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The obesity problem

Obesity rates have ballooned in the US in recent years – 15 percent of the population was obese in 1980, compared to 34 percent today, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These swelling figures – along with the rising cost of healthcare for obesity-related diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease – have put pressure on government and industry to find a solution.

Industry groups slam call to regulate ‘toxic’ sugar like alcohol or tobacco

03-Feb-2012 - Industry groups have reiterated their position that sugar is fine in moderation, after a provocative commentary in the journal Nature this week called for regulating sugar like alcohol or cigarettes, arguing that it is just as toxic for the body.

Daily dose of diet soda may increase heart attack risk: Study

02-Feb-2012 - People who drink diet soft drinks could be at an increased risk of suffering from heart attacks or stroke, according to new research findings.

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act hits low-fat flavoured milk

01-Feb-2012 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published regulations governing US school meal programmes that will eliminate low-fat flavoured milk from reimbursable meal options for children.

Hawaiian task force to examine link between sugary drinks and health

01-Feb-2012 - Hawaiian governor Neil Abercrombie has said he won’t push for a soda tax this year – but he will establish a task force intended to reduce Hawaiians’ consumption of sugary beverages and try to find a solution to childhood obesity.

MA governor proposes taxing soda and candy

30-Jan-2012 - Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has proposed eliminating a sales tax exemption on soda and candy in the state as part of the state’s 2013 budget, and plough extra taxes raised into public health programs.

Goya Foods joins Michelle Obama to promote MiPlato in Hispanic communities

30-Jan-2012 - Goya Foods has joined Michelle Obama to provide Spanish language, Hispanic-flavored nutrition resources centered on the MyPlate icon, or MiPlato, as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative.

McCormick: 40% of flavor projects with US manufacturers are in healthier foods

27-Jan-2012 - Almost four out of 10 product development projects for US food manufacturers developed by McCormick & Co last year were on “flavor solutions that feature all-natural ingredients, reduced sodium, lower calorie and other healthy attributes”, its chief executive has revealed.

Traffic light-style labeling could encourage healthier choices: Study

25-Jan-2012 - Color-coded labeling and rearranging products in-store could lead consumers to make healthier choices, according to a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers.

‘Cheese makes you chubby’ New York billboards scream

20-Jan-2012 - The US-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has taken shock tactics to consumers by posting two huge billboards in New York warning of what it claims are the obesity-related dangers of eating cheese.

Purdue meta-analysis supports ‘modest’ weight management benefits of capsaicin

20-Jan-2012 - Capsaicin, the main pungent compound in hot peppers, and capsiates, non-pungent compounds in sweet peppers, show ‘modest’ weight management potential, says a new meta-analysis from Purdue University.

DRI president leads 2012 dairy charge to spotlight ‘total nutrient package’

18-Jan-2012 - Reflecting on a successful last year in research terms, US Dairy Research Institute (DRI) president Gregory Miller told Dairy Reporter.com about the key challenges facing the industry in 2012.

The Delboeuf illusion: Why expanding dinner plates are expanding our waistlines

18-Jan-2012 - An optical illusion documented by Belgian philosopher Franz Joseph Delboeuf in the 1860s could help to explain why smaller plates could help us battle the bulge, according to a new study.

Ethical claims create health halos, study suggests

16-Jan-2012 - Ethical production claims such as ‘fair trade’ may influence how consumers perceive calorie content, according to new research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Fatty taste receptor may explain fatty food preference: Study

16-Jan-2012 - Scientists claim to have discovered a fatty taste receptor in humans, which could make people more or less sensitive to the fat content of food and influence food preference, according to a new study published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

US obesity fell (slightly) last year

13-Jan-2012 - The number of obese adults in the United States declined slightly in 2011, according to a new Gallup poll, from 26.6% of the population in 2010 to 26.1%.

Recession-induced comfort eating produces weight loss market boom

11-Jan-2012 - The US weight loss products industry is expected to grow 4.5% in 2012 to $65bn, as an increasingly overweight population looks to shift some of the extra pounds gained through recession comfort eating, according to market research organization Marketdata Enterprises.