vitamins, not just a handful, but more than two dozen dietary supplements, washing each one down with a sip of water.
The sales pitches are irresistible: "Lose 2 Pounds a Day!" "Burn Fat Round the Clock!" "Learn the Amazing Weight-Loss Secret of Hollywood's Sex Symbols!" OK, maybe that's pushing it. But if diet pills could give you Eva Longoria's body, would you bother with the salads and stair-climbing?
After a serious health scare requiring surgery in 2004, Kathy Carlson decided she needed to make serious changes to her lifestyle.
The FDA's decision to grant over-the-counter status to GlaxoSmithKline's weight loss drug Alli could have big implications on national health, but the drug is not a miracle cure, experts said.
A fat-blocking weight-loss pill called alli is the first diet drug to be approved by the FDA for over-the-counter sales. It's a reduced-strength version of the prescription medication Xenical. Here's what I think you should keep in mind before considering this drug:
America is a heavy nation and getting heavier, especially young people. The number of overweight children aged 6-11 more than doubled the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts warn that unless we do something to stop it, those numbers will continue to rise.
The marketers of four weight-control pills have agreed to pay a total of at least $25 million to settle allegations of deceptive advertising, the Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday
The conventional wisdom about the holidays is that weight gain is unavoidable. But don't let it scare you away from enjoying your favorite foods at this time of year. Here are thee eat-smart strategies to get you through the season.
Tired of being tired? Jessica Postigo was. After switching careers, going from on-the-go film producer to the more-sedentary role of screenwriter, the 36-year-old from Los Angeles began to feel lethargic. "I knew I needed to do something," she says. "I wanted my energy back."
Besides extra pounds, dieters also seem to carry a hefty independent streak. A survey finds that 70 percent of Americans who are trying to lose weight are following their own diet plans and have no interest in seeking a doctor's help.
A busy life can put the squeeze on healthy eating. But that doesn't have to be the case, according to Billy Strynkowski, executive chef of Cooking Light magazine. He says cooking healthy, tasty meals at home can be done in 20 minutes or less.
Doctors call it "the white-coat effect:" the natural rise in blood pressure that comes with exam-room anxiety. But a simple case of nerves couldn't explain the numbers that Roger Moeller, a 60-year-old editor and publisher in Bethlehem, Connecticut, was hearing during an annual physical.
Chances are you're not training for the Olympics, but if you exercise regularly, take a cue from elite and professional athletes regarding how to eat to gain the most from every workout. Sports nutritionists encourage the following strategies for eating before and after exercise depending on when -- morning, noon, or after work -- you exercise.
The nation's biggest beverage makers have agreed to end sales of nearly all sugary sodas to public schools, a group led by former President Clinton announced Wednesday.
CNN.com asked users to share their success stories in their fight against fat as well as thoughts and tips to getting fit. Here is a sampling from the responses, some of which have been edited:
Four years ago, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee weighed around 300 pounds.
These are fat times in politics. Literally. Nearly 400 obesity-related bills were introduced in state legislatures across the country last year--more than double the number in 2003. A quarter of them were passed into law, up from only 12 percent two years before. In Washington the word obesity appears in 56 bills introduced during the current Congress; this, the Wall Street Journal points out, is fast catching up with the number containing the word gun. Surgeon General Richard Carmona says obesity is a greater threat than terrorism. Some public-health advocates have begun urging the government to put a warning label on soft drinks; others are calling for a "fat tax" on fast food.
An air traffic controller in the Wyoming Air National Guard, Pedro Rampolla says he hopes to guide his family to better health.
An air traffic controller in the Wyoming Air National Guard, Pedro Rampolla says he hopes to guide his family to better health.
An air traffic controller in the Wyoming Air National Guard, Pedro Rampolla says he hopes to guide his family to better health.
Dr. Andrew Weil estimates he received only 30 minutes of nutritional training when he was in medical school. Since then, for decades, he's studied alternative or complementary medicine around the world.
Nate Griffin, a former Army sergeant, watches what he eats. He's even tried juice diets to shed pounds. But ask him if he'd join a group to talk about weight loss and he cringes.
Good news
Hospital food, like airline food, rarely rates rave reviews, but the cuisine at USC's University Hospital is an exception. Here, patients regularly send their compliments to the chef, which makes Fatima Cabral's day.
The bankruptcy filing of Atkins Nutritionals in late July signaled the twilight of America's latest diet obsession, as carb counters realized, to their amazement, that man cannot live on pork rinds...
The British Health Food Manufacturers' Association (HFMA), a body representing 140 firms worldwide, has expressed anger at the European Union's decision to ban high-dose health supplements.
Now Bumble Bee is offering you the benefits of tuna fish in a tiny pill you can take with coffee.
Weight Watchers is the best overall diet plan, according to new Consumer Reports research.
OUR STORY BEGINS LIKE A made-for-TV movie--scientists swoop in and make a daring, against-all-odds rescue from a desolate island off the coast of Georgia--and it just gets better. Instead of findin...
Millions of Americans are still waiting for their weight-loss wonder drug, and the inventor of such a drug stands to make a fortune.
For many who overindulged in December, January is time to take steps to shed extra pounds put on from cookies and cocktails galore.
Name: Harald Fricker
The obesity epidemic is reaching down to the playpen: More than 10 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 5 are overweight, the American Heart Association reported Thursday.
A new eating-by-numbers method has arrived on the diet scene, and it's not Weight Watchers.
A new flour is about to be unveiled that its creators say will allow bakers to make bread with the taste and appearance of more popular white bread, but with the improved nutritional benefits of whole wheat breads.
A new computer therapy is being used to tackle obesity in children.
What could become the nastiest, most divisive political issue of all time is now apparent, and the moment is worth marking because the issue is going to torment us for decades--though not in the ...
The latest diet dictionary spells evil "C-A-R-B."
Some Americans have become increasingly anxious about their health in the age of SARS, anthrax mailing scares and West Nile virus.
Americans who've pledged allegiance to low carb diets are in for a rude shock. According to a new report Monday, consumers aren't cutting down on carbs as much as they thought they were.
Foodmakers keep it coming: Low-carb Doritos, low-carb Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies, Heinz' 'One Carb' ketchup, a low-sugar Krispy Kreme Doughnut.
The Bush administration Friday announced a campaign to combat the epidemic of obesity in the United States through improved product labels, health education, and a partnership with restaurants to help steer people toward healthier menu choices.
As hospital food goes, the menu was positively four-star: chicken curry and rice, fruit salad, chocolate drops, and candy bars. For the two dozen hungry test subjects gathered for a meal at London'...
What's on the menu for kids at chain restaurants? Fat, grease and hidden calories, according to one nutrition advocacy group.
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