“Being overweight for a longer duration during adulthood significantly increased the incidence of all obesity-related cancers by 7% (for every ten-year increase in adulthood overweight duration), of postmenopausal breast cancer by 5%, and of endometrial cancer by 17%” according to a new study which followed 73,913 women for an average of 12.6 years.

Comment: I would not worry about a 7% increase.

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Women consuming a 1,000 calories per day including four servings of a liquid meal replacement (Optifast 800) lost an average of 12.1 percent of their body weight after five months compared to 7.8 percent for another group eating a 1,200 to 1,500 calorie per day diet versus 0.1 percent for non-dieting control group according to a new study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Read the entire article | Email this article

The three-fourths of women consuming more than 1926 mg of potassium per day were 9-16% less likely to die during an average follow-up of 11 years than the one-fourth of women consuming less than 1926 mg per day according to a new study.

To say this the other way, the one-fourth of women consuming the least potassium, less than 1926 mg of potassium per day, were 10-19% MORE likely to die than the one-fourth of women consuming more potassium than this, more than 1926 mg of potassium per day, over an average follow-up of 11 years.

“High potassium intake is associated with a lower risk of all stroke and ischemic stroke, as well as all-cause mortality in older women, particularly those who are not hypertensive,” the authors of the paper concluded.

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The three-fourths of women consuming more than 1926 mg of potassium per day were 12-15% less likely to have a stroke during an average follow-up of 11 years than the one-fourth of women consuming less than 1926 mg per day according to a new study.

To say this the other way, the one-fourth of women consuming the least potassium, less than 1926 mg of potassium per day, were 14-18% MORE likely to have a stroke than the one-fourth of women consuming more potassium than this, more than 1926 mg of potassium per day, over an average follow-up of 11 years.

“High potassium intake is associated with a lower risk of all stroke and ischemic stroke, as well as all-cause mortality in older women, particularly those who are not hypertensive,” the authors of the paper concluded.

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Women assigned to diet-plus-exercise lost an average of 10.8% after one year, losing an average of 19.6 lbs, dropping from roughly 181 lbs down to 162 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to diet-only lost an average of 8.5% after one year, losing an average of 15.6 lbs, dropping from roughly 185 lbs down to 169 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to exercise-only lost an average of 2.4% after one year, losing an average of 4.4 lbs, dropping from roughly 184 lbs down to 180 lbs according to a recent study from the US. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to a control group in which no changes to diet or exercise were suggested lost an average of 0.8% after one year, losing an average of 1.5 lbs, dropping from roughly 185 lbs down to 184 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to diet-plus-exercise, who exercised less than 22 minutes per day, 7 days per week (less than 154 minutes per week) lost an average of 9.6% after one year, losing an average of 17.6 lbs, dropping from roughly 183 lbs down to 165 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to diet-plus-exercise, who exercised 22 to 28 minutes per day, 7 days per week (154 to 196 minutes per week) lost an average of 12.7% after one year, losing an average of 23.1 lbs, dropping from roughly 182 lbs down to 159 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women assigned to diet-plus-exercise, who exercised 28 minutes per day or more, 7 days per week (196 minutes per week or more) lost an average of 12.9% after one year, losing an average of 23.1 lbs, dropping from roughly 180 lbs down to 157 lbs according to a recent study from the U.S. Read the entire article | Email this article

Overweight and obese women assigned to a Jenny Craig commercial weight loss program lost an average of roughly 21 pounds after six months, dropping from roughly 203 lbs at the start of the study to 182 lbs after six months, according to a study from researchers at the University of California, San Diego. Read the entire article | Email this article

Overweight and obese women assigned to a Jenny Craig commercial weight loss program lost an average of 24 pounds after one year, dropping from roughly 203 lbs at the start of the study to 179 lbs after one year, according to a study from researchers at the University of California, San Diego. Read the entire article | Email this article

Overweight and obese women assigned to a Jenny Craig commercial weight loss program lost an average of roughly 18 pounds after two years, dropping from roughly 203 lbs at the start of the study to 184 lbs after two years, according to a study from researchers at the University of California, San Diego. Read the entire article | Email this article

A total of 38,192 women who renewed their annual membership in Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), a low-cost, nonprofit weight loss program, had lost an average of 13.2 lbs or 5.9 percent after one year.

The cost for Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS)is $27.50 per year for those in the US or Canada, and $43.50 for not living in the US or Canada. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lose twice as much weight -- 18.7 lbs vs 8.6 lbs -- and twice as much body fat -- 10.6 lbs vs 4.4 lbs -- on a low-carbohydrate diet as a low-fat diet according to a recent study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women eating portion-controlled diets lost more weight than women on a diet that was not portion-controlled even though both were supposed to eat the same number of calories according to a recent study. Women on the portion-controlled diet lost 12.3 pounds in two months compared to 7.9 pounds for women following a non-portion-controlled diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

The more vigorous a woman exercises, the lower her body mass index (BMI), the lower her percent body fat, and the lower her waist-to-hip ratio according to a study from Kansas State University. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who lost and maintained at least a 10 percent weight loss after two years exercised an average of 48 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to an average of 1365 calories per day according to a study from researchers at University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Women who gained weight exercised an average of 18 minutes per day and ate an average of 1809 calories per day.

