Just when you thought you knew what obese looked like, an army of skinny-fat people come marching along with little pot bellies hidden under their pear-shaped shirts. No, we’re not on the cusp of a diet-war, but diabetes and heart disease are waging a silent attack on people with normal weight obesity, also known as “skinny-fat.”

While the term normal weight obesity sounds as absurd as fat-free Twinkie, it’s a new and legitimate condition that, according to the Mayo Clinic, may afflict up to 30 million Americans.

In medical terms, normal weight obesity is typified by a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), usually 18.5-24.9, with a large percentage of body fat. In layman’s terms, people with normal weight obesity appear to be thin and healthy, but have large concentrations of central obesity—pooch bellies—and stores of fat around vital organs.

Led by Dr. Karine Sahakyan, The Mayo Clinic conducted a nearly 15-year study of 12,785 subjects, specifically geared toward determining the significance of central obesity. The doctors used a fun, new scientific measurement called “waist-to-hip ratio”—muffin top to where God intended your jeans to sit—as a means to statistically legitimize belly fat. They found that subjects with a normal BMI and a high waist-to-hip ratio—skinny-fat people—”had the highest cardiovascular death risk and the highest death risk…” out of all other demographics studied.
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Are artificial sweeteners doing more damage than good to your health? On October 8th’s episode, Dr. Oz talked about sugar and butter substitutes to set the record straight on what they are, how they affect your body, and if they are harmful.

Dr. Oz cuts right to the chase with three questions he’s asked about artificial sweeteners over and over: Do they cause cancer? Can they cause weight gain? and Are they addictive?

For the first time, Oz links artificial sweeteners to metabolic syndrome, a dangerous epidemic he says is sweeping the nation. Metabolic syndrome consists of high blood pressure, excess belly fat, and insulin resistance. Oz examines the links between artificial sweeteners and Alzheimer’s as well. He decides that the risks outweigh any perceived benefits when it comes to artificial sweeteners. Finally, something we can agree with Oz on.
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While it’s never too late to turn your health around, it’s also never too early to make a difference. One of the scariest parts of childhood obesity is that it can have health repercussions later in adulthood.

Take a recent study, for example. It says that if parents were to feed there children a diet lower in total fat and saturated fat and more fiber, it would help ensure lower glucose levels and lower blood pressure in adulthood. A high fat diet is associated with an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome.
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When I called Drew Manning, he answered the phone noticeably winded, with a couple of apologies about how he’d just run down the stairs and was currently under the weather.

“I haven’t been sick in years,” he told me in a raspy voice.

This might not seem out of character for most people, but for Drew, it’s far from anything he’s ever known. Almost six months ago, Drew had a body most men dream about and women fawn over. His 6’2″ frame weighed 193 pounds, weight that had very little to do with fat and very much to do with a chiseled frame. Today, Drew weighs 263 pounds and his body resembles that of a couch potato.

This past spring, the part-time personal trainer realized he’d been fit and healthy his entire life, and while he helps many clients find their way to fitness, he’s never really walked in their shoes.

“My passion is fitness and I wanted to find more people to influence,” Drew told us in a recent interview. “What if I got fat and showed people how to get in shape? It could be a good learning experience.”

So Drew embarked on a journey that some DIR fans have called idiotic, ridiculous, and crazy. Since May 7, 2011, Drew has intentionally gained 68 pounds, and is documenting the entire experience on his site Fit2Fat2Fit. This is certainly not a permanent lifestyle change for the husband and father, as two weeks from now he’ll turn things around and start working to lose the weight and regain his fit body.
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For many people, drinking the occasional diet soda is perfectly acceptable and harmless. But, there is a mindset that since it’s “diet” and “zero calories,” you can drink as much as you want with no repercussions. Not only is this untrue, you may be provoking a physical response that is completely the opposite of your intentions.

Past studies have shown that people who drink excessive amounts of diet soft drinks not only don’t lose weight, they actually gain weight. It may also be associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

In 2005, there was an eight-year study out of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio on the effects of diet soda on weight. The study showed a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day.
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