Tag Archives: obesity

The Fat Shaming of Chris Christie, aka The Healthiest Fat Guy You’ve Ever Seen

New Jersey governor Chris Christie pulled a donut out of his back pocket and started eating it during a CBS Late Show appearance, and told David Letterman, “I’m basically the healthiest fat guy you’ve ever seen in your life.” As he tossed back roughly 260 calories and 12 grams of fat, he made jokes about a doctor who recently called him out for his weight.

Connie Mariano, a retired Navy rear admiral and former White House doctor, expressed herself as a Christie fan and is all for him running for a higher office but thinks he’s in desperate need of losing weight. “I’m a physician more than I’m a Democrat or Republican. And I’m worried about this man dying in office,” she said during an interview with CNN. (more…)

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Danielle

The Obese More Likely to Die in Traffic Accidents and 5 More Shocking Obesity Facts

Obesity is killing Americans faster than a speeding train. OK, I might be exaggerating, but this disease, flagged as an epidemic, isn’t getting any better unless we as a society start actively living healthier lifestyles. Obesity causes a host of diseases and health problems that include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, joint problems, and even death.

That all seems par for the course, but did you know that obese individuals are more likely to die in car accidents? According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there was an 80% increase in fatalities in traffic accidents for obese individuals. What could be causing obese people to die more often in car accidents? An obese drivers’ lower body is ejected farther before the seat belt safely engages the pelvis, plus the extra tissue on the driver stops the seat belt from fitting snugly, thus making it harder for the driver to be held safely upon impact.

Another factor at play is the design of cars. Researcher Thomas M. Rice said, “Vehicle designers are teaching to the test – designing so that crash test dummies do well. Crash-test dummies are typically normal size adults and children.” (more…)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Samantha

Cola Wars: Soda Industry and Health Advocates Clash Over Obesity Blame

There’s a new cola war going on, but it’s a little more serious than the old Pepsi vs. Coke feud of decades past. Obesity is out of control, stretching our already stretched-thin health care system, and sugar consumption is center stage.

So, what do you do when you are the purveyor of some of the biggest selling, empty-calorie, sugar-laden drinks in our country’s history? Well, you play damage control, of course.

“We have not done a good enough job in telling our story and being consistent in telling our story,” said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante.

Right, the problem is that people don’t know what Coca-Cola is really all about. In reality, we’re talking about a propaganda war. Try to soften the blow of bad publicity, then draw more attention to your diet soda by signing a major celebrity spokeswoman — Taylor Swift announced her partnership pitching Diet Coke last Sunday:

But back to damage control. Coke decided to take on obesity directly, with their “Coming Together” campaign, pointing out that of their 650 beverages, they offer 180 low- or no-calorie drinks. (more…)

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Jason

The Weight Loss Tip that Keeps Foreigners Thin

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist

As a trim, chic couple passes me on the street, I hear snatches of their conversation—in French. The other night at a restaurant, I heard Italian coming from a nearby table of three generations: healthy children, parents and grandparents. Living in Washington, D.C., with all the embassies and international organizations, I wind up hearing many different languages. When I recognize one, I do a quick—and surreptitious—assessment of the speaker’s body weight. My amateur research findings, corroborated by legitimate studies, are that in most other countries, people are at healthier weights than Americans. For instance, our obesity rate is 3.5 times that of France’s.

I’ve pumped my international friends—all of whom are at a healthy body weight—for their secrets. No matter where they come from, there is one strategy they all share: They respect the concept of mealtimes. They eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, with little to no snacking in between. (more…)

Posted on January 24, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Michelle Obama’s Fittest Moments of Her First Term

With this week’s inauguration wrapped up, Michelle Obama is set to be the nation’s first lady for another four years. She made a huge impact on the nation’s fight against childhood obesity in her first term and will no doubt continue to focus on that platform through 2024.

