http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. US fast-food giant McDonald's unveiled a revamped menu Tuesday in a move to offer healthier options and join the fight against obesity, drawing praise from First Lady Michelle Obama. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-michelle-obama-happy-mcdonald-menu.html Health Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:44:10 EST news230910236 As childhood obesity rises and the American diet shifts towards increasing consumption of foods eaten or prepared outside of the home, concerns about the nutritional quality and the total consumption of such foods are also increasing. According to a study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, eating location and food source significantly impact daily energy intake for children. Foods prepared away from home, including fast food eaten at home and store-prepared food eaten away from home, are fueling the increase in total calorie intake. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-children-frequently-home.html Health Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:42:21 EST news230780519 Nearly one in five dishes served at US restaurants has at least 100 more calories than advertised, a difference that could pack on up to 15 kilograms (22 pounds) per year, said a study on Tuesday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-calorie-wildly-restaurants.html Health Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:02:30 EST news230310127 The National Restaurant Association announced its launch of a nationwide initiative designed to provide healthier menu options for children in order to be part of a solutions to ensure a healthier next generation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-kids-healthier-meal-options-restaurants.html Health Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:45:20 EST news229945506 A newborn who tipped the scales at more than 16 pounds (7.3 kilograms) broke the local hospital's weight records in Longview, Texas, press reported Monday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-pound-texas-baby-hospital-weight.html Health Tue, 12 Jul 2011 03:12:25 EST news229659125 Bariatric surgery patients can undertake a rigorous exercise program after the procedure, in order to continue to lose weight and avoid regaining weight, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-heavy-high-hurdle-bariatric-surgery.html Other Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:30:33 EST news229257021 Synthetic fat substitutes used in low-calorie potato chips and other foods could backfire and contribute to weight gain and obesity, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-fat-substitutes-linked-weight-gain.html Neuroscience Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:21:42 EST news227805455 Investigators from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University have reported that African American women who consumed a diet high in vegetables and fruit gained less weight over a 14-year period than those who consumed a diet high in red meat and fried foods. This is the first prospective study to show that a healthier diet is associated with less weight gain in African American women, a population with a high prevalence of obesity. The study results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, were based on data from the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a large follow-up study of 59,000 African American women from across the U.S. conducted since 1995. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-diet-high-vegetables-fruit-weight.html Health Fri, 20 May 2011 11:20:20 EST news225109201 According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans are spending about half their food budget in restaurants. As it is widely known, food prepared away from home, as compared to food prepared at home, is often higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. With children's dietary quality at risk, a study in the May/June 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores the influence of parental styles and work schedules on children's use of and time spent in fast-food and full-service restaurants. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-parents-family-meals-eaten-home.html Health Fri, 06 May 2011 04:26:43 EST news223874702 Staying up late every night and sleeping in is a habit that could put you at risk for gaining weight. People who go to bed late and sleep late eat more calories in the evening, more fast food, fewer fruits and vegetables and weigh more than people who go to sleep earlier and wake up earlier, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-night-owls-weight-gain-bad.html Health Wed, 04 May 2011 10:40:38 EST news223724414