I tend to notice that many poeple look for health in the bottom of a prescription bottle :/ which is not good (most times). More people need to see that the BEST way to be healthy and happy is by simply excercising and eating right :) Instead of playing XBOX or watching youtube, get up for 30 minutes a day and jog around, do some yoga, martial arts, anything to get your heart pumping!

Poverty And Obesity: Breaking The Link :

To address this health crisis, attention must be focused on a key issue that lies at the core of the epidemic: the social inequities of obesity. A significant body of scientific evidence links poverty with higher rates of obesity. Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the most comprehensive study conducted thus far to document the nutritional status of the U.S. population, has found that low-income children and adolescents are more likely to be obese than their higher income counterparts [4]. Additionally, reports have shown a higher prevalence of obesity among low-income adults.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-blumenthal/poverty-obesity_b_1417417.html?ref=politics

Environmental pollutant linked with overweight:

Levels of the environmental pollutant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that mothers had in their blood during pregnancy increased the risk of obesity in their daughters at 20 years of age. The findings come from a recent study of Danish women in which the Norwegian Institute of Public Health participated. The study indicates that factors such as environmental pollutants, in addition to diet and physical activity, play a role in the obesity epidemic seen today.

http://www.sciencecodex.com/environmental_pollutant_linked_with_overweight-86476

Food Choices Leading Cause of Environmental Damage in Australia:

Australians are eating themselves to death and food choices are one of the nation’s leading causes of environmental damage, according to a new report released by the Public Health Association of Australia.

“There is growing evidence that in Australia a poor diet contributes more to people being sick than any other single risk factor including tobacco and alcohol,” Moore said. “Australians need to eat less and eat differently to address the sky-high rates of preventable diet-related disease. The current food system is skewed towards energy dense foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt. We need to make healthy food choices the easiest and most affordable option for all Australians.”

The PHAA also believes that while the phenomenon of diet-related disease is grabbing headlines and what is not recognized is the significant impact of our food choices on carbon emissions. The association pointed out that more than 30 percent of Australia’s carbon footprint is related to food production.

http://eponline.com/articles/2012/02/16/food-choices-leading-cause-of-environmental-damage-in-australia.aspx

‘Gender-bending’ chemical found in canned foods increases risk of heart disease and diabetes

Just five days of eating canned soup dramatically increases levels of hormone-mimicking bisphenol A. Scientists blame this increase on manufacturers using BPA in the lining of soup tins to prevent them from rusting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/11/23/canned-foods-contain-gender-bending-chemicals_n_1109550.html

BPA is an organic compound that can mimic the body’s own hormones and previous research has warned it can increase the risk of illnesses including heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Really cool conference that I still need to watch. Very cool topic, “course” entitled: “Women, Men, and Food: Putting Gender on the Table” from Harvard’s Radcliffe institute of advanced studies.