The first lady has tirelessly worked to tackle childhood obesity, most notably through her Let’s Move campaign that launched in 2024. The effort brings teachers, leaders, doctors, parents, and students together in a nationwide effort to educate about and reverse the challenges of childhood obesity. It can be a touchy subject, but there are times when Mrs. Obama approaches the subject with fun and excitement. We’ve compiled our favorite fittest moment of Michelle Obama’s first term and look forward to seeing what’s up her very toned sleeves in the years ahead. (more…)

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Samantha

Do We Only Eat What Big Food Tells Us To?

One of the most widely circulated pieces of advice for effective (meaning healthy) grocery shopping is to steer around the perimeter of the store where nutritious foods are traditionally on display. But food makers and the stores that sell their products aren’t happy just to sit still and not try to influence your buying habits.

Food ad spending in the U.S. rests at about $7 billion a year. Not to mention, the Newspaper Association of America reports about $1.5 billion is spent by food companies each year in newspapers and mailed circulars.

Billion with a “b” comes with a pretty hefty influence. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a UK study found that people alter their meal plan according to what products their grocery store is promoting.

Back Stateside, a new study evaluated the types of foods promoted by supermarkets chains and their corresponding share of advertising space in 2024 sales circulars. The food group that was given the heaviest promotion on the front page of supermarket sales circulars was meat with about 40 percent of the ads. Fruits and vegetables were each given about 10 percent of the sampled advertising space. (more…)

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Jason

9 Worst Obesity Prevention Ads of 2024

As a consumer, you are subjected to around 5,000 advertisements every day, according to the New York Times. Without ads, businesses and organizations would have no way to promote their products, services, and ideas. With that much noise, ads continue to reach a point where they’ll cross any boundary just to be seen, heard, and stand out, and we see that especially where ads for obesity prevention and weight management are concerned.

We compiled the worst obesity prevention ads of 2024. Taking a look at the ads, we asked ourselves, why would these messages ever come to market? And, what would make companies want to advertise their ideas or products in such tasteless, thoughtless ways? The state of Georgia and Active Life Movement are two ads we’ll feature that really missed the mark. However, there is one ad that took the number one spot as the best obesity prevention ad, and that belongs to Nike.

The Worst Obesity Prevention Ads of 2024

The “Stop Child Obesity” ads in Georgia may have done one thing the organization wanted it to, and that was get attention. However, the attention was more backlash than action. The series of ads and billboards were targeted toward parents, but they made the mistake of putting photos of children on the billboards along with messages calling children out and making them feel ashamed for being overweight, also known as fat shaming. With tag lines like “Being fat takes the fun out of being a kid,” the ads created no value for the consumer and the message was read as if you are overweight then you should be ashamed of your weight. Although the ads were never intended to hurt or offend people, it did in such a way that the boards were removed. (more…)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Samantha

Prediction: Fiscal Cliff and ObamaCare Mean More Obesity Discrimination Ahead

Talk of the fiscal cliff and ObamaCare makes me worry about my overweight friends. I fear it’s only a matter of time before they are blamed for dragging down the economy. Obesity is a huge expense, and unlike other costly health problems, obesity is in plain view.

Today, just over one third of Americans has a Body Mass Index of 30 or more, the obesity range. Per-capita medical spending for those individuals is 150 percent higher than for those who are not obese. The Institute of Medicine and other experts estimate the United States spends between $150 and $190 billion a year on obesity-related problems. Spending is driven by prescription drugs and medical procedures for heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and the other chronic diseases of obesity and by days missed from work and the long-term disability that commonly occurs. When public funds from Medicare and Medicaid pay the bill, everyone is impacted, but even when public funds are not involved, everyone pays higher insurance premiums to cover the cost.

