These are USDA-approved drugs are available for long-term treatment of obesity

Surgical options are available for weight loss.

Adjusting your diet is an integral part of losing excess weight. To get all the nutrients your body needs, carefully follow the food plan you selected

Your heart will be healthier if you reach and maintain your best weight, and don't go up and down the scale like a yo-yo.

Nearly a third of Americans are considered overweight and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regards a diet pill as effective if it helps a 200-pound (90-kg) person lose at least 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a year.

Psychologists say their research demonstrates the power of what's called "unit bias," the sense that a particular portion of food is appropriate.

Stop dieting. Become an "intuitive eater." It's a better way to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, research suggests.

A fad diet is a weight loss plan or aid that promises dramatic results. These diets don't offer long-term success, and they are usually not very healthy.

Obesity can foster poor self-esteem and pave the way for eating disorders. In addition, young women who are losing the battle with the scale are potentially setting themselves up for future health problems down the line, such as heart disease, stroke, Type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

With aging, metabolism slows down, and the number of calories needed decreases somewhat when activity and exercise are reduced.

Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is difficult to treat through diet and exercise alone.

The long-lasting weight reduction achieved with laparoscopic gastric banding, a minimally invasive type of weight loss surgery, can help in the prevention and remission of type 2 diabetes in obese patients, according to a report in the journal Diabetes Care

Aristolochic Acid may be found in botanical products, which may have been sold as "traditional medicines" or as ingredients in dietary supplements.

The use of products with a laxative effect for weight control is ineffective and potentially dangerous for people on severely restricted diets.

Ephedra, also known as ma huang, is found in some herbal products sold for weight control. . Ephedra is a controversial product. It may produce weight loss, but issues of appropriate dosage, effect of other stimulants and safety issues cloud this substance.

A statistic frequently used about obesity treatment is that 95 percent of people who lose weight gain it all back.

Obesity plays a significant role in causing poor health in women, negatively affecting quality of life and shortening quantity of life

Carrying excess body weight can increase your risk of developing or worsening an existing medical condition like diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.

It’s important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes in (through the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy your body uses (through the activities you do).

People with binge eating disorder are usually very upset by their binge eating and may become depressed.

Binge eating disorder is probably the most common eating disorder. Most people with this problem are either overweight or obese,* but normal-weight people also can have the disorder.

People gain weight when the number of calories they eat is more than the number of calories their bodies use. Many factors can play a part in weight gain.