A few weeks ago my wife and I watched a really inspiring documentary with a depressing title: “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.” The documentary tells the story of Joe Cross, a man from Australia who was overweight, in his forties, unhealthy, and on steroidal medication to treat an auto-immune disease related to his diet and weight. Joe was a fun-loving guy who loved to eat, and it showed – unfortunately he had gotten to a point in life where he was in constant discomfort and facing the prospect of long-term damage to his health (and long-term reduction in his life expectancy).

Read the full post on Wellness lessons from “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead”.

A new study from the University of Helsinki was published in the International Journal of Obesity and found that middle-aged women who suffer from sleep disorders are more likely to have weight problems than women who get eight hours of nightly sleep. Previous studies have established a link between weight gain and a lack of sleep, but this study was unique in that it suggested that the sleep problems actually preceded the weight gain of the study subjects. Approximately 7,300 adults between the ages of 40 and 60 took part in the seven-year study.

Read the full post on Link Between Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain.

A new study from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine revealed that not getting enough sleep can lead to increased accumulation of fat around your organs, which is more dangerous – according to researchers – than fat around your waist.

A clear association between people under 40 receiving less than 5 hours of sleep at night and large increases in visceral (organ surrounding) fat was documented.  The study also showed a similar, but smaller, association with people who sleep more than 8 hours a day in the same age group.  The researchers commented that it will be important in future obesity studies to document sleep patterns along with caloric intake.

Read the full post on Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Increased Fat.

The effects of teenage obesity lasts well into adulthood even if the person slims down as an adult. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, adolescent obesity was a bigger predicator of illness than being overweight as an adult.