The Economic Cost of Obesity

Americans consume 25% more calories today than in the 70s, so it’s easy to dismiss obesity as a disease of luxury, but this isn’t true. Academic Earth explains obesity as a class issue enabled by American food policies.

HFCS in manufactured food may lead to health issues, study says

Have you ever thought about your high blood sugar being linked to daily intake of soft drinks and processed foods? A study published in Metabolism May 2012 issue shows that consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener commonly used in manufactured foods and beverages, may link to a variety of health issues such as diabetes and metabolic effects.

Mayor Menino announces Boston Moves for Health will team with Weight Watchers for innovative pilot program at health centers

On behalf of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, joined Daniel Boockvar, Weight Watchers International, Inc.’s Senior Vice President of U.S. Operations, to announce a new program that will offer discounted Weight Watchers memberships to eligible Boston residents. As part of Mayor Menino’s Boston Moves for Health initiative, Weight Watchers, a leader in weight management services that has helped millions of people worldwide, will work with Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, Mattapan Community Health Center, and East Boston Neighborhood Health Center to provide steeply discounted weight loss and weight management services for up to 1,000 qualifying participants beginning in January.

Boston: No immediate plan to ban super-sized sodas

Boston Publish Health Committee is watching closely on New York City, which has approved regulations on September 13 and become the first city in U.S. restricting portion sizes at restaurants to fight obesity and diabetes.

The Special Medical Edition

The Sampan’s special medical edition is out on stands now! As part of the newspaper’s ongoing efforts to provide the Asian American community with health and healthcare information, this edition covers all three of the Sampan’s areas of concern: Obesity, Diabetes and Smoking Cessation. In addition to information on quitting smoking, eating a better diet [...]

When are you considered OVERWEIGHT?

The terms “obese” and “overweight” are labels used to categorize people into ranges that are helpful in identifying those who are heavier than what is generally healthy. To determine whether or not one falls into one of the two categories medical professionals use the Body Mass Index (BMI), a number that takes into account a person’s height and weight, which is then compared to a chart that identifies weight ranges. The BMI is used because it tends to accurately correlate with the amount of body fat a person possesses.