“Obesity” on The Daily Caller

If you live in New York City, or have even traveled there recently, chances are you’ve been inundated by anti-obesity ads that are plastered on the city’s buses, subway cars and buildings. But while the New York City government is encouraging its more than 8 million residents to stop being so unhealthy, taxpayers throughout the country are paying for it. (more)

In celebration of the one year anniversary of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” anti-obesity campaign Next Media Animation has produced a cartoon superhero version of the first lady for your viewing pleasure. Watch and enjoy. (more)

Freedom-loving Americans may cringe at the idea of allowing the president’s unelected wife to tell them what they can and cannot eat, but the National Restaurant Association (NRA) says first lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative is one that they are embracing. (more)

Last week the federal government released its official 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the last step in a process that’s repeated every five years. (more)

As the nation’s obesity crisis continues unabated, federal regulators on Monday issued their bluntest nutrition advice to date: drink water instead of sugary drinks like soda, fill your plate with fruits and vegetables and cut down on processed foods filled with sodium, fat or sugar. (more)

You’re running your Saturday errands: dry cleaners, post office, oil change, etc. At the grocery store you work your way down the list: milk, eggs, broccoli . . . Where’s the bread? You don’t want to buy that brown stuff with all those seeds and twigs; you want good old-fashioned, mushy, best-thing-since-sliced white bread. But it’s nowhere to be found. Upon further investigation, you’re informed that it’s been banned by the government due to the potential harm it can do to diabetics and the gluten-intolerant, and because refined white grains may contribute to obesity. Never mind that you don’t fall into those categories, you’ve been prohibited from making the choice for yourself, for the greater good. (more)

UPDATE: Scott McCabe, Reporter for the Washington Examiner, pointed out in an email to The Daily Caller that the GHSA brought up Michelle Obama in a story pitch for their report about pedestrian deaths. (more)

1.) Remember: You’re a liar and/or an idiot if you call it ‘a government takeover of health care’ — Tomorrow, a group of bureaucrats will meet to determine which treatments private insurance companies will be mandated to cover, and for how long. “The Obama administration faces a tough balancing act,” writes Kaiser Health News. “The benefits package must be broad enough to be comprehensive but not too broad as to be unaffordable. Patient advocates and industry lobbyists already are drawing up wish lists for items they want covered – including autism therapy, obesity treatments, infertility treatments and unlimited chemotherapy visits.” AEI’s Joe Antos told KHN, “This is an invitation for all kinds of lobbying from every conceivable disease group and provider group in the country.” For instance: Joe Nadglowski, CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, thinks insurers should be required to cover bariatric surgery. “Adding a wider range of treatments would raise premium costs, Nadglowski acknowledges, but could save money over time if people sought both prevention and treatment for obesity.” That’s a lot of ifs. (more)

As we begin a new year, the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) would first like to try and slay the demons and hobgoblins of the past year. We do this each New Year’s Eve by making a list of the top unfounded health scares of the outgoing year. These bouts of hysteria are prompted by many different things. But what they have in common is that there’s no scientific evidence to back up the alarms being sounded. (more)

Speaking with New York radio host Curtis Sliwa, Gov. Mike Huckabee rejected Sarah Palin’s mocking of Michelle Obama’s childhood nutrition campaign. The former Arkansas governor and Fox News host came out in support of the first lady’s efforts against the nation’s “obesity crisis.” (more)

In the latest episode of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin pokes fun at First Lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign. (more)

The holidays are a time for eating: pies at Thanksgiving, chocolates for Advent and overflowing gift baskets of cookies and candies through the New Year. If you’re having trouble saying no to the bounty of fat and sugar, give yourself a break: your willpower may be no match for brain pathways that make overeating — much like drug-taking — feel so good. (more)

Fed up Americans recently united in telling the government not to touch their collective junk and the message appears to be getting through, at least somewhat, as the Transportation Security Administration is reportedly reevaluating the new enhanced pat-down procedure in response to public outcry. But the TSA’s taxpayer-funded grope-a-thon is not the only unpopular policy that received public rebuke last month. (more)

On behalf of the NAAFA — a civil rights organization dating back to 1969 working to end discrimination against people of size — we appreciate your efforts to start an open, honest dialogue about the ramifications of childhood bullying. We know that bullying during the formative years of childhood, adolescence and teen years results in horrifying emotional and physical trauma, often resulting in suicide. While your appeal to stop bullying has highlighted certain minorities — such as children of certain races and ethnicities, self-identified LGBT children or children with disabilities — you have failed to include one group of children who are frequently subjected to some of the worse bullying: fat children. NAAFA believes that bullying for any reason is wrong and should be stopped at all costs. (more)

Domino’s Pizza was hurting early last year. Domestic sales had fallen, and a survey of big pizza chain customers left the company tied for the worst tasting pies. (more)

Fast-food restaurants are stepping up efforts to market themselves and unhealthy food products to children and toddlers with television ads, websites and even their own menus, researchers said on Monday. (more)

Americans will keep growing fatter until 42 percent of the nation is considered obese, and having fat friends is part of the problem, researchers said on Thursday. (more)

One day San Fran are world champions, and the next, no toys for you. (more)

Up to one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050 unless something is done to curb unhealthy lifestyle trends in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Friday. (more)

A study in mice seems to show that simply being exposed to light during the night, when these nocturnal creatures expect it to be dark, makes them more likely to be obese. (more)