As obesity rates continue to climb, new research finds some obese people do not realize they have a weight problem. The study says one in ten people classified as obese do not understand they are overweight, and believe they are healthy.

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A new ad campaign from the dairy industry is stirring up quite a debate. The ads say that without the sugary flavoring in chocolate milk, some kids won’t drink regular milk and won’t get its nutrients. Critics say kids will drink white milk if it’s the only milk offered, and that they already get too much sugar, which is adding to the country’s obesity problem.

Should schools serve chocolate milk? What do you think?

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As obesity rates in children have been rising, we’ve heard how lack of exercise and a bad diet are to blame. Now, a surprising new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says the amount of physical activity among U.S. teens has not changed that much over the past 20 years, but teens have still gotten heavier. So, is diet the only reason for the weight gain? Or will we see another study in the future with different results about how much teens are exercising?

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As some of you may now, I started FatFighterTV after I had covered the obesity epidemic for years and saw its effects on so many people, especially children. I interviewed families with kids who were not even teenagers yet who had developed type 2 diabetes because of their weight.

So, I’m thrilled to see Diabetes Act Now – an interactive site raising awareness about the risks of the disease. One of the first things you’ll see when you visit are these sobering statistics – 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die of a heart attack or stroke. 2 out of 3!

The American Diabetes Association launched the site to help answer questions about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and to show patients easy ways to help reduce and prevent complications like heart attack and stroke.

Diabetes Act Now features:

• A personal dashboard to track your progress and choose action plans.

• A library of videos to help you make easy lifestyle changes to improve your diabetes numbers.

• An interactive widget with diabetes-related content and resources that you can access directly on your personal desktop.

There’s also a Spanish version of the site, Diabetes Actua Ya and a Twitter account

November is Diabetes Awareness Month… so help me spread the word about the risks of the disease and this important site!

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Three new prescription diet drugs are in the final stages of development. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to review the drugs before deciding whether to approve them, so it will be at least one year before they hit the market, if they get the green light from the FDA.

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Earlier this month, a new study showed fewer schools are selling snacks and drinks like candy and soda. Now, a panel recommends the government make healthy changes to school meals, even though it will increase costs. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) says as obesity continues to rise, breakfast and lunch at schools should be lower in calories, and have more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help kids adapt better eating habits. The IOM says the changes could increase the cost of breakfast by as much as 25 percent and lunch by 9 percent.

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With more emphasis on stopping childhood obesity, some day cares are making changes in their menus. This article shows how a day care center in Delaware is serving grilled chicken instead of hot dogs, strawberries instead of cookies, and water and low-fat milk instead of fruit juice. The goal is to teach kids early that being active and eating healthy can be the norm and that junk food should be a rare treat.

Do you think changes like these will help reduce childhood obesity?

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Cancer is one of the many health problems linked to obesity. Now, a new report finds being overweight could become the number one cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the future. Obesity or overweight make up about eight percent of cancers in Europe. Experts say that’s expected to go up significantly as the obesity epidemic continues, and other big cancer causes like smoking and hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women go down dramatically.

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Pregnant women may want to get moving. New research finds regular exercise during pregnancy can lower a first time mom’s chances of having an overweight baby. The report shows working out at least three times a week cuts the odds of delivering a newborn that weighs too much (more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces), by about one-fourth.

Other pregnancy studies have linked a mom’s weight to an increased risk of birth defects.

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In June, it was all about athletic seals helping to get kids moving. Now, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hopes characters from the classic “Where the Wild Things Are” can help fight childhood overweight and obesity. You’ll soon see and hear new ads with characters and scenes from the movie, which comes out next month. The campaign promotes the benefits of exercise and encourages children to move and play every day.

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