The prevalence of obesity in the United States has doubled in the past two decades. Nearly one­third of adults are obese, that is, they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. One of the fastest growing segments of the population is that with a BMI with accompanying comorbidities.

Over the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents has increased substantially; it is estimated that as many as 16 percent of children and adolescents are overweight, representing a doubling of the rate among children and tripling of the rate among adoles­ cents. Read the rest of this entry »

Obese postmenopausal women who have never used hormone replacement therapy may face an increased risk of ovarian cancer, compared to normal-weight women, a new study suggests.

Interestingly, obese women who have used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for symptoms of menopause may not face increased risk for this type of malignancy. Read the rest of this entry »