Commentary / World Oct 19, 2019
Southeast Asia has a weight problem
by Adam Minter
With obesity rates soaring, countries like Singapore and Malaysia are weighing aggressive interventions.
National Oct 9, 2019
Yahoo Japan rolls out 'deep-fried tax' for employees
by Kazuaki Nagata
Just a week after the consumption tax hike went into effect, another "tax" has hit employees at Yahoo Japan Corp. — in particular those who love crispy and juicy food. Calling it a "deep-fried food tax," the levy that started Tuesday is intended to encourage ...
World / Science & Health Jul 5, 2019
Genes, yes, but obesity pandemic mostly down to diet, says study
A three-fold jump since 1975 in the percentage of adults worldwide who are obese has been driven mainly by a shift in diet and lack of exercise, but genes do play a role as well, according a large-scale study published Thursday. For people genetically predisposed ...
World / Science & Health May 9, 2019
Global obesity rising faster in rural areas than in cities, study finds
Obesity worldwide is increasing more quickly in rural areas than in cities, a study reported Wednesday, challenging a long-held assumption that the global epidemic of excess weight is mainly an urban problem. Data covering 200 countries and territories compiled by more than 1,000 researchers showed ...
National / Science & Health May 2, 2019
Eating more rice could help fight obesity, study led by Japan researcher suggests
The study was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow.
National / Science & Health Apr 11, 2019
Want to control your weight? Intestinal worms could help, say Japanese researchers
by Magdalena Osumi
If it worked for Maria Callas, maybe it can work for others. Rumor has it that Callas, one of the most influential soprano singers of the 20th century, used tapeworms to maintain her figure, helping her lose around 50 kg in the 1950s. Although the truth ...
World / Science & Health Apr 5, 2019
Global life expectancy up 5.5 years since 2000; income and access to care play key roles: WHO
Global life expectancy grew by 5.5 years between 2000 and 2016, the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning though that unequal income and access to health care translates into far shorter lives for many. The U.N. health agency also stressed significant gender differences in life ...
World / Science & Health Feb 5, 2019
Obesity-linked cancers on the rise among young adults in U.S.
A sharp increase in obesity-linked cancers among young adults in the United States could foreshadow a reversal in the overall decline in cancer mortality, researchers warned Monday. In a sweeping study covering two-thirds of the U.S. population, they showed that half a dozen cancers for ...
Lifestyle Feb 3, 2019
Report urges a radical rethink to tackle obesity, hunger and climate issues
To defeat the intertwined pandemics of obesity, hunger and climate change, governments must curb the political influence of major corporations, said a major report published on Jan. 27, calling for a "global treaty" similar to one for tobacco control. But this will not happen unless ...
World Jan 28, 2019
Obesity, undernutrition and climate change are the biggest threats to the world population, linked by profit motives and policy inertia, a top commission said Sunday, calling for a binding plan and trillions of dollars to thwart the dangers. A $1 billion fund and action strategies ...
Lifestyle Jan 13, 2019
Are some of us born to have a beer belly?
by Faye Flam
Scientific literature on excess weight and health is expanding along with global waistlines, and yet, it's hard to find a solid, coherent scientific explanation for why some people get fat and others don't, and why some overweight people get Type 2 diabetes and heart ...
World May 18, 2018
London mayor looks to ban McDonald's and other fast food advertising from public transport
Billboards advertising junk food from vendors like McDonald's Corp. might be banned from London's Underground rail and bus network under new plans announced by the city's mayor, as part of his efforts to tackle rising levels of childhood obesity. Sadiq Khan, elected mayor of London ...