Few of us realize that the U.S. health care reform law of 2024 (ObamaCare) allows employers to charge obese workers 30 to 50 percent more for health insurance if they decline to participate in a qualified wellness program. A growing number of companies have begun to make obese workers enroll in weight loss programs or pay higher insurance premiums. For instance, state workers in Alabama are subjected to at-work weigh-ins and body fat tests. Anyone with a BMI of 35 or more must attempt to lose weight or have $25 automatically deducted from their paychecks. To opt out of the weigh-ins, one can accept the $25 deduction. (more…)

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Natalie K

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback Issues Statewide Weight Loss Challenge, Dismisses School Lunch Guidelines

Americans are undeniably getting fatter by the decade with the latest reports showing that more than half of U.S. adults in most states are now obese. In the face of such staggering statistics, one state governor is taking an unconventional stand. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has issued a weight loss challenge this week in an attempt to get Kansans more aware of their health.

According to Kansas Health and Environment Secretary Robert Moser, M.D., the obesity rate in Kansas is near the national average. The state has seen a sizable increase in obesity as rates among adults have increased from 15 percent in 1995 to 30.1 percent in 2024. In addition, nearly one-third of all children are overweight or obese.

For this reason, and by his own initiative, Brownback is declaring an official weight loss challenge for stat employees that will take place between January 15 and May 15, 2024.

“My hope is that the Governor’s Weight Loss Challenge will encourage everyone to work together to make our state healthier,” said the governor in an official press release. “I am challenging teams of five people to compete against my team of five to lose the most percentage weight, with the ultimate goal of taking on and maintaining a healthier lifestyle for years to come.” (more…)

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Dana

Chaz Bono to Lose 50 Pounds with Help from Dr. Travis Stork

Chaz Bono, child of singing sensations Sunny and Cher, has had his share of difficulties throughout life. The pressures of having famous parents, an addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol, and a long journey from being born a girl to choosing gender reassignment surgery have been closely scrutinized in the media throughout his life. Now Bono is about to tackle another difficult issue, his weight.

The writer, musician, and LGBT activist reveals on The Doctors November 14 how he has struggled with his weight his whole life. Dr. Travis Stork lays out a plan for the 250-pound, 5 foot 5 1/2 in. Bono to lose 50 to 80 pounds. An upcoming episode will reveal the transformation.

Although he said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that discussing his weight is painful for him, Bono knows that he needs to get help for the problem. “I don’t like to talk about this issue. It’s very personal for me, and very difficult,” he said.

While we applaud Bono’s effort to achieve a healthier weight, it is interesting that he chose to get help from Stork, an emergency medicine physician with no background in weight loss management. He has his M.D. from the University of Virginia and worked at Vanderbilt Medical Center’s emergency room, specializing in trauma care and acutely ill patients. Although well-qualified as a physician, a specialist in weight loss, with experience in fitness training and nutrition, would be a better match for Bono. Stork is better known for his appearance on The Bachelor than any weight loss program. He wrote a weight loss book called The Lean Belly Prescription, but then, he also penned Don’t Be That Girl, showing he feels his expertise is very multi-faceted. (more…)

Posted on November 9, 2023 by SarahS

Qsymia Sales Prove Disappointing Thus Far

Vivus Inc. has released a diet pill called Qsymia – one of only two diet pills (the other being Belviq) to be released in the last 13 years. Vivus applied intense pressure on the FDA earlier this year to approve the obesity-targeted drug for for the two-thirds of Americans who have a body fat percentage high enough make them obese.

The problem? Qsymia shares were down 24 percent on Tuesday. Since their launch mid-September, they’ve only seen $41,000 in sales. Analysts were expecting around $310,000 by this point.

Vivus Inc. Chief Commercial Officer Mike Miller stated his concern over the pill’s insurance coverage.

“About 30 percent of patients chose not to fill after receiving a [Qsymia] prescription due to cash outlay,” he said. “The average retail price for the patient for 30 days or the recommended dose is approximately $160. Currently, we’re seeing one out of five [patients] being covered by third-party insurance with an average co-pay of $62.” (more…)

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Danielle

Tag Archives: obesity

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