Women who lost up to 4.9 percent of their body weight exercised an average of 28 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to 1638 calories per day.

Women who lost 5 to 9.9 percent of their body weight exercised an average of 26 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to 1452 calories per day. Read the entire article | Email this article

Eating breakfast helped women lose an additional 6 pounds in three months according to a study from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Read the entire article | Email this article

A recent study suggests that eating a low-calorie diet limited to 1240 calories per day that includes a big breakfast containing 610 calories with lots of protein (47 grams), some fat (22 grams) and a moderate amount of carbohydrates (58 grams) causes more weight loss than eating low-calorie diet containing 1085 calories per day that includes a small breakfast (290 calories) with a small amount of protein (12 grams), a small amount of carbohydrates (7 grams), and the same amount of fat (22 grams) -- "low calorie, low carb".

After four months, women on the diet with the low-calorie, low-carb diet that included a small breakfast had lost 28 pounds compared to 23 pounds for those who ate the big breakfast with lots of protein and a moderate amount of carbs.

However, after eight months, women eating the big breakfast had lost 44.5 pounds compared to only 10 pounds for those in the low-calorie, low card group -- the low-calorie, low-carb group having regained 18 pounds.

As a percentage of body weight, those who ate the big breakfast had lost 21 percent of their body weight compared to only 4.5 percent for those in the low-calorie, low-carb group. Read the entire article | Email this article

"Adolescent girls who eat quick-service food twice a week or more are likely to increase their relative BMI over time," according to a study from researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women instructed to eat either a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet or a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight than those who were instructed to eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand. "This study provides strong support for the use of higher protein diets as an alternative to the conventional [high-carbohydrate, low-fat] approach," the researchers concluded. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lost more weight during the first six months when instructed to eat a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (18.7 pounds or 8.7 percent of their body weight) or a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet (17.6 lbs or 8.5 percent) compared to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet (13 pounds or 6 percent of their body weight) according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand, but those in the high-fat group gained back more body fat (5.1 pounds) than those in the high-protein group, who gained back 2 pounds of body fat, or those in the high-carbohydrate group who gained back 1.8 pounds of body fat. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women on a low carbohydrate lost an additional 7 pounds of body weight and 12 pounds of body fat in four months compared to women on a low calorie, low fat diet according to a recent study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Postmenopausal women given injections of growth hormone (GH) plus insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) lost 8.1 lbs more weight than women given a placebo, and 11.9 lbs more body fat after three months.

Note: IGF-1 levels increase when growth hormone injections are given. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lose a similar amount of weight (16 lbs vs 15 lbs) and body fat (11 lbs vs 12 lbs) with a low-carb diet versus a high-carb diet according to a study from Australia.

This was different than what was seen in men, where men on a low-carb diet lost 1.5 times as much weight and nearly twice as much fat as those on a high-carb diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

Men with a high intent to control food intake weigh 12-15 lbs more than men with a low intent according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 29.1 vs 27.2. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women with a high intent to control food intake weigh 10-13 lbs more than women with a low intent according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 30.1 vs 28.2. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who avoid overeating in response to thoughts or emotions weigh 14-18 lbs less than women who tend to overeat in these situations according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 29.9 vs 27.1. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who engage in 30 minutes or more of high-intensity exercise per day weigh 8-11 lbs less than women who engage in none according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 27.7 vs 25.8. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who consume at least 1000 mg of calcium per day weigh roughly 15-19 pounds less than those who consume less than 600 mg per day according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 28.4 vs 25.5. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who get less than 30% of calories from fat weigh 9-11 lbs less than those getting 40% or more according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 28.6 vs 26.9. Read the entire article | Email this article

People who sleep less than 6 hours per night gained an average of 3.6 pounds more than those sleeping at least 7 hours according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada. Read the entire article | Email this article

Men who sleep less than 6 hours per night weigh 19-24 lbs more than those sleeping at least 7 hours according to a study from researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

The average body mass index (BMI) for these two groups was 28.8 vs 26.2. Read the entire article | Email this article

Consuming one sugar-sweetened beverage per day increases the risk of a heart attack in women over a 24-year period by 23 percent according to the Nurse's Health Study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Five out of every six women in the US (84 percent) feel like they are overweight according to a nationwide survey in the US done by Meredith Corporation and NBC Universal as reported by the New York Daily News.
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"Only 40 percent say they are satisfied with their physical appearance" according to a nationwide survey in the US done by Meredith Corporation and NBC Universal as reported by the New York Daily News.
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Twice as many women are concerned about their diet and weight (56 percent) as are concerned about cancer (23 percent) according to a nationwide survey in the US done by Meredith Corporation and NBC Universal as reported by the New York Daily News.
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Overweight or obese women who have obesity-related illnesses who intentionally lose weight reduce their risk of dying by 19 to 25 percent according to a review paper. Read the entire article | Email this article