Stomach surgery may have a role in moderate obesity (Reuters)
Reuters - For adults who are mildly to moderately obese, gastric banding -- a popular, minimally invasive type of weight loss surgery -- appears to be more effective in reducing weight and improving health and quality of life than behavioral modification plus drug therapy, Australian investigators report.

ADA’s Position Statement On “An Evidence-Based Analysis Of Individual, Family, School And Community-Based Interventions For Pediatric Overweight”
Excess weight in children is a national problem requiring prevention and treatment efforts in virtually every aspect of a child's life, according to a new position statement of the American Dietetic Association. This is ADA's first official position statement to be based on a rigorous, systematic, evidence-based analysis of the literature on the practical effectiveness of pediatric intervention programs. [click link for full article]

What Does It Take To Maintain A Normal Body Weight?
Researchers determine whether successful weight losers need to work harder to maintain a normal weight compared to those who have never been overweightIn the first study of its kind, researchers from The Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School look to shed some light on this question by comparing the diet and exercise behaviors of individuals who have lost weight and kept it off, to those who have never been overweight. [click link for full article]

Risk Of Relapse For Patients With Anorexia Nervosa Not Decreased By Use Of Anti-depressant
Use of the anti-depressant fluoxetine did not help patients with anorexia nervosa who had restored their body weight maintain that weight or reduce their risk of relapse, according to a study in the June 14 issue of JAMA.Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder primarily affecting young women and marked by an extreme fear of becoming overweight that leads to excessive dieting to the point of serious ill-health and sometimes death. [click link for full article]

Breast Cancer Risk Increased With Weight Gain In Postmenopausal Women
Weight gain, particularly after menopause, is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women, according to an article in the July 12 issue of JAMA.Background information in the article indicates that weight loss after menopause lowers circulating estrogen hormones in women, and because estrogen is directly related to breast cancer, weight loss is thought to decrease risk of the disease. [click link for